The successful application of systems approaches in plant biology.

Plant biology has had longstanding successes from applying mathematical models to plant systems. Of the >160 models that have been developed to date, a closer study is made of crop models and more recent plant models. The latter focus on hormone response networks, metabolism, circadian clock, biomechanics of growth and new organ development. The multicellular and multiscale models have provided important and novel insights into the regulation of hormone distribution, tissue development and environmental sensing. Finally, the challenges faced when establishing multidisciplinary teams are introduced along with successful management strategies and techniques to overcome them.

The impact of mathematical modeling on the understanding of diabetes and related complications.

Diabetes is a chronic and complex multifactorial disease caused by persistent hyperglycemia and for which underlying pathogenesis is still not completely understood. The mathematical modeling of glucose homeostasis, diabetic condition, and its associated complications is rapidly growing and provides new insights into the underlying mechanisms involved. Here, we discuss contributions to the diabetes modeling field over the past five decades, highlighting the areas where more focused research is required.CPT: Pharmacometrics & Systems Pharmacology (2013) 2, e54; doi:10.1038/psp.2013.30; advance online publication 10 July 2013.