A new model for circadian clock research

Mol Syst Biol. 1: 2005.0014 From a closer and purer league between…the experimental and the rational…much may be hoped . (Bacon, 1620) Although Francis Bacon proposed the benefits of interdisciplinary science in 1620, only recently have molecular biologists and mathematicians talked with any frequency. Although no modern biologist would deny the validity of computational approaches in biology—just look at the burgeoning field of Genomics—how useful mathematical modeling will be to biologists remains debated (Lawrence, 2004; Tyson, 2004). An answer may be here with a study in this issue of MSB by Locke et al (2005), which highlights the advantages of being able to work effectively with models and molecules. The study by Locke et al (2005) focuses on circadian rhythms, daily rhythms of behavior and physiology found in most organisms. These rhythms range from human sleep/wake cycles to leaf movements in plants. The cyclical nature and the precision of these internally driven rhythms has intrigued mathematicians and biologists alike. Yet despite working on the same questions for decades, most circadian molecular biologists have not embraced mathematical modeling. The following dialogue highlights similarities and differences in the views of a biologist (B) and a mathematician (M): B: I don't understand how ‘Math‐Biology’ will help my research—mathematical models seem more descriptive than predictive. M: Well, I have an excellent paper for you to read in which the authors move freely between computer simulations and experiments. Locke et al (2005) used experimental data to build a model, and …