Why Networks Matter

The human genome encodes 25,000 genes. But the biological complexity inherent in polygenic traits is a clear sign that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Genes, gene products, and other cellular components don't act in isolation, but rather in networks that allow us to look beyond the individual genes and to embrace the complex, adaptive nature of the regulatory process. 

Learning Objectives:

1. Discuss what Gene Regulatory Networks (GRNs) are-and are not.

2. Discuss one way that one can infer GRNs from data by introducing constraints on our models.

3. Explain how GRNs can provide insight beyond simple differential expression or differential co-expression.