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Metzcar J, Jutzeler CR, Macklin P, Köhn-Luque A, Brüningk SC. A review of mechanistic learning in mathematical oncology. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1363144. [PMID: 38533513 PMCID: PMC10963621 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1363144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Mechanistic learning refers to the synergistic combination of mechanistic mathematical modeling and data-driven machine or deep learning. This emerging field finds increasing applications in (mathematical) oncology. This review aims to capture the current state of the field and provides a perspective on how mechanistic learning may progress in the oncology domain. We highlight the synergistic potential of mechanistic learning and point out similarities and differences between purely data-driven and mechanistic approaches concerning model complexity, data requirements, outputs generated, and interpretability of the algorithms and their results. Four categories of mechanistic learning (sequential, parallel, extrinsic, intrinsic) of mechanistic learning are presented with specific examples. We discuss a range of techniques including physics-informed neural networks, surrogate model learning, and digital twins. Example applications address complex problems predominantly from the domain of oncology research such as longitudinal tumor response predictions or time-to-event modeling. As the field of mechanistic learning advances, we aim for this review and proposed categorization framework to foster additional collaboration between the data- and knowledge-driven modeling fields. Further collaboration will help address difficult issues in oncology such as limited data availability, requirements of model transparency, and complex input data which are embraced in a mechanistic learning framework.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Metzcar
- Intelligent Systems Engineering, Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering, Bloomington, IN, United States
- Informatics, Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering, Bloomington, IN, United States
| | - Catherine R. Jutzeler
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology (D-HEST), Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich (ETH), Zürich, Switzerland
- Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics (SIB), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Paul Macklin
- Intelligent Systems Engineering, Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering, Bloomington, IN, United States
| | - Alvaro Köhn-Luque
- Oslo Centre for Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Oslo Centre for Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Research Support Services, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Sarah C. Brüningk
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology (D-HEST), Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich (ETH), Zürich, Switzerland
- Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics (SIB), Lausanne, Switzerland
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2
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Johnson JA, Stein-O’Brien GL, Booth M, Heiland R, Kurtoglu F, Bergman DR, Bucher E, Deshpande A, Forjaz A, Getz M, Godet I, Lyman M, Metzcar J, Mitchell J, Raddatz A, Rocha H, Solorzano J, Sundus A, Wang Y, Gilkes D, Kagohara LT, Kiemen AL, Thompson ED, Wirtz D, Wu PH, Zaidi N, Zheng L, Zimmerman JW, Jaffee EM, Hwan Chang Y, Coussens LM, Gray JW, Heiser LM, Fertig EJ, Macklin P. Digitize your Biology! Modeling multicellular systems through interpretable cell behavior. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.17.557982. [PMID: 37745323 PMCID: PMC10516032 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.17.557982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
Cells are fundamental units of life, constantly interacting and evolving as dynamical systems. While recent spatial multi-omics can quantitate individual cells' characteristics and regulatory programs, forecasting their evolution ultimately requires mathematical modeling. We develop a conceptual framework-a cell behavior hypothesis grammar-that uses natural language statements (cell rules) to create mathematical models. This allows us to systematically integrate biological knowledge and multi-omics data to make them computable. We can then perform virtual "thought experiments" that challenge and extend our understanding of multicellular systems, and ultimately generate new testable hypotheses. In this paper, we motivate and describe the grammar, provide a reference implementation, and demonstrate its potential through a series of examples in tumor biology and immunotherapy. Altogether, this approach provides a bridge between biological, clinical, and systems biology researchers for mathematical modeling of biological systems at scale, allowing the community to extrapolate from single-cell characterization to emergent multicellular behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeanette A.I. Johnson
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
- Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
| | - Genevieve L. Stein-O’Brien
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
- Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
| | - Max Booth
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
| | - Randy Heiland
- Department of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Indiana University. Bloomington, IN USA
| | - Furkan Kurtoglu
- Department of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Indiana University. Bloomington, IN USA
| | - Daniel R. Bergman
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
- Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
| | - Elmar Bucher
- Department of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Indiana University. Bloomington, IN USA
| | - Atul Deshpande
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
- Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
| | - André Forjaz
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
| | - Michael Getz
- Department of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Indiana University. Bloomington, IN USA
| | - Ines Godet
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. New York, NY USA
| | - Melissa Lyman
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
- Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
