A Novel Hybrid Logic-ODE Modeling Approach to Overcome Knowledge Gaps

Mathematical modeling allows using different formalisms to describe, investigate, and understand biological processes. However, despite the advent of high-throughput experimental techniques, quantitative information is still a challenge when looking for data to calibrate model parameters. Furthermore, quantitative formalisms must cope with stiffness and tractability problems, more so if used to describe multicellular systems. On the other hand, qualitative models may lack the proper granularity to describe the underlying kinetic processes. We propose a hybrid modeling approach that integrates ordinary differential equations and logical formalism to describe distinct biological layers and their communication. We focused on a multicellular system as a case study by applying the hybrid formalism to the well-known Delta-Notch signaling pathway. We used a differential equation model to describe the intracellular pathways while the cell–cell interactions were defined by logic rules. The hybrid approach herein employed allows us to combine the pros of different modeling techniques by overcoming the lack of quantitative information with a qualitative description that discretizes activation and inhibition processes, thus avoiding complexity.