How do precision medicine and system biology response to human body's complex adaptability?
- Author:
Bing YUAN
1
Author Information
1. Hong Kong Modern Chinese Medicine R&D Center, Hong Kong SAR, China. greenisland@vip.163.com.
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
adaptability;
complexity science;
personalized medicine;
precision medicine;
system biology
- MeSH:
Adaptation, Physiological;
Human Body;
Humans;
Medicine, Chinese Traditional;
Precision Medicine;
Systems Biology
- From:
Chinese journal of integrative medicine
2016;22(12):883-888
- CountryChina
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
In the field of life sciences, although system biology and "precision medicine" introduce some complex scientifific methods and techniques, it is still based on the "analysis-reconstruction" of reductionist theory as a whole. Adaptability of complex system increase system behaviour uncertainty as well as the difficulties of precise identifification and control. It also put systems biology research into trouble. To grasp the behaviour and characteristics of organism fundamentally, systems biology has to abandon the "analysis-reconstruction" concept. In accordance with the guidelines of complexity science, systems biology should build organism model from holistic level, just like the Chinese medicine did in dealing with human body and disease. When we study the living body from the holistic level, we will fifind the adaptability of complex system is not the obstacle that increases the diffificulty of problem solving. It is the "exceptional", "right-hand man" that helping us to deal with the complexity of life more effectively.
