Methods in building and analysing biological networks

Cells are complex and dynamic systems able to modify their behaviour and their morphology in response to internal or environment-induced cues. Such response is achieved thanks to enzymatic reactions and physical interactions that occur between cellular components such as proteins, genes and molecules. Complex diseases (e.g. cancer), have proven to result from alterations in the capacity of cell components to interact and communicate.

During this webinar we will:

1. Introduce biological networks: conceptual and intuitive framework to investigate, visualise and understand this complex web of interactions.
2. Show applications of basic graph theory concepts to physical or signalling interaction networks.
3. Familiarise with open-access repositories that capture, organise and display physical and signalling interactions.
4. Introduce Cytoscape, an open source software platform for querying public databases and for visualising and analysing networks.

Who is this course for?

This webinar is suitable forany researcher in life scienceswith an interest in studying biological networks and pathways. No prior knowledge of bioinformatics is required, but an undergraduate level knowledge of biology would be useful.

Outcomes

By the end of the webinar you will be able to:

• Identify the difference between different types of biological networks
• Describe basic graph theory concepts
• Find more about how to build a biological network by querying public repositories
• Explore Cytoscape, a tool for Network Visualisation and analysis

Speakers

• Livia Perfetto
  Human Technopole, Italy