Systems Bioinformatics: An Engineering Case-Based Approach (Hardcover)

~ Gil Alterovitz (Editor), Marco F. Ramoni (Editor)
Key Phrases: sequence hybridization, biological signal processing, functional proteomics approaches, New York, Nucleic Acids Res, Cell Level (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

This trail-blazing work introduces a quantitative systems approach to bioinformatics research using powerful computational tools drawn from signal processing, circuit analysis, control systems, and communications. It presents the functionality of biological processes in an engineering context to facilitate the application of technical skills in solving the field's challenges, from the lab bench to data analysis and modeling, and to enable reverse engineering from biology in the development of synthetic biological devices.

This first-of-its-kind text explores how the knowledge bases of various technical disciplines relate to, and are observed, in biological systems. You learn fundamental signal processing techniques that are essential to biological data analysis, including biomedical imaging and image processing, feature extraction, classification, and estimation. You gain a thorough understanding of cellular regulatory systems and their similarities to traditional control systems, protein and gene networks, inference networks, and network dynamics. The book also addresses how biology-inspired molecular structures are being used to solve engineering challenges, and how one can mimic biology's designs in creating more robust technologies. Moreover, you discover the latest developments in proteomics, where these tools can make an immense impact due to the number, complexity, and interaction networks of proteins. A major addition under the evolving umbrella of systems biology and bioinformatics, this groundbreaking work points you to new frontiers in the convergence of engineering and biological research.

CD-ROM Included! Contains several fully working programs to save you time on the job, including Bayesian Discoverer (student version), VisANT, and OBOES, as well as full-color figures, PowerPoint lecture slides, Matlab Webinar, links to Web resources, and more.

About the Author

Gil Alterovitz is on the faculty at Harvard Medical School, where he is engaged in research that applies engineering systems approaches to biomedical problems. Dr. Alterovitz is a part of the Children's Hospital Informatics Program at the Harvard/MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology. He is also affiliated with the MIT Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and Harvard University, where he is teaching a class on the topic of systems bioinformatics this year. He earned his Ph.D. in Electrical and Biomedical Engineering at MIT.

Marco F. Ramoni is an assistant professor of Pediatrics and Medicine at Harvard Medical School and an assistant professor of Health Sciences and Technology at Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He is also associate director of Bioinformatics at the Harvard Partners Center for Genetics and Genomics (HPCGG) and faculty member at the Children's Hospital Informatics Program (CHIP). He received his Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Pavia, Italy.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 398 pages
• Publisher: Artech House Publishers (February 28, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1596931248
• ISBN-13: 978-1596931244
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 7.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #332,408 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rigorous engineering and molecular biology at the crossroads, September 5, 2008

By	Paul Baker (United States) - See all my reviews

I came across this book while I was looking for a resource that showed how one can contribute one's engineering talent in biology. The book starts with a molecular biology section. Then the book looks at biology from engineering perspectives: control theory, network analysis, and signal processing. The book also talks about synthetic biology, and finishes off with topics at the horizon of bioengineering research. I think it is an impressive, cohesive text even though it covers complex topics within the intersection of molecular biology, computer science, and engineering (especially electrical and chemical engineering). Alterovitz and Ramoni appear to have gotten these topics into one book by working with a group of experts from around the world.

Pro: In addition to what I've already said, I like how the book comes with a CD. The nice thing about the software is that not only is it at my fingertips, but I can be assured that I'm using the same version (with the same functionality) that the text refers to. The other nice thing about the CD is that most if not all the figures are on the CD. I'm thinking of using a few in future presentations for class, research etc.

Con: I had a hard time chasing down a copy in bookstores, and I needed it for my research.

You should get this book if you're serious about learning about systems bioinformatics.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great resource for applying math and computation to biology, November 5, 2008

By	J. Dreyfuss - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I found this book to be an extremely valuable resource for applying quantitative methods to modern biology. As someone working in bioinformatics with a statistical background and a keen interest in applying my strengths to the emerging field of synthetic biology - basically, control and construction of living systems - this book is wonderful for me.

The book begins with a simple introduction to the basics of molecular biology. It proceeds to work through a multitude of engineering approaches to biological systems. Although I am not an engineer, these approaches all make perfect sense to me in their more general quantitative context.

This book is ideal for you if you have an interest in the application of math and computation to biology; this book is written by leading academics around the globe to offer top-notch expertise on this topic. If you would prefer a non-mathematical introduction, however, I would not personally recommend this work.