In December 2025, Molecular Systems Biology marked its 20th anniversary with a special editorial that reflects on the field’s development since 2005 (Bheda et al. 2025). Systems biology is an approach to studying living systems that assumes hierarchical, top-down design. The piece, authored by the journal’s editors and several contributors, shares personal perspectives on where the field stands today — and where it is headed. Ruedi Aebersold, the first contributor, states, “the first 20 years of MSB were grand; the next 20 years will be grander.” I too am optimistic about the field’s future. My optimism comes specifically from how powerfully top-down design has succeeded in giving us the complex systems of the modern world. Top-down design prunes the vast search space of possibilities through an Read More ›
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