An introduction to systems biology
by Uri Alon · first published 2007
90% recommend10% neutral
Why HN recommends it
Teaches systems biology through recurring design principles of biological circuits, using simple quantitative models; recommended for mathematically inclined readers and newcomers to the field.
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…cs/mathematics and biology. The text we used in the class is called 'The Cell' by Alberts, and James Watson. I asked the professor of the class about further reading, and he suggested "2 texts: (1) An Introduction to Systems Biology: Design Principles of Biological Circuits (Alon, U.), and (2) Physical Biology of the Cell (Rob Phillips et al.)." Hope that helped. You can email me for more info, email is in my profile.
on “Ask HN: What Kind of Biology Study Did You Have in Higher Education?” ↗Introduction to Systems Biology - Design Principles of Biological Circuits, by Uri Alon. It opened my eyes to a whole new field that will become a massive industry over the coming decades. Much like a Systems course in engineering…
on “Ask HN: What book changed your life in 2014?” ↗For biology, assuming a CS/engineering background: Campbell's Biology Synthetic biology: A Primer An introduction to systems biology by Uri Alon (get the 2020 edition) O'Reilly: Biobuilder
on “Ask HN: What, in your opinion, are the greatest and most useful textbooks?” ↗…amount of quantitative cell biology models that use simple undergrad physics. Originated from a Caltech course. After reading this book, all other intro to biology books look like a bag of tricks. 3. An Introduction to Systems Biology: Design Principles of Biological Circuits by Alon. Bacterial circuits from the perspective of an electrical engineer. Sadly, NSF discontinued funding for a totally epic Cold Spring Harbor Summer school…
on “I should have loved biology” ↗…even mix of matlab and python. My advisor would be upset if I didn’t plug his framework: https://pysb.org/ As far as textbooks go, I guess I’d recommend Uri Alon’s book: https://www.routledge.com/An-Introduction-to-Systems-Biology... Full disclosure, I haven’t read it, but I like his research and he’s a good communicator. It’s tough because it’s a newish field and not super well defined. The frustrating answer is that the best…
on “BioModels” ↗Voit looks gimmicky. Uri Alon's treatment (An Introduction to Systems Biology) is much better.
on “I should have loved biology” ↗…Biology of the Gene by James Watson et al. is a good starting point to understand the central dogma: DNA -> RNA -> Protein. Likewise Molecular Biology of the Cell by Alberts et al. for cell biology. An Introduction to Systems Biology by Uri Alon is good for the more mathematically inclined once you're ready to get more advanced, though you should really have a solid grasp on the fundamentals of molecular and cellular biology first.…
on “I should have loved biology (2020)” ↗…the standard two-semester introductory course, hence my book recommendation. If that's wrong and OP wants a math-first approach, here are a few gems: Physical Biology of the Cell, Phillips, et. al An Introduction to Systems Biology, Alon Evolutionary Dynamics, Nowack
on “Biology is a Burrito: A text- and visual-based journey through a living cell” ↗check out uri alon’s introduction to systems biology
on “I should have loved biology (2020)” ↗…already, tons of so-called "health tech" companies that were merely performing analytics on wearables. Profitable? Maybe. Exciting and innovative? No. Some reading material: Synthetic biology: A Primer An introduction to systems biology (get the 2020 edition) O'Reilly: Biobuilder Molecular biology of the Gene Campbell's Biology YouTube Channels: The Thought Emporium Josiah Zayner Khan Academy Biology Biology Professor Shomus…
on “Ask HN: What Technologies to Learn in 2020?” ↗There are examples to the contrary though. I just finished "Introduction to Systems Biology" from coursera, and the quizzes and exams where tough. They really required you to have understood the topic and googling didn't help me a lot.
on “San Jose State suspends online courses” ↗