Manchester Centre for Integrative Systems Biology (MCISB, £6.4M, BBSRC & EPSRC) accommodates one of the largest groupings of systems biologists in the UK (led by Westerhoff, Kell, Goodacre, Mendes). A major focus of MCISB is quantitative measurement of kinetic and binding constants on a genome-wide scale and quantitative omics technologies (metabolomics and proteomics). Data derived from this analysis, and existing sources of information, are then used along with new software and algorithms for the simulation and analysis of biochemical networks. This has been used to great effect in model systems such as yeast [1]. Currently these approaches are being applied to biochemical processes associated with human disease [2] such as the oxidative stress response and the signalling network involved in interleukin-1 secretion (Mendes).

Systems biology approaches have also been used explored how nuclear factor kB (NF-kB) transcription factor regulates cellular stress responses and the immune response (White) [3], and are currently being applied to develop differential network-based drug design [4], to model biochemical biomarkers of disease, and to allow individualized drug detoxification profiles to be mapped (Westerhoff) [5].

The analytical (omics) and computational simulation power of MCISB provides an ideal opportunity to develop new phenotypic screening methods complementary with chemical genomics to understand global cellular response to abiotic perturbation (Goodacre) [6]. This can be particularly important in guiding predictive toxicology (Kimber and Syngenta) [7].

[1] Kell, Westerhoff et al. Nature Biotech. 2008, 26, 1155; [2] Westerhoff et al. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 2008, 105, 17718; [3] White et al. Science 2009, 324, 242-246; [4] Westerhoff et al. Biosystems 2006, 83, 81; [5] Westerhoff et al. Eur. J. Pharm. Sci. 2008, 35, 1; [6] Goodacre et al. Chem. Soc. Rev 2011, 40, 387-426; [7] Kimber et al. Curr Opin Allergy Clin Immunol. 2005, 5, 119.