ㅇ 제목 : PlantSimLab - A Virtual Modeling and Simulation Web App for Experimental Biologists

ㅇ 장소 : ETRI 12연구동 312호실

At the molecular level, nonlinear networks of heterogeneous molecules control many biological processes, so that systems biology provides a valuable approach in this field, building on the integration of experimental biology with mathematical modeling. One of the biggest challenges to making this integration a reality is that many (plant) biologists do not possess the mathematical background needed to build and manipulate mathematical models well enough to use them as tools for hypothesis generation. Available software tools for network modeling are intended to be used primarily by modelers. Software that has graphical user interfaces and efficient analysis methods easy to use and accessible to modelers is needed. We introduce PlantSymLab, a scientific web app developed to allow experimental biologists to construct dynamic mathematical models of molecular networks, interrogate those in a manner similar to that of studying them experimentally, analyze those using mathematical algorithms, and use them as a tool for biological hypothesis generation. Discrete modeling techniques are a useful tool for analyzing complex biological systems and there is a need for accessible efficient analysis tools in the biological community. We believe that with right type of models and the right user interfaces, biologists can construct, analyze and use mathematical models for hypothesis generation without direct assistance from modelers.