Email Print Share

News Release 07-045

Biology in the 21st Century

National Science Foundation Assistant Director James Collins to speak at Experimental Biology 2007 Conference

From cells to ecosystems, systems biology focuses on interactions of parts of biological systems.

From cells to ecosystems, systems biology focuses on interactions of parts of biological systems.


April 26, 2007

This material is available primarily for archival purposes. Telephone numbers or other contact information may be out of date; please see current contact information at media contacts.

James Collins, National Science Foundation (NSF) assistant director for biological sciences, will present a talk entitled, "Biology into the 21st Century: Where to from Here?" on May 1, 2007, at the Experimental Biology 2007 conference in Washington, D.C.

Systems biology is the study of how complex properties arise from the interactions of the components of biological systems.

Collins will discuss systems biology and its significance in today's world, designed as a conversation with Experimental Biology 2007 attendees about the theoretical and conceptual bases of biology in the 21st century.

"Research in this area is aimed at developing a comprehensive understanding of living systems," Collins said. "This is important in a world in which, for example, climate change is affecting our entire planet. What happens in one part of the world has an impact on the rest of the globe."

"Systems biology will help us better comprehend the interactions between Earth's living and non-living components. And systems biologists make use of a combination of experimentation, computation and modeling such that each part of the triad informs the others," he said.

A systems approach to the study of biology will lead to an ability, for example, to predict why organisms are structured the way they are and perform as they do. Systems biology will strengthen the theoretical underpinnings of biology, according to Collins, and will lead to development of new theory in biology.

Collins' talk will take place on Tuesday, May 1, at 2 p.m. in Ballroom B of the D.C. Convention Center.

-NSF-

Media Contacts
Cheryl Dybas, NSF, (703) 292-7734, email: cdybas@nsf.gov

The U.S. National Science Foundation propels the nation forward by advancing fundamental research in all fields of science and engineering. NSF supports research and people by providing facilities, instruments and funding to support their ingenuity and sustain the U.S. as a global leader in research and innovation. With a fiscal year 2023 budget of $9.5 billion, NSF funds reach all 50 states through grants to nearly 2,000 colleges, universities and institutions. Each year, NSF receives more than 40,000 competitive proposals and makes about 11,000 new awards. Those awards include support for cooperative research with industry, Arctic and Antarctic research and operations, and U.S. participation in international scientific efforts.

mail icon Get News Updates by Email 

Connect with us online
NSF website: nsf.gov
NSF News: nsf.gov/news
For News Media: nsf.gov/news/newsroom
Statistics: nsf.gov/statistics/
Awards database: nsf.gov/awardsearch/

Follow us on social
Twitter: twitter.com/NSF
Facebook: facebook.com/US.NSF
Instagram: instagram.com/nsfgov