Because it has evolved to perform functions, biological circuitry has a defined set of circuit elements that obey general design principles. This text for advanced biology students highlights some of the design principles of biological systems and provides a mathematical framework for understanding biological networks. Early chapters deal with transcription regulation networks, while later ones explore the principle of robustness and discuss constrained evolutionary optimization. Alon is affiliated with the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel. Annotation ©2007 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)