Whole-Body Systems Biology Based on Functional Metagenomics-- New Opportunity for the Modernization of Traditional Chinese Medicine
基于功能元基因组学的人体系统生物学新方法：中医药现代化的契机

Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) is a medical system with its own theoretical framework focusing on functions at the whole-body level.TCM has accumulated abundant clinical experiences.However,TCM approaches are empirical and the signs it reads can not be communicated in molecular language with modern medicine.Whole-body systems biology regards human body as a "superorganism",which is consisted of cells of both human and symbiotic microorganisms.Taking advantage of "-omic" technologies,biological information in urine,fecal and blood samples can be profiled as emergent functions of the complex human system for the understanding of its dynamics in disease and health.This top-down systems biology emphasizes the function of gut microbiota in human health.The whole-body systems biology not only assesses human health with molecular-based methods,but also has the holistic approach as TCM.Thus,this method can be served as a bridge between TCM and the western medical science.This paper summarized concepts,methodologies,clinical application and advantage of whole-body systems biology.Hence,functional metagenomics has been proposed as a new research strategy for the modernization of TCM.