Thanks to computational capacities now available, systems biology is experiencing a departure from biology’s traditional focus on individual molecules, concentrating instead on systems of biological components, which can best be studied using large amounts of data. In Systematic (Bloomsbury Sigma), James Valcourt ’12 explains in laypeople’s terms various biological systems — like how gut microbes influence weight and mood — and also explores how research in systems biology is helping to improve medical treatments. Valcourt is a Ph.D. student in systems biology at Harvard University.
