Document Type

Article

Publication Date

10-21-2019

Keywords

JGM

JAX Source

BMC Bioinformatics 2019 Oct 21; 20(1):508

Volume

20

Issue

1

First Page

508

Last Page

508

ISSN

1471-2105

PMID

31638901

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1186/s12859-019-3094-9

Grant

DBI-1146819

Abstract

BACKGROUND: 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 life scientists do not possess the mathematical expertise needed to build and manipulate mathematical models well enough to use them as tools for hypothesis generation. Available modeling software packages often assume some modeling expertise. There is a need for software tools that are easy to use and intuitive for experimentalists.

RESULTS: This paper introduces PlantSimLab, a web-based application developed to allow plant biologists to construct dynamic mathematical models of molecular networks, interrogate them in a manner similar to what is done in the laboratory, and use them as a tool for biological hypothesis generation. It is designed to be used by experimentalists, without direct assistance from mathematical modelers.

CONCLUSIONS: Mathematical modeling techniques are a useful tool for analyzing complex biological systems, and there is a need for accessible, efficient analysis tools within the biological community. PlantSimLab enables users to build, validate, and use intuitive qualitative dynamic computer models, with a graphical user interface that does not require mathematical modeling expertise. It makes analysis of complex models accessible to a larger community, as it is platform-independent and does not require extensive mathematical expertise.

Comments

This open access article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License

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