Igor Goryanin

Igor Goryanin is a Russian biologist, who holds a Henrik Kascer Chair in Computational Systems Biology at the University of Edinburgh, and leads the Computational Systems Biology group, School of Informatics. Igor is also Director for the [http://www.bioinformatics.ed.ac.uk Edinburgh Centre for Bioinformatics] and Co-director for the Centre for Systems Biology at Edinburgh.

Biography

Igor graduated (MSc) in 1985 as an applied mathematician from the Computer Science Department, [http://www.MEPHI.ru/eng/second.html Moscow Engineering Physical Institute] (MEPHI), where he was developing numerical methods and algorithms for analysis of stiff ordinary differential equations. Igor Goryanin spent more than twelve years working in the Institute of Biophysics, Russian Academy of Science and obtained his PhD in 1995 at the same Institute. During this time he developed DBSolve, a software for mathematical stimulation and analysis of the cellular metabolism and regulation (Igor is an author for DBSolve). From 1989-1995 he was also CEO and co-founder of Biobank Inc., Russia.

In 1995-1997 Igor worked as a Visiting Computer Scientist at the Mathematics & Computer Science Division, [http://www.anl.gov/ Argonne National Laboratories] .

He joined GlaxoSmithKline (formerly known as GlaxoWellcome)in 1997, working firstly as Senior Bioinformatics Analyst/Scientist (1997-1999), a Senior Research Bioinformatics Scientist, Group Leader, Project manager (1999-2001) and later as a Head of Cell Simulations and Pathway Modelling (2001-2005). During his time at GlaxoSmithKline, Igor was working on application of modelling and informatics techniques to the pharmaceutical research and development and drugs manufacturing industry. The whole cell modelling of organisms approach developed by Igor has been successfully used to improve drug R&D and manufacturing process in production plants. i.e. designing anti-microbial assays and anti-microbial drug targets identification, rational organism design, rational biomarker design and target prioritisation, reconstructing cellular networks for cancers, metabolic and lipid disorders.

In 2005 Goryanin moved to Edinburgh to take the position of a Henrik Kascer Chair in Computational Systems Biology. In 2006 Igor developed one of the first [http://wwwtest.bioinformatics.ed.ac.uk/twiki/bin/view.pl/CSBCourse07/WebHome Masters courses in Computational Systems Biology] in the UK, currently taught at the University of Edinburgh.

Research interests and projects

*Systems biology: [http://www.bioinformatics.ed.ac.uk/csb/documents/EdinHumanMetabolicNetwork.pdf Reconstruction, modelling and analysis of biological networks] based on functional genomics data and literature.
*Systems Biology Informatics Infrastructure development
*Life science Informatics: Data mining and data integration of biological and pharmaceutical-related databases.
*Software and algorithms for modelling and stimulation, visualization and optimisation of complex systems
*Bioenergy research: Optimisation of bio-fuel cell devices, which uses the ability of some micro-organisms and enzymes to convert organic matter into electricity directly. ( [http://www.bioinformatics.ed.ac.uk/mfc/ MFC] )
*Systems Oncology: Application of modelling and analysis of pathways in human tissues in order to predict response to anti-cancer treatment and to develop personalised therapies, distance learning and diagnostics in cancer. ( [http://www.bioinformatics.ed.ac.uk/syspathology/index.shtml systems oncology] ).

Colloborations

Igor is co-founder of the [http://www.uni-giessen.de/~gx1052/IECA/ieca.html International E. coli alliance] (IECA). Goryanin and his group are currently involved in several high profile international collaborations:

* SBML - The Systems Biology Markup Language (SBML) is a computer-readable format for representing models of biochemical reaction networks. SBML is applicable to metabolic networks, cell-signalling pathways, regulatory networks, and many others.
* [http://sbgn.org SBGN] Systems Biology Graphical Notation aims to help standardize a graphical notation for computational models in systems biology.
* [http://biosim.fysik.dtu.dk:8080/biosim/ BioSim] , Network of Excellence established by the European Commission under its 6th Framework Programme. The main objective of the Network is to demonstrate how the use of modern simulation techniques can lead to a more rational drug development process, improved treatment procedures, and a reduction in the need for animal experiments.
* [http://www.RyboSYS.com RiboSYS] project, funded under FP6, uses systems biology approaches to model pre-messenger RNA and pre-ribosomal RNA metabolism in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and so aid the understanding of these complex cellular pathways.
* [http://wwwhome.cs.utwente.nl/~ecmoan2/ EC-MOAN] , the project funded under FP6 aims to develop an integrated model of the stress response system of E. coli, including key metabolic, genetic and signalling modules.
* [http://www.rtkconsort.org/ International RTK consortium] - The Receptor Tyrosine Kinase (RTK) Networks Consortium is an organization to facilitate and co-ordinate international efforts for the continued understanding of RTK signalling pathways and its relationship to human pathologies.
* [http://www.ed.ac.uk/news/061127riken.html Riken Genomic Research Centre (Japan)] – collaboration in breast cancer and large scale sequencing
* [http://new.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=225112006 Systems Biology Institute in Tokyo] - standards development in Systems Biology research.
* [http://www.insysbio.ru/ Institute for Systems Biology SpB] (Russia) – kinetic modelling for complex biological systems(with applications for the drug discovery).

Publications

Books and book chapters

*Goryanin I and Demin O "Kinetic Modelling in Systems Biology" Chapman & Hall/CRC, 2008, in press.
*"Modelling and Simulations of biological pathways: pharmaceutical applications", Editors Martyn Ford, David Livingstone, John Dearden, Ha Van de Waterbbemd, Blackwell Publishing, 2003.
*"Applications of whole cell and large pathway mathematical models in the pharmaceutical industry" Metabolic Engineering in the Post-Genomic Era, Editors
*B. Kholodenko and H. Westerhoff, "Horizon Bioscience", UK, 2003.

External links

* [http://www.inf.ed.ac.uk/people/staff/Igor_Goryanin.html Home page] at the School of Informatics.
* [http://www.bioinformatics.ed.ac.uk Edinburgh Centre for Bioinformatics]
* [http://www.bioinformatics.ed.ac.uk/csb/ Computational Systems Biology Group]