Biological System Dynamics: From Personal Discovery to Universal Application

Abstract

Many biomedical problems, including diabetes, hypertension, and drug tolerance, are fundamentally problems of biological control systems. Computer modeling and simulation constitute an effective tool for the systematic study of such systems. In particular, System Dynamics provides a graphical interface which allows one to develop a model structure using a parsimo nious set of symbols. The structural diagram is linked with a set of equations to quantitatively describe each component in the system. Simulations can then be conducted to examine the behavior of the system under a variety of circumstances. Once models are developed, they may be used by a larger audience after only a few hours' training. It soon becomes evident that a given model may be applied to a surprisingly wide variety of biological systems. Finally, System Dynamics models may be readily modified, adapted, and expanded, leading to a growing body of models which are relevant to the biomedical community.

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