WHAT IS SYSTEMS BIOLOGY?

Systems thinking is used in a variety of scientific and technological fields. Indeed, this paradigm has proved indispensable in disciplines as disparate as commerce, production, and the aviation industry. Aleksander Bogdanov (1873–1928) was probably the first exponent of systems thinking. In his "Tektology: Universal Organization Science" (1913–1922), Bogdanov ambitiously proposed that all physical, biological, and human sciences could be unified by treating them as sets of relationships and by seeking the organizational principles that underlie all systems. The foundation of general systems theory was later developed extensively by the biologist Ludwig von Bertalanffy. Bertalanffy's statements on the topic appeared as early as the mid-1920s. Why then is it only now in the genomic era that it is so "hip" to talk about systems biology? Analogous to past developments in other scientific disciplines, biologists in the post-genomic era are challenged with huge volumes of data (e.g. genome sequences, expression data), originating from heterogeneous technologies (e.g. microarray, yeast two-hybrid, ChIP-chip) and representing innumerable states of the system (experimental conditions). This massive influx of information and the desire to make it biologically coherent has forced us to think not in terms of single molecules but in terms of "systems."
Although ecologists and physiologists have been using a systems approach to study plants for many years, a systems biology approach that reaches to and includes molecular details is only feasible now with the advent of genomic technologies. Thus, the exciting prospect of the post-genomic era is for the first time to be able to integrate knowledge across different levels of biological organization and to anchor this at the molecular level. Systems biology is sometimes loosely associated with the use of genomic technologies to understand specific biological processes. We believe systems biology has a larger and more ambitious scope, and we advocate a definition anchored in the general systems theory put forth by Bogdanov and Bertalanffy: The exercise of integrating the existing knowledge about biological components, building a model of the system as a whole and extracting the unifying organizational principles that explain the form and function of living organisms.

Rodrigo A. Gutiérrez, Dennis E. Shasha and Gloria M. Coruzzi
Department of Biology, New York University, New York, New York 10003 (R.A.G., G.M.C.); and Department of Computer Science, New York University, New York, New York 10012 (D.E.S.)
Source: Plant Physiology 138:550-554 (2005)

INFORMATION

Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) is used in the treatment of common cold, allergies and respiratory disorders. It is also helpful in healing wounds. It has antioxidant activity and prevents the cell membrane of vital organs from getting damaged due to oxidation. Vitamin C deficiency can lead to scurvy in which there is lack of synthesis of collagen in the human body resulting in bleeding disorders, malformation of bones and growth retardation. The natural sources of Vitamin C are lemon, orange, gooseberry (amla), tomato, strawberry and other citrus fruits.

Amphibians are usually oviparons, i.e.they do not give birth to babies but lay eggs. However, a few species are known to be viviparons, wherein they give birth to their offspring instead of laying eggs. Recently scientists for India and the U. K. discovered viviparity in a caecilian (legless amphibian) Gegeneophis seshachari, which is a first find of its kind in India and the entire Asia.

The Government of India launched the Project Snow Leopard (RSL) on 20 January 2009 in New Delhi. The PSL is an initiative to conserve the globally endangered flagship species (Uncia uncial) found in the high altitude Himalayas.

Bhaskaracharya
(1114 – 1185)

Bhaskaracharya known as Bhaskara, was the famous mathematician and astronomer of ancient India. He was born in the Bijapur district of Karnataka. Bhaskara was the head of the astronomical observatory at Ujjain, the leading mathematical centre of ancient India. It is believed that Bhaskara learned mathematics from his father Mahesvara, an astrologer. Bhaskara wrote books on astonomy and mathematics. They are: ‘Siddhanta Sironmani’, ‘ Lilavati’, and ‘Bijagnita’. Bhaskara was the first to introduce infinity. The law of gravitation had been propounded by Bhaskara 500 years before it was rediscovered by Newton.

Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), India

CSIR is one of the largest and most diversified publicly funded scientific and industrial research organizations in the world having a network of 37 state-of-the-art laboratories, more than 4500 scientists and 8000 technical support personnel and about 7000 research students. CSIR is repositioning itself to be Council of Scientific and Innovative Research with Corporate Social Indian Responsibility to ensure globally competitive research.

Science News

The Union Government of India has finalized the draft for the National Science Mission. It aims to make India a global leader in solar energy and envisages an installed solar generation capacity of 20,000 MW by 2020, of 100,000 MW by 2030 and of 200,000 MW by 2050.

GENETICALLY MODIFIED CROPS: WHAT DO THE SCIENTISTS SAY?

In recent years, the media have increased the public's awareness of the environmental and health dimensions of cultivating and consuming GM crops, often uncritically reporting results of controversial studies. Emotionally charged terms such as "frankenfoods," "super weeds," and "genetic pollution" have entered the discussion and the popular vocabulary.
We believe that it is critically important for plant scientists to be actively involved in educating the public, including legislators, about the scientific issues that involve GM technology. We have an obligation to help people understand the reasoning behind scientific research and genetic technology. As scientists, we need to consider the complexity of issues involved from the points of view of history, politics, culture, ecology, safety, environment, and business. Some of our colleagues are actively involved in these educational processes. We wanted to put into a broader framework our daily work in the laboratory and our discussions with opponents of genetic modification of crop plants. In some cases opponents of the technology have resorted to criminal activities, resulting not only in destruction of field trials - often of non-GM plants - but also in incidents of arson of research facilities. Graduate students have had their materials destroyed as a result of such activities. Many of our readers are in the "trenches" of these confrontations, and we believe it is extremely important that the voices of prominent scientists be heard, not only by the general public and politicians, but also by plant biologists.
-Natasha Raikhel, Editor-in-Chief of Plant Physiology

ANTICANCER MEDICINAL PLANTS

Because of high death rate associated with cancer and because of the serious side effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy, many cancer patients seek alternative and/or complementary methods of treatment The important preventive methods for most of the cancers include dietary changes, stopping the use of tobacco products, treating inflammatory diseases effectively, and taking nutritional supplements that and immune functions.

Chemotherapy, being a major treatment modality used for the control of advanced stages of malignancies and as a prophylactic against possible metastasis, exhibits severe toxicity on normal tissues. Plants have been used for treating various diseases of human beings and animals since time immemorial. They maintain the health and vitality of individuals and also cure diseases including cancer without causing toxicity.

Sixty two medicinal plants including Agave, Cannbis and Lantana are considered to be the anticancer plants. These medicinal plants of foreign origin possess good immunomodulatory and antioxidant phytochemicals protect the cells from oxidative damage. Thus, consuming a diet rich in antioxidant plant foods (e.g. fruits and vegetables) will provide health-protective effects.
(Source: Current Science, 2009)

SCIENTISTS SAY...

Microbial diversity has profound effects on ecosystem functions. Decomposition of organic matter, nutrient cycling, bioremediation of toxics and pollutants, and both the spread and control of infectious disease are some key roles of soil microbes in the ecosystems. They determine plant growth. However, the relationships between microbial functioning and sustenance of plant growth are still poorly understood. – Gamini Senevirante (Sri Lanka)

The living world can be understood by framing hypotheses, making observations, carrying out experiments and analyzing the results with the help of logic and reason – in short by the scientific methods. There are many ways to characterize the scientific method, one of them being that it a form of rational thinking.

INDIAN SATELLITES IN ORBIT

The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV – C12) put in orbit Radar Imaging Satellite (RISAT-2) on 20 April 2009 from Sriharikota to keep a watch on India’s borders. This is the first time the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) is putting in orbit a RISAT in the microwave band. It can take images of the earth day and night, see through clouds and identify objects on the ground. The 300 kg RISAT-2 was procured from Israel. It can precisely look at water bodies and vegetation. It would be a powerful tool in estimating paddy acreage.

On the same day, an experimental communication satellite – Anusat built by Anna University, Chennai was also put in orbit. Anusat was meant for storing and relaying information.