| | - John Metzcar
- Department of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Indiana University. Bloomington, IN USA
- Department of Informatics, Indiana University. Bloomington, IN USA
| | - Jacob Mitchell
- Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
- Department of Human Genetics, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
| | - Andrew Raddatz
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Emory University. Atlanta, GA USA
| | - Heber Rocha
- Department of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Indiana University. Bloomington, IN USA
| | - Jacobo Solorzano
- Centre de Recherches en Cancerologie de Toulouse. Toulouse, France
| | - Aneequa Sundus
- Department of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Indiana University. Bloomington, IN USA
| | - Yafei Wang
- Department of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Indiana University. Bloomington, IN USA
| | - Danielle Gilkes
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
| | - Luciane T. Kagohara
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
- Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
| | - Ashley L. Kiemen
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
- Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
| | | | - Denis Wirtz
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
- Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
| | - Pei-Hsun Wu
- Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
| | - Neeha Zaidi
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
- Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
| | - Lei Zheng
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
- Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
| | - Jacquelyn W. Zimmerman
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
- Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
| | - Elizabeth M. Jaffee
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
- Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
| | - Young Hwan Chang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Oregon Health & Science University. Portland, OR USA
| | - Lisa M. Coussens
- Department of Cell, Developmental and Cancer Biology, Oregon Health & Science University. Portland, OR USA
| | - Joe W. Gray
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Oregon Health & Science University. Portland, OR USA
| | - Laura M. Heiser
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Oregon Health & Science University. Portland, OR USA
| | - Elana J. Fertig
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
- Convergence Institute, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
- Department of Applied Mathematics and Statistics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University. Baltimore, MD USA
| | - Paul Macklin
- Department of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Indiana University. Bloomington, IN USA
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Ponce-de-Leon M, Montagud A, Noël V, Meert A, Pradas G, Barillot E, Calzone L, Valencia A. PhysiBoSS 2.0: a sustainable integration of stochastic Boolean and agent-based modelling frameworks. NPJ Syst Biol Appl 2023; 9:54. [PMID: 37903760 PMCID: PMC10616087 DOI: 10.1038/s41540-023-00314-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/01/2023] Open
Abstract
In systems biology, mathematical models and simulations play a crucial role in understanding complex biological systems. Different modelling frameworks are employed depending on the nature and scales of the system under study. For instance, signalling and regulatory networks can be simulated using Boolean modelling, whereas multicellular systems can be studied using agent-based modelling. Herein, we present PhysiBoSS 2.0, a hybrid agent-based modelling framework that allows simulating signalling and regulatory networks within individual cell agents. PhysiBoSS 2.0 is a redesign and reimplementation of PhysiBoSS 1.0 and was conceived as an add-on that expands the PhysiCell functionalities by enabling the simulation of intracellular cell signalling using MaBoSS while keeping a decoupled, maintainable and model-agnostic design. PhysiBoSS 2.0 also expands the set of functionalities offered to the users, including custom models and cell specifications, mechanistic submodels of substrate internalisation and detailed control over simulation parameters. Together with PhysiBoSS 2.0, we introduce PCTK, a Python package developed for handling and processing simulation outputs, and generating summary plots and 3D renders. PhysiBoSS 2.0 allows studying the interplay between the microenvironment, the signalling pathways that control cellular processes and population dynamics, suitable for modelling cancer. We show different approaches for integrating Boolean networks into multi-scale simulations using strategies to study the drug effects and synergies in models of cancer cell lines and validate them using experimental data. PhysiBoSS 2.0 is open-source and publicly available on GitHub with several repositories of accompanying interoperable tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Ponce-de-Leon
- Life Science, Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), 1-3 Plaça Eusebi Güell, 08034, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Arnau Montagud
- Life Science, Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), 1-3 Plaça Eusebi Güell, 08034, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Vincent Noël
- Institut Curie, Université PSL, 26 rue d'Ulm, 75248, Paris, France
- INSERM U900, Paris, France
- Mines ParisTech, Université PSL, Paris, France
| | - Annika Meert
- Life Science, Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), 1-3 Plaça Eusebi Güell, 08034, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gerard Pradas
- Life Science, Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), 1-3 Plaça Eusebi Güell, 08034, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Emmanuel Barillot
- Institut Curie, Université PSL, 26 rue d'Ulm, 75248, Paris, France
- INSERM U900, Paris, France
- Mines ParisTech, Université PSL, Paris, France
| | - Laurence Calzone
- Institut Curie, Université PSL, 26 rue d'Ulm, 75248, Paris, France
- INSERM U900, Paris, France
- Mines ParisTech, Université PSL, Paris, France
| | - Alfonso Valencia
- Life Science, Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), 1-3 Plaça Eusebi Güell, 08034, Barcelona, Spain.
