Systems Biology of Metabolism: A Driver for Developing Personalized and Precision Medicine

Jens Nielsen

doi:10.1016/j.cmet.2017.02.002

Systems Biology of Metabolism: A Driver for Developing Personalized and Precision Medicine

Cell Metab. 2017 Mar 7;25(3):572-579. doi: 10.1016/j.cmet.2017.02.002.

Author

Jens Nielsen¹

Affiliation

¹ Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, SE41128 Gothenburg, Sweden; Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark, DK2800 Lyngby, Denmark; Science for Life Laboratory, Royal Institute of Technology, SE17121 Stockholm, Sweden. Electronic address: nielsenj@chalmers.se.

PMID: 28273479
DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2017.02.002

Abstract

Systems biology uses mathematical models to analyze large datasets and simulate system behavior. It enables integrative analysis of different types of data and can thereby provide new insight into complex biological systems. Here will be discussed the challenges of using systems medicine for advancing the development of personalized and precision medicine to treat metabolic diseases like insulin resistance, obesity, NAFLD, NASH, and cancer. It will be illustrated how the concept of genome-scale metabolic models can be used for integrative analysis of big data with the objective of identifying novel biomarkers that are foundational for personalized and precision medicine.

Keywords: N-of-1 trials; cancer; genome-scale metabolic models; gut microbiome; stratification; systems medicine; type 2 diabetes.

Publication types

Review
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Biomarkers / metabolism
Cell Physiological Phenomena
Genome
Humans
Metabolism*
Precision Medicine*
Systems Biology*

Substances

Biomarkers