Systems biology: A disruptive biopharmaceutical research paradigm

Since the completion of the Human Genome Project a new biological paradigm has emerged, namely systems biology. This paradigm is advancing the view that biology is essentially an information science with information operating on multiple hierarchical levels and in complex networks. A new hierarchical framework for biological knowledge is being constructed to understand the relationships between the various levels of information. Although the goal of finding new medicinal entities is central to drug discovery, the search itself has been dramatically altered in the post Human Genome era. It is our view that systems biology is a disruptive biopharmaceutical research paradigm. Biopharmaceutical knowledge production processes, knowledge dissemination processes, and even knowledge appropriation mechanisms are rapidly evolving to maximize value creation during drug discovery and development. A knowledge framework is used in this paper for conceptualizing and enabling the efficient management of these new complexities in systems biology. Fundamentally important to medical progress is ensuring that multiple innovators can equitably exploit the technological opportunities presented by systems biology. We evaluate the role of academia, government, and industry in preserving these technological opportunities. (c) 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.