Biological network theory

Biological network theory is the study of how networks of biological components — genes, proteins, cells, organisms, ecosystems — organize and function to produce the properties of living systems. It draws on network science, systems biology, and allometric scaling to identify topological and dynamical constraints that transcend specific biological mechanisms.

The theory treats biological systems as networks that must solve universal problems: distributing resources, processing information, and maintaining stability against perturbation. The fractal structure of circulatory systems, the power-law degree distributions of protein interaction networks, and the scaling laws of metabolic networks all suggest that biological network topology is shaped by optimization constraints rather than historical contingency alone.