Systems biology is a study to perceive a network composed of genes, proteins, metabolites, cells, etc. as a biological system, uncover how biological functions of the network are controlled and autonomously operate against environmental changes and understand dynamic life phenomena in an integrated approach.

While the complexity of life exists because numerous genes and proteins demonstrate their functions by acting with each other, it is becoming possible to come closer to unravel the complexity by promoting systems biology.
This strategic program aims to unravel complex working mechanism of biological systems through systems biology and realize healthy and comfortable living as well as sustainable economic development by utilizing tools, technologies and software which are created in the process of verifying the mechanism in such areas as health, medicine and bioengineering.

Japan had a head start on Systems biology as approach. Although it can be said that it is still in the early stage, study on systems biology has become rapidly vigorous recently in Europe and the United States. In Japan, several internationally-acclaimed individual studies have been ongoing and the technological superiority is high in such areas as computational science and database. Therefore, we make the following proposals as specific research issues.
[1] Creation of a model to unravel working mechanism of biological systems
[2] Development of tools, technologies and software for dynamic analysis of biological systems
[3] Development of technologies for prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases, development of drugs and vaccines, research and development of biological production and functional food
The important things for promotion of systems biology, it require not only conventional life science research methods but also knowledge such as theoretical biology, computational science, mathematics and physics and also new tools and technologies such as quantitative measuring, imaging, microfabrication, and simulation.. In particular, system control and its theory, quantitative measuring and control and simulation should be required for the life science innovation in Japan.