Title
Systems biology of resilience and optimal health Integrating Chinese and Western medicine perspectives
Author
van Wietmarschen, H.
Schroen, Y.
Kallen, V.
Steijaert, M.
de Graaf, A.
van Ommen, B.
van der Greef, J.
Publication year
2017
Abstract
Western science has been strong in measuring details of biological systems such as gene expression levels and metabolite concentrations, and has generally followed a bottom up approach with regard to explaining biological phenomena. Chinese medicine in contrast has evolved as a top down approach in which body and mind is seen as a whole, a phenomenological approach based on the organization and dynamics of symptom patterns. Western and Chinese perspectives are developing towards a ‘middle out’ approach. Chinese medicine diagnosis, we will argue, allows bridging the gap between biologists and psychologists and offers new opportunities for the development of health monitoring tools and health promotion strategies. In this paper, health, resilience and stress concepts are explored from an integrated systems biology perspective. This is followed by a discussion about measuring aspects of health and resilience. Then the issue of how to integrate different types of data is discussed. Semi-quantitative modeling appears to be very suitable and looks promising for building integrated health models. The challenge for the future lies in applying those models in developing personalized health monitoring and advice systems that will tempt people to lead more healthy lives.
To reference this document use:
http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:72322582-0dab-4040-9209-bacc4717a3e5
DOI
https://doi.org/10.15806/j.issn.2311-8571.2016.0024
TNO identifier
954916
ISSN
2311-8571
Source
World Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 3 (3), 38-49
Document type
article