Inventors:
Suresh Toby Segaran - Somerville MA, US
David Kightley - York ME, US
Justin Sun - Norwood MA, US
Dexter Pratt - Reading MA, US
Maria Fatima Chandra - Framingham MA, US
Assignee:
Selventa, Inc. - Cambridge MA
International Classification:
G01N 33/50
Abstract:
Described are methods, systems and apparatus for hypothesizing a biological relationship in a biological system. A database of biological assertions is provided consisting of biological elements, relationships among the biological elements, and relationship descriptors characterizing the properties of the elements and relationships. A biological element may be selected from the database and a logical simulation may be performed within the biological database, from the selected biological element, through relationship descriptors, along a path defined by potentially causative biological elements to discern a biological element hypothetically responsible for the change in the selected biological element. The logical simulation may be either a backward logical simulation, performed upstream through the relationship descriptors to discern a hypothetical responsible biological element, or a forward logical simulation, performed downstream through the relationship descriptors to discern the extent to which the perturbation generates the observed change in the selected biological element.