About Systems Biology Ireland
Using systems biology approaches to advance personalised medicine.
About Us
Founded in 2009, Systems Biology Ireland (SBI) is a leading research centre at University College Dublin, distinguished by its in-house expertise in both experimental and computational biology. SBI’s team of systems biologists are uniquely trained to work across disciplines, integrating complex datasets and interpreting biological systems with a deep understanding of disease mechanisms. By leveraging advanced approaches such as Digital Twins, SBI creates dynamic, predictive models of biological processes that facilitate the translation of research findings into clinical applications. This multidisciplinary expertise allows SBI to excel in key areas such as cancer, cell signaling, and personalised medicine, driving forward innovative therapeutic strategies. SBI’s focus on applying cutting-edge methods to real-world disease challenges positions it as a vital contributor to biomedical research, with strong collaborations spanning academic, clinical, and industry sectors on both a national and global scale.
Leading in:
- Drug target and biomarker discovery
- Patient stratification and sub-population characterisation
- Combination therapy prediction and screening
- Protein-Protein interaction profiling
- Computational network inference and modelling
- Multi-omics data integration and interpretation
- Dynamic mechanistic disease models
- Biological network analysis
- Cancer and inflammation signalling
- Cross-disciplinary training
SBI Metrics
SBI investigators have published more than 580 research and review articles in journals with an average impact factor of 7.0. Over this same period, the group has identified and validated numerous new and promising therapeutic targets for treatment of breast cancer, melanoma, neuroblastoma, and colorectal cancer.
Our Metrics
What is Systems Biology?
The communication networks inside the human body are incredibly complex with millions of cells constantly ‘talking’ to each other. Occasionally, these communication networks can break down or messages can misfire leading to diseases such as cancer.
Deciphering how cells ‘talk’ to each other is the task of systems biology. SBI researchers apply mathematics and computer science to enormous data sets arising from biological techniques.
The following video was filmed in the early days of SBI, after we opened our doors in 2009. In it, you will hear some of our original investigators explain the motivation for establishing the SBI Centre as a premiere destination for pursuing systems biology answers to some of healthcare's greatest challenges.