
6
Model validation using robustness analysis
6.1 Introduction
Robustness, the ability of a system to function correctly in the presence of
both internal and external uncertainty, has emer ged as a key organising prin-
ciple in many biological sys tems . Biological robustnes s has thus become a
major focus of research in systems biology, particularly on the engineering–
biology interface, since the concept of robustness was first rigorously defined
in the context of engineering control systems. This chapter focuses o n one
particularly important aspect of robustness in systems biology, i.e. the use
of ro bus tness analysis methods for the validation or