Drug interaction networks: an introduction to translational and clinical applications

This article introduces fundamental concepts to guide the analysis and interpretation of drug-target interaction networks. An overview of the generation and integration of interaction networks is followed by key strategies for extracting biologically meaningful information. The article highlights how this information can enable novel translational and clinically motivated applications. Important advances for the discovery of new treatments and for the detection of adverse drug effects are discussed. Examples of applications and findings originating from cardiovascular research are presented. The review ends with a discussion of crucial challenges and opportunities.