EU project on signalling networks of complex diseases initiated

Complex diseases have complex causes. A major challenge is to understand the perturbations to cellular signalling networks in diseases such as cancer, autoimmune diseases and allergy, Also, the interplay between dispositions to alterations in normal cells and the changed signalling circuitry in diseased tissues important. Is a simple reversion at all possible, or is it necessary to consider the diseased state of signaling as a novel entitity that requires specific understanding different from the normal state?

Headed by Mikael Benson of The University of Gothenborg, Sweden, a number of collaborative groups working with various complex diseases will take on this challenge in a predominantly bioinformatics based approach through a specific targeted research (STREP) EU project entitled "Unravelling complex diseases with complexity theory: from networks to the bedside."
The project is a multi-disciplinary collaboration between clinicians, experts in complexity theory, bioinformaticians, computer scientists, molecular biologists, immunologists and geneticists in Europe and the USA. The project is a cross-disciplinary effort to apply the science of complexity to a specific area where complexity is a key issue.

As a project partner (CompexDis project web site), we look very much forward to take on the challenges in this very exciting project.