- ICREA, 23 Passeig Lluís Companys, 08010, Barcelona, Spain.
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4
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Sivakumar N, Warner HV, Peirce SM, Lazzara MJ. A computational modeling approach for predicting multicell spheroid patterns based on signaling-induced differential adhesion. PLoS Comput Biol 2022; 18:e1010701. [PMID: 36441822 PMCID: PMC9747056 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1010701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Physiological and pathological processes including embryogenesis and tumorigenesis rely on the ability of individual cells to work collectively to form multicell patterns. In these heterogeneous multicell systems, cell-cell signaling induces differential adhesion between cells that leads to tissue-level patterning. However, the sensitivity of pattern formation to changes in the strengths of signaling or cell adhesion processes is not well understood. Prior work has explored these issues using synthetically engineered heterogeneous multicell spheroid systems, in which cell subpopulations engage in bidirectional intercellular signaling to regulate the expression of different cadherins. While engineered cell systems provide excellent experimental tools to observe pattern formation in cell populations, computational models of these systems may be leveraged to explore more systematically how specific combinations of signaling and adhesion parameters can drive the emergence of unique patterns. We developed and validated two- and three-dimensional agent-based models (ABMs) of spheroid patterning for previously described cells engineered with a bidirectional signaling circuit that regulates N- and P-cadherin expression. Systematic exploration of model predictions, some of which were experimentally validated, revealed how cell seeding parameters, the order of signaling events, probabilities of induced cadherin expression, and homotypic adhesion strengths affect pattern formation. Unsupervised clustering was also used to map combinations of signaling and adhesion parameters to these unique spheroid patterns predicted by the ABM. Finally, we demonstrated how the model may be deployed to design new synthetic cell signaling circuits based on a desired final multicell pattern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikita Sivakumar
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Helen V. Warner
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Shayn M. Peirce
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Matthew J. Lazzara
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States of America
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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5
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Cole DA, Gramacy RB, Ludkovski M. Large-scale local surrogate modeling of stochastic simulation experiments. Comput Stat Data Anal 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.csda.2022.107537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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6
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Prybutok AN, Cain JY, Leonard JN, Bagheri N. Fighting fire with fire: deploying complexity in computational modeling to effectively characterize complex biological systems. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2022; 75:102704. [DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2022.102704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2021] [Revised: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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7
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Ponce-de-Leon M, Montagud A, Akasiadis C, Schreiber J, Ntiniakou T, Valencia A. Optimizing Dosage-Specific Treatments in a Multi-Scale Model of a Tumor Growth. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 9:836794. [PMID: 35463947 PMCID: PMC9019571 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.836794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The emergence of cell resistance in cancer treatment is a complex phenomenon that emerges from the interplay of processes that occur at different scales. For instance, molecular mechanisms and population-level dynamics such as competition and cell–cell variability have been described as playing a key role in the emergence and evolution of cell resistances. Multi-scale models are a useful tool for studying biology at very different times and spatial scales, as they can integrate different processes occurring at the molecular, cellular, and intercellular levels. In the present work, we use an extended hybrid multi-scale model of 3T3 fibroblast spheroid to perform a deep exploration of the parameter space of effective treatment strategies based on TNF pulses. To explore the parameter space of effective treatments in different scenarios and conditions, we have developed an HPC-optimized model exploration workflow based on EMEWS. We first studied the effect of the cells’ spatial distribution in the values of the treatment parameters by optimizing the supply strategies in 2D monolayers and 3D spheroids of different sizes. We later study the robustness of the effective treatments when heterogeneous populations of cells are considered. We found that our model exploration workflow can find effective treatments in all the studied conditions. Our results show that cells’ spatial geometry and population variability should be considered when optimizing treatment strategies in order to find robust parameter sets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Ponce-de-Leon
- Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), Barcelona, Spain
