Péter Csermely
As an ordinary biochemist, I have started to recognize the strength of the network approach only in 2002. This was the time, when I became increasingly aware of the need for a novel concept to analyze the massively growing set of genomics and proteomics data, and I recognized the special role of my original subject, molecular chaperones in the organization of the whole cell. Chaperones are typical weak linkers providing a large number of promiscuous contacts to stabilize network structures both at the level of individual proteins and cellular networks. In 2005 and 2006 we recognized that weak links have a wastly different meaning, if they are intra-modular or inter-modular structures. During these studies we were able to identify a special set of network elements, called VIP-elements or creative elements. Currently I am working on the role of weak links in the interaction scenarios (dynamic equilibria, games) between network partners.