New Institute fuses science and engineering with medical research

A new, multi-disciplinary Institute focused on developing novel approaches to medical and biological challenges has been launched at Imperial College London.

The Institute of Systems Biology brings together the expertise of engineers, mathematicians and physical scientists and will focus on areas including combating malaria, understanding the interactions between pathogens and host cells, and treating inflammatory diseases.

The Institute will also include a team of researchers working in synthetic biology, an emerging field which is in its early stages and represents the first steps towards building a biologically-based computer.

The main strength of the Institute of Systems Biology will be in how it applies engineering, physical sciences and mathematical or computer modelling techniques to biological problems. This will range from the molecular level - with the study of proteins and genes - up to the body and population levels, providing medical clinicians with information on the mechanisms of disease.

'Traditionally there have been definite boundaries between different disciplines like medicine and engineering. However, we find increasingly that tools engineers use, such as systems and signal theories, and mathematical and computer modelling, are invaluable for understanding the complex systems in the body at the molecular level,' said Professor Richard Kitney from Imperial's Department of Bioengineering, and chairman of the board of the new Institute of Systems Biology.

'Our new institute at Imperial will bring together our world-leading scientists working in medicine, biology, engineering and physical sciences, to lead these new and exciting branches of research. Work such as synthetic biology, using biological parts to engineer systems, prove that the old boundaries between the sciences have broken down, and setting up this new Institute clearly shows Imperial's commitment to this new way of working.'