ABSTRACT
Modeling is the process of creating such a construct and squeezing new insights out of it. Mathematical models in systems biology can take many forms. Modeling in systems biology is really a special way of looking at the world. Modeling is a mathematical and computational endeavor that in some sense resembles the fine arts. The formation of good questions requires decisions about what is really important in the model, which features can be ignored, and what inaccuracies we are willing to tolerate when we simplify or omit details. It is this complex of decisions on the inclusion and exclusion of components, facts, and processes that constitutes the artistic aspect of modeling. The computational side of modeling draws from two classes of methods: mathematical analysis and computer simulation. Independent of the specific biological subject area and the ultimate choice of a particular mathematical and computational framework, the generic modeling process consists of several phases.
