Introduction to the Systems Biology Workbench (original) (raw)
Related papers
SBW - A modular framework for systems biology
Proceedings - Winter Simulation Conference, 2006
A large number of software packages are available to assist researchers in systems biology. In this paper, we describe the current state of the Systems Biology Workbench (SBW), a modular framework that connects modeling and analysis applications, enabling them to reuse each other's capabilities. We describe how users and developers will perceive SBW and then focus on currently available SBW modules. The software, tutorial manual, and test models are freely available from the Computational and Systems Biology group at Keck Graduate Institute. Source code is available from SourceForge. The software is open source and licensed under BSD.
Next Generation Simulation Tools: The Systems Biology Workbench and BioSPICE Integration
OMICS: A Journal of Integrative Biology, 2003
Researchers in quantitative systems biology make use of a large number of different software packages for modelling, analysis, visualization, and general data manipulation. In this paper, we describe the Systems Biology Workbench (SBW), a software framework that allows heterogeneous application components-written in diverse programming languages and running on different platforms-to communicate and use each others' capabilities via a fast binary encoded-message system. Our goal was to create a simple, high performance, opensource software infrastructure which is easy to implement and understand. SBW enables applications (potentially running on separate, distributed computers) to communicate via a simple network protocol. The interfaces to the system are encapsulated in client-side libraries that we provide for different programming languages. We describe in this paper the SBW architecture, a selection of current modules, including Jarnac, JDesigner, and SBWMetatool, and the close integration of SBW into BioSPICE, which enables both frameworks to share tools and compliment and strengthen each others capabilities.
Biouml - Open Source Extensible Workbench for Systems Biology
2003
Summary Motivation: With the completion of several genomics initiatives, including the Human Genome Project, researchers are poised to begin the next phase of elucidating how living systems function. This step requires integrated software environment that spans the comprehensive range of capabilities. Results: BioUML - Biological Universal Modeling Language - is open source extensible Java workbench for systems biology. BioUML's core
2001
Over the years, a variety of biochemical network modeling packages have been developed and used by researchers in biology. No single package currently answers all the needs of the biology community; nor is one likely to do so in the near future, because the range of tools needed is vast and new techniques are emerging too rapidly. It seems unavoidable that, for the foreseeable future, systems biology researchers are likely to continue using multiple packages to carry out their work. In this chapter, we describe the ERATO Systems Biology Workbench (SBW) and the Systems Biology Markup Language (SBML), two related efforts directed at the problems of software package interoperability. The goal of the SBW project is to create an integrated, easy-to-use software environment that enables sharing of models and resources between simulation and analysis tools for systems biology. SBW uses a modular, plug-in architecture that permits easy introduction of new components. SBML is a proposed standard XML-based language for representing models communicated between software packages; it is used as the format of models communicated between components in SBW.
Software for systems biology: from tools to integrated platforms
Nature Reviews Genetics, 2011
Understanding complex biological systems requires extensive support from software tools. Such tools are needed at each step of a systems biology computational workflow, which typically consists of data handling, network inference, deep curation, dynamical simulation and model analysis. In addition, there are now efforts to develop integrated software platforms, so that tools that are used at different stages of the workflow and by different researchers can easily be used together. This Review describes the types of software tools that are required at different stages of systems biology research and the current options that are available for systems biology researchers. We also discuss the challenges and prospects for modelling the effects of genetic changes on physiology and the concept of an integrated platform.
Biocomputing 2002 - Proceedings of the Pacific Symposium, 2001
Researchers in computational biology today make use of a large number of different software packages for modeling, analysis, and data manipulation and visualization. In this paper, we describe the ERATO Systems Biology Workbench (SBW), a software framework that allows these heterogeneous application components-written in diverse programming languages and running on different platforms-to communicate and use each others' data and algorithmic capabilities. Our goal is to create a simple, open-source software infrastructure which is effective, easy to implement and easy to understand. SBW uses a broker-based architecture and enables applications (potentially running on separate, distributed computers) to communicate via a simple network protocol. The interfaces to the system are encapsulated in client-side libraries that we provide for different programming languages. We describe the SBW architecture and the current set of modules, as well as alternative implementation technologies.
Evolving a lingua franca and associated software infrastructure for computational systems biology: t
2005
Biologists are increasingly recognising that computational modelling is crucial for making sense of the vast quantities of complex experimental data that are now being collected. The systems biology field needs agreed-upon information standards if models are to be shared, evaluated and developed cooperatively. Over the last four years, our team has been developing the Systems Biology Markup Language (SBML) in collaboration with an international community of modellers and software developers. SBML has become a de facto standard format for representing formal, quantitative and qualitative models at the level of biochemical reactions and regulatory networks. In this article, we summarise the current and upcoming versions of SBML and our efforts at developing software infrastructure for supporting and broadening its use. We also provide a brief overview of the many SBML-compatible software tools available today.
Celldesigner: A Modeling Tool for Biochemical Networks
2006
Understanding of logic and dynamics of gene-regulatory and biochemical networks is a major challenge of systems biology. To facilitate this research topic, we have developed CellDesigner, a modeling tool of gene-regulatory and biochemical networks. CellDesigner supports users to easily create such networks using solidly defined and comprehensive graphical representation (SBGN: Systems Biology Graphical Notation). CellDesigner is SBML compliant, and is SBW-enabled software so that it can import/export SBML described documents and can integrate with other SBW-enabled simulation/analysis software packages. CellDesigner also supports simulation and parameter search, which is supported by integration with SBML ODE Solver, enabling us to simulate through our sophisticated graphical user interface. We could also browse and modify existing SBML models with references to existing databases. CellDesigner is implemented in Java, thus it runs on various platforms such as Windows, Linux, and MacOS X. CellDesigner is freely available via the Web.