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. 2025 Aug 21;188(17):4711-4733.e37.
doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2025.06.048. Epub 2025 Jul 26.

Human interpretable grammar encodes multicellular systems biology models to democratize virtual cell laboratories

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Human interpretable grammar encodes multicellular systems biology models to democratize virtual cell laboratories

Jeanette A I Johnson et al. Cell. .
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Abstract

Cells interact as dynamically evolving ecosystems. While recent single-cell and spatial multi-omics technologies quantify individual cell characteristics, predicting their evolution requires mathematical modeling. We propose a conceptual framework-a cell behavior hypothesis grammar-that uses natural language statements (cell rules) to create mathematical models. This enables systematic integration of biological knowledge and multi-omics data to generate in silico models, enabling virtual "thought experiments" that test and expand our understanding of multicellular systems and generate new testable hypotheses. This paper motivates and describes the grammar, offers a reference implementation, and demonstrates its use in developing both de novo mechanistic models and those informed by multi-omics data. We show its potential through examples in cancer and its broader applicability in simulating brain development. This approach bridges biological, clinical, and systems biