Computer Simulation of MAPK Signal Transduction

We predict that computational modeling platforms will soon become standard tools in experimental laboratories involved in the study of complex regulatory networks of various cellular processes—a field of research where an avalanche of genomic, proteomic and other biochemical data have recently been gleaned, and this trend is expected to continue in the foreseeable future. Quantitative kinetic modeling requires one to postulate detailed molecular pathways and to carry out analyses in the context of an integrated dynamic system so that predictions can be made and compared with experimental data as well as aid in the design of future experiments. The speed of modern computers is such that one can perform simulations of many possible models and discriminate against those that are less probable.