- *Correspondence: Miguel Ponce-de-Leon,
| | | | - Charilaos Akasiadis
- Institute of Informatics and Telecommunications, NCSR “Demokritos”, Agia Paraskevi, Greece
| | | | | | - Alfonso Valencia
- Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), Barcelona, Spain
- ICREA, Pg. Lluís Companys, Barcelona, Spain
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8
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Madamanchi A, Thomas M, Magana A, Heiland R, Macklin P. Supporting Computational Apprenticeship Through Educational and Software Infrastructure: A Case Study in a Mathematical Oncology Research Lab. PRIMUS 2022; 32:446-467. [PMID: 35197716 PMCID: PMC8863170 DOI: 10.1080/10511970.2021.1881849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
There is growing awareness of the need for mathematics and computing to quantitatively understand the complex dynamics and feedbacks in the life sciences. Although several institutions and research groups are conducting pioneering multidisciplinary research, communication and education across fields remain a bottleneck. The opportunity is ripe for using education research-supported mechanisms of cross-disciplinary training at the intersection of mathematics, computation, and biology. This case study uses the computational apprenticeship theoretical framework to describe the efforts of a computational biology lab to rapidly prototype, test, and refine a mentorship infrastructure for undergraduate research experiences. We describe the challenges, benefits, and lessons learned, as well as the utility of the computational apprenticeship framework in supporting computational/math students learning and contributing to biology, and biologists in learning computational methods. We also explore implications for undergraduate classroom instruction and cross-disciplinary scientific communication.
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9
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Akasiadis C, Ponce‐de‐Leon M, Montagud A, Michelioudakis E, Atsidakou A, Alevizos E, Artikis A, Valencia A, Paliouras G. Parallel model exploration for tumor treatment simulations. Comput Intell 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/coin.12515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Charilaos Akasiadis
- Institute of Informatics & Telecommunications NCSR ‘Demokritos’ Agia Paraskevi Greece
| | | | - Arnau Montagud
- Life Sciences Department Barcelona Supercomputing Center Barcelona Spain
| | - Evangelos Michelioudakis
- Institute of Informatics & Telecommunications NCSR ‘Demokritos’ Agia Paraskevi Greece
- Department of Informatics and Telecommunications University of Athens Athens Greece
| | - Alexia Atsidakou
- Institute of Informatics & Telecommunications NCSR ‘Demokritos’ Agia Paraskevi Greece
| | - Elias Alevizos
- Institute of Informatics & Telecommunications NCSR ‘Demokritos’ Agia Paraskevi Greece
| | - Alexander Artikis
- Institute of Informatics & Telecommunications NCSR ‘Demokritos’ Agia Paraskevi Greece
| | - Alfonso Valencia
- Life Sciences Department Barcelona Supercomputing Center Barcelona Spain
| | - Georgios Paliouras
- Institute of Informatics & Telecommunications NCSR ‘Demokritos’ Agia Paraskevi Greece
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10
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Gondal MN, Chaudhary SU. Navigating Multi-Scale Cancer Systems Biology Towards Model-Driven Clinical Oncology and Its Applications in Personalized Therapeutics. Front Oncol 2021; 11:712505. [PMID: 34900668 PMCID: PMC8652070 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.712505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Rapid advancements in high-throughput omics technologies and experimental protocols have led to the generation of vast amounts of scale-specific biomolecular data on cancer that now populates several online databases and resources. Cancer systems biology models built using this data have the potential to provide specific insights into complex multifactorial aberrations underpinning tumor initiation, development, and metastasis. Furthermore, the annotation of these single- and multi-scale models with patient data can additionally assist in designing personalized therapeutic interventions as well as aid in clinical decision-making. Here, we have systematically reviewed the emergence and evolution of (i) repositories with scale-specific and multi-scale biomolecular cancer data, (ii) systems biology models developed using this data, (iii) associated simulation software for the development of personalized cancer therapeutics, and (iv) translational attempts to pipeline multi-scale panomics data for data-driven in silico clinical oncology. The review concludes that the absence of a generic, zero-code, panomics-based multi-scale modeling pipeline and associated software framework, impedes the development and seamless deployment of personalized in silico multi-scale models in clinical settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahnoor Naseer Gondal
- Biomedical Informatics Research Laboratory, Department of Biology, Syed Babar Ali School of Science and Engineering, Lahore University of Management Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
- Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Safee Ullah Chaudhary
- Biomedical Informatics Research Laboratory, Department of Biology, Syed Babar Ali School of Science and Engineering, Lahore University of Management Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
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11
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Getz M, Wang Y, An G, Asthana M, Becker A, Cockrell C, Collier N, Craig M, Davis CL, Faeder JR, Ford Versypt AN, Mapder T, Gianlupi JF, Glazier JA, Hamis S, Heiland R, Hillen T, Hou D, Islam MA, Jenner AL, Kurtoglu F, Larkin CI, Liu B, Macfarlane F, Maygrundter P, Morel PA, Narayanan A, Ozik J, Pienaar E, Rangamani P, Saglam AS, Shoemaker JE, Smith AM, Weaver JJA, Macklin P. Iterative community-driven development of a SARS-CoV-2 tissue simulator. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2021:2020.04.02.019075. [PMID: 32511322 PMCID: PMC7239052 DOI: 10.1101/2020.04.02.019075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
The 2019 novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, is a pathogen of critical significance to international public health. Knowledge of the interplay between molecular-scale virus-receptor interactions, single-cell viral replication, intracellular-scale viral transport, and emergent tissue-scale viral propagation is limited. Moreover, little is known about immune system-virus-tissue interactions and how these can result in low-level (asymptomatic) infections in some cases and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in others, particularly with respect to presentation in different age groups or pre-existing inflammatory risk factors. Given the nonlinear interactions within and among each of these processes, multiscale simulation models can shed light on the emergent dynamics that lead to divergent outcomes, identify actionable "choke points" for pharmacologic interventions, screen potential therapies, and identify potential biomarkers that differentiate patient outcomes. Given the complexity of the problem and the acute need for an actionable model to guide therapy discovery and optimization, we introduce and iteratively refine a prototype of a multiscale model of SARS-CoV-2 dynamics in lung tissue. The first prototype model was built and shared internationally as open source code and an online interactive model in under 12 hours, and community domain expertise is driving regular refinements. In a sustained community effort, this consortium is integrating data and expertise across virology, immunology, mathematical biology, quantitative systems physiology, cloud and high performance computing, and other domains to accelerate our response to this critical threat to international health. More broadly, this effort is creating a reusable, modular framework for studying viral replication and immune response in tissues, which can also potentially be adapted to related problems in immunology and immunotherapy.
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12
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Tsompanas MA, Bull L, Adamatzky A, Balaz I. Evolutionary Algorithms Designing Nanoparticle Cancer Treatments with Multiple Particle Types [Application Notes]. IEEE COMPUT INTELL M 2021. [DOI: 10.1109/mci.2021.3108306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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13
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Larie D, An G, Cockrell RC. The Use of Artificial Neural Networks to Forecast the Behavior of Agent-Based Models of Pathophysiology: An Example Utilizing an Agent-Based Model of Sepsis. Front Physiol 2021; 12:716434. [PMID: 34721057 PMCID: PMC8552109 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.716434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Disease states are being characterized at finer and finer levels of resolution via biomarker or gene expression profiles, while at the same time. Machine learning (ML) is increasingly used to analyze and potentially classify or predict the behavior of biological systems based on such characterization. As ML applications are extremely data-intensive, given the relative sparsity of biomedical data sets ML training of artificial neural networks (ANNs) often require the use of synthetic training data. Agent-based models (ABMs) that incorporate known biological mechanisms and their associated stochastic properties are a potential means of generating synthetic data. Herein we present an example of ML used to train an artificial neural network (ANN) as a surrogate system used to predict the time evolution of an ABM focusing on the clinical condition of sepsis. Methods: The disease trajectories for clinical sepsis, in terms of temporal cytokine and phenotypic dynamics, can be interpreted as a random dynamical system. The Innate Immune Response Agent-based Model (IIRABM) is a well-established model that utilizes known cellular and molecular rules to simulate disease trajectories corresponding to clinical sepsis. We have utilized two distinct neural network architectures, Long Short-Term Memory and Multi-Layer Perceptron, to take a time sequence of five measurements of eleven IIRABM simulated serum cytokine concentrations as input and to return both the future cytokine trajectories as well as an aggregate metric representing the patient's state of health. Results: The ANNs predicted model trajectories with the expected amount of error, due to stochasticity in the simulation, and recognizing that the mapping from a specific cytokine profile to a state-of-health is not unique. The Multi-Layer Perceptron neural network, generated predictions with a more accurate forecasted trajectory cone. Discussion: This work serves as a proof-of-concept for the use of ANNs to predict disease progression in sepsis as represented by an ABM. The findings demonstrate that multicellular systems with intrinsic stochasticity can be approximated with an ANN, but that forecasting a specific trajectory of the system requires sequential updating of the system state to provide a rolling forecast horizon.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - R. Chase Cockrell
- Department of Surgery, Larner College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, United States
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Rocha HL, Godet I, Kurtoglu F, Metzcar J, Konstantinopoulos K, Bhoyar S, Gilkes DM, Macklin P. A persistent invasive phenotype in post-hypoxic tumor cells is revealed by fate mapping and computational modeling. iScience 2021; 24:102935. [PMID: 34568781 PMCID: PMC8449249 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.102935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Revised: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Hypoxia is a critical factor in solid tumors that has been associated with cancer progression and aggressiveness. We recently developed a hypoxia fate mapping system to trace post-hypoxic cells within a tumor for the first time. This approach uses an oxygen-dependent fluorescent switch and allowed us to measure key biological features such as oxygen distribution, cell proliferation, and migration. We developed a computational model to investigate the motility and phenotypic persistence of hypoxic and post-hypoxic cells during tumor progression. The cellular behavior was defined by phenotypic persistence time, cell movement bias, and the fraction of cells that respond to an enhanced migratory stimulus. This work combined advanced cell tracking and imaging techniques with mathematical modeling, to reveal that a persistent invasive migratory phenotype that develops under hypoxia is required for cellular escape into the surrounding tissue, promoting the formation of invasive structures (“plumes”) that expand toward the oxygenated tumor regions. A fluorescent fate mapping system allows tracking of hypoxic and post-hypoxic cells Computational modeling predicts the formation of post-hypoxic invasive plumes Simulations show post-hypoxic cells must maintain persistant migration to form plumes Tracking cells exposed to intratumoral hypoxia confirms persistent migration
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Affiliation(s)
- Heber L Rocha
- Department of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47408, USA
| | - Inês Godet
- Department of Oncology, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA.,Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Furkan Kurtoglu
- Department of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47408, USA
| | - John Metzcar
- Department of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47408, USA.,Department of Informatics, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47408, USA
| | - Kali Konstantinopoulos
- Department of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47408, USA
| | - Soumitra Bhoyar
- Department of Oncology, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA.,Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Daniele M Gilkes
- Department of Oncology, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA.,Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA.,Cellular and Molecular Medicine Program, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA
| | - Paul Macklin
- Department of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47408, USA
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Pramanik D, Jolly MK, Bhat R. Matrix adhesion and remodeling diversifies modes of cancer invasion across spatial scales. J Theor Biol 2021; 524:110733. [PMID: 33933478 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2021.110733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Revised: 04/14/2021] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The metastasis of malignant epithelial tumors begins with the egress of transformed cells from the confines of their basement membrane (BM) to their surrounding collagen-rich stroma. Invasion can be morphologically diverse: when breast cancer cells are separately cultured within BM-like matrix, collagen I (Coll I), or a combination of both, they exhibit collective-, dispersed mesenchymal-, and a mixed collective-dispersed (multimodal)- invasion, respectively. In this paper, we asked how distinct these invasive modes are with respect to the cellular and microenvironmental cues that drive them. A rigorous computational exploration of invasion was performed within an experimentally motivated Cellular Potts-based modeling environment. The model comprised of adhesive interactions between cancer cells, BM- and Coll I-like extracellular matrix (ECM), and reaction-diffusion-based remodeling of ECM. The model outputs were parameters cognate to dispersed- and collective- invasion. A clustering analysis of the output distribution curated through a careful examination of subsumed phenotypes suggested at least four distinct invasive states: dispersed, papillary-collective, bulk-collective, and multimodal, in addition to an indolent/non-invasive state. Mapping input values to specific output clusters suggested that each of these invasive states are specified by distinct input signatures of proliferation, adhesion and ECM remodeling. In addition, specific input perturbations allowed transitions between the clusters and revealed the variation in the robustness between the invasive states. Our systems-level approach proffers quantitative insights into how the diversity in ECM microenvironments may steer invasion into diverse phenotypic modes during early dissemination of breast cancer and contributes to tumor heterogeneity.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Pramanik
- Department of Molecular Reproduction, Development and Genetics, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India; Centre for BioSystems Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India.
| | - M K Jolly
- Centre for BioSystems Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India.
| | - R Bhat
- Department of Molecular Reproduction, Development and Genetics, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India.
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Tsompanas MA, Bull L, Adamatzky A, Balaz I. Metameric representations on optimization of nano particle cancer treatment. Biocybern Biomed Eng 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbe.2021.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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17
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Cockrell C, Ozik J, Collier N, An G. Nested active learning for efficient model contextualization and parameterization: pathway to generating simulated populations using multi-scale computational models. SIMULATION 2021; 97:287-296. [PMID: 34744189 PMCID: PMC8570577 DOI: 10.1177/0037549720975075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
There is increasing interest in the use of mechanism-based multi-scale computational models (such as agent-based models (ABMs)) to generate simulated clinical populations in order to discover and evaluate potential diagnostic and therapeutic modalities. The description of the environment in which a biomedical simulation operates (model context) and parameterization of internal model rules (model content) requires the optimization of a large number of free parameters. In this work, we utilize a nested active learning (AL) workflow to efficiently parameterize and contextualize an ABM of systemic inflammation used to examine sepsis. Contextual parameter space was examined using four parameters external to the model's rule set. The model's internal parameterization, which represents gene expression and associated cellular behaviors, was explored through the augmentation or inhibition of signaling pathways for 12 signaling mediators associated with inflammation and wound healing. We have implemented a nested AL approach in which the clinically relevant (CR) model environment space for a given internal model parameterization is mapped using a small Artificial Neural Network (ANN). The outer AL level workflow is a larger ANN that uses AL to efficiently regress the volume and centroid location of the CR space given by a single internal parameterization. We have reduced the number of simulations required to efficiently map the CR parameter space of this model by approximately 99%. In addition, we have shown that more complex models with a larger number of variables may expect further improvements in efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Gary An
- Department of Surgery, University of Vermont, USA
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18
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Tsompanas MA, Bull L, Adamatzky A, Balaz I. In silico optimization of cancer therapies with multiple types of nanoparticles applied at different times. COMPUTER METHODS AND PROGRAMS IN BIOMEDICINE 2021; 200:105886. [PMID: 33288217 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmpb.2020.105886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Cancer tumors constitute a complicated environment for conventional anti-cancer treatments to confront, so solutions with higher complexity and, thus, robustness to diverse conditions are required. Alternations in the tumor composition have been documented, as a result of a conventional treatment, making an ensemble of cells drug resistant. Consequently, a possible answer to this problem could be the delivery of the pharmaceutic compound with the assistance of nano-particles (NPs) that modify the delivery characteristics and biodistribution of the therapy. Nonetheless, to tackle the dynamic response of the tumor, a variety of application times of different types of NPs could be a way forward. METHODS The in silico optimization was investigated here, in terms of the design parameters of multiple NPs and their application times. The optimization methodology used an open-source simulator to provide the fitness of each possible treatment. Because the number of different NPs that will achieve the best performance is not known a priori, the evolutionary algorithm utilizes a variable length genome approach, namely a metameric representation and accordingly modified operators. RESULTS The results highlight the fact that different application times have a significant effect on the robustness of a treatment. Whereas, applying all NPs at earlier time slots and without the ordered sequence unveiled by the optimization process, proved to be less effective. CONCLUSIONS The design and development of a dynamic tool that will navigate through the large search space of possible combinations can provide efficient solutions that prove to be beyond human intuition.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Larry Bull
- Department of Computer Science and Creative Technologies, University of the West of England, Bristol BS16 1QY, UK
| | - Andrew Adamatzky
- Unconventional Computing Laboratory, University of the West of England, Bristol BS16 1QY, UK
| | - Igor Balaz
- Laboratory for Meteorology, Physics and Biophysics, Faculty of Agriculture, Trg Dositeja Obradovica 8, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, 21000, Serbia
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Aguilar B, Gibbs DL, Reiss DJ, McConnell M, Danziger SA, Dervan A, Trotter M, Bassett D, Hershberg R, Ratushny AV, Shmulevich I. A generalizable data-driven multicellular model of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Gigascience 2020; 9:giaa075. [PMID: 32696951 PMCID: PMC7374045 DOI: 10.1093/gigascience/giaa075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2019] [Revised: 02/14/2020] [Accepted: 06/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mechanistic models, when combined with pertinent data, can improve our knowledge regarding important molecular and cellular mechanisms found in cancer. These models make the prediction of tissue-level response to drug treatment possible, which can lead to new therapies and improved patient outcomes. Here we present a data-driven multiscale modeling framework to study molecular interactions between cancer, stromal, and immune cells found in the tumor microenvironment. We also develop methods to use molecular data available in The Cancer Genome Atlas to generate sample-specific models of cancer. RESULTS By combining published models of different cells relevant to pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), we built an agent-based model of the multicellular pancreatic tumor microenvironment, formally describing cell type-specific molecular interactions and cytokine-mediated cell-cell communications. We used an ensemble-based modeling approach to systematically explore how variations in the tumor microenvironment affect the viability of cancer cells. The results suggest that the autocrine loop involving EGF signaling is a key interaction modulator between pancreatic cancer and stellate cells. EGF is also found to be associated with previously described subtypes of PDAC. Moreover, the model allows a systematic exploration of the effect of possible therapeutic perturbations; our simulations suggest that reducing bFGF secretion by stellate cells will have, on average, a positive impact on cancer apoptosis. CONCLUSIONS The developed framework allows model-driven hypotheses to be generated regarding therapeutically relevant PDAC states with potential molecular and cellular drivers indicating specific intervention strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boris Aguilar
- Institute for Systems Biology, 401 Terry Avenue North, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - David L Gibbs
- Institute for Systems Biology, 401 Terry Avenue North, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - David J Reiss
- Bristol-Myers Squibb, 400 Dexter Avenue North, Suite 1200, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Mark McConnell
- Bristol-Myers Squibb, 400 Dexter Avenue North, Suite 1200, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Samuel A Danziger
- Bristol-Myers Squibb, 400 Dexter Avenue North, Suite 1200, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Andrew Dervan
- Bristol-Myers Squibb, 400 Dexter Avenue North, Suite 1200, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Matthew Trotter
- BMS Center for Innovation and Translational Research Europe (CITRE), Pabellon de Italia, Calle Isaac Newton 4, Sevilla 41092, Spain
| | - Douglas Bassett
- Bristol-Myers Squibb, 400 Dexter Avenue North, Suite 1200, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Robert Hershberg
- Formerly Celgene Corporation, 400 Dexter Avenue North, Suite 1200, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Alexander V Ratushny
- Bristol-Myers Squibb, 400 Dexter Avenue North, Suite 1200, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Ilya Shmulevich
- Institute for Systems Biology, 401 Terry Avenue North, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
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Macklin P. Key challenges facing data-driven multicellular systems biology. Gigascience 2019; 8:giz127. [PMID: 31648301 PMCID: PMC6812467 DOI: 10.1093/gigascience/giz127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2018] [Revised: 09/27/2019] [Accepted: 09/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Increasingly sophisticated experiments, coupled with large-scale computational models, have the potential to systematically test biological hypotheses to drive our understanding of multicellular systems. In this short review, we explore key challenges that must be overcome to achieve robust, repeatable data-driven multicellular systems biology. If these challenges can be solved, we can grow beyond the current state of isolated tools and datasets to a community-driven ecosystem of interoperable data, software utilities, and computational modeling platforms. Progress is within our grasp, but it will take community (and financial) commitment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Macklin
- Department of Intelligent Systems Engineering, Indiana University, 700 N Woodlawn Ave, Bloomington, IN 47408, USA
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