| Biology is the study of life and comprises all levels | | | | Biologists, geneticists, and doctors have had limited |
| from the molecular to the global. Biology is the study | | | | success in curing complex diseases such as cancer, |
| living organisms, their organization and their functions | | | | HIV, and diabetes because traditional biology generally |
| and biology is a large part of the way our | | | | looks at only a few aspects of an organism at a |
| environment evolved from simple organisms and is | | | | time. Again, we would suggest that this is due to the |
| thus intimately part of our environment. Biology is a | | | | role of biology in environment which is so complex |
| very broad field, covering the minute workings of | | | | that the unraveling of these interactions is only now |
| chemical machines inside our cells, to broad scale | | | | beginning to be discovered. |
| concepts of ecosystems and global climate change. | | | | Biological processes of course are consequences of |
| Biologists study subjects which range from intimate | | | | physics and chemistry, which is why we require |
| details of the human brain, the composition of our | | | | biology students to study the physical sciences. But |
| genes, and even the functioning of our reproductive | | | | organisms are also historical entities molded by their |
| system to the building blocks of the simplest | | | | environment both physical and social, and that’s |
| organisms on earth which created our oxygen rich | | | | where the complexities arise. |
| atmosphere capable of supporting higher life forms. | | | | Synthetic Biologists build artificial biological systems in |
| Without biological processes you and I would not | | | | an analogous way, using individual components such |
| exist, nor the planet as we know it. | | | | as single genes and enzymes for which the reactivity |
| Biological systems in contrast to physical are vastly | | | | and the products formed are accurately known. |
| more complex, their function based on small numbers | | | | Synthetic biology will catch up even faster when it |
| of units (atoms, molecules, cells) that are not at | | | | appreciates role of biology in environment. Assembly |
| equilibrium. There are no biological laws of nature the | | | | of simple synthetic circuits using DNA fibers has been |
| way we find them in physics; the first and second | | | | demonstrated. |
| law of thermodynamics, Heisenberg\'s uncertainty | | | | Systems Biology is the application of mathematical |
| principle, Newton\'s law of gravity etc. | | | | physical modeling to understanding the functions of |
| The supreme importance of the role of biology in | | | | biological processes. It describes a multi-component |
| environment can be seen if we consider | | | | approach, combining theoretical modeling with real |
| biotechnology. Biotechnology, as Aldous Huxley | | | | data about the interaction between genes and their |
| foresaw in Brave New World (1932), can usher in as | | | | products within the environment. Arising from this is |
| profound a revolution as industrialization did in the | | | | the need to interpret large datasets of complex |
| early 19th century. It will parallel vast other themes | | | | biological information. It seeks to integrate the |
| the expansion of artificial intelligence, the opening of | | | | knowledge derived from the study of individual |
| the inner solar system to economic use, and much, | | | | components of cells to their performance as integral |
| much more. | | | | elements of cells, tissues and populations. |
| Biologists tolerate a level of mystery in their work | | | | So, in summary we are suggesting that the role of |
| that would drive your average engineer or computer | | | | biology in environment cannot be ignored at any level, |
| programmer crazy. Biologists can see that role of | | | | nor could the reverse be true. Throughout evolution |
| biology in environment has shaped our very nature | | | | environment has influenced the development of |
| and being. Just look at the human genome studies | | | | biological systems which in their turn have fed back |
| that have been done. The biologists have put | | | | into the environment and changed the environment |
| together a complete rough draft of the human | | | | to the one in which we live today. The role of |
| genome but they have little understanding of how | | | | biology in environment is simply to have made the |
| those 40,000 or so genes work together and | | | | environment in which we all live our lives. |
| interact with our environment to make a human. | | | | |