Systems biology and systems genetics - novel innovative approaches to study host-pathogen interactions during influenza infection

•Large scale omics have created the basis for influenza systems biology.•Systems genetics makes an important contribution to systems biology.•Experimental animal models lead the way to systems medicine.•In silico models discover new molecular pathways correlated with disease.•Systems biology leads to new prevention and treatment strategies for humans.

Influenza represents a serious threat to public health with thousands of deaths each year. A deeper understanding of the host-pathogen interactions is urgently needed to evaluate individual and population risks for severe influenza disease and to identify new therapeutic targets. Here, we review recent progress in large scale omics technologies, systems genetics as well as new mathematical and computational developments that are now in place to apply a systems biology approach for a comprehensive description of the multidimensional host response to influenza infection. In addition, we describe how results from experimental animal models can be translated to humans, and we discuss some of the future challenges ahead.