Quantitative Physiology: Predictive Understanding of Living Systems

Quantitative physiology is to living systems as physics is to physical systems – both seek for the quantitative description and predictive understanding of the “whole” in terms of the “parts”. Quantitative, physiological measurements allow researchers to discover constraints and formulate phenomenological theories at the macroscopic level. They also identify gaps and puzzles about living systems to be addressed by mechanistic studies. I will review several quantitative physiological studies of bacterial systems which led to the elucidation of the underlying regulatory strategies and mechanisms, as well as other studies for which mechanistic understandings are still outstanding. I will also discuss other areas of microbiology where physiological characterization is conspicuously lacking.