The limits of reductionism in medicine: could systems biology offer an alternative? - PubMed (original) (raw)

The limits of reductionism in medicine: could systems biology offer an alternative?

Andrew C Ahn et al. PLoS Med. 2006 May.

Abstract

In the first of a two part series, Ahn and colleagues discuss the reductionist approach pervading medicine and explain how a systems approach (as advocated by systems biology) may complement reductionism.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Figure 1

Figure 1. E. coli Chemotaxis

E. coli has been observed to migrate toward areas of higher aspartate concentrations through a series of “runs” and “tumbles” (see Box 1). Autophosph, autophosphorylation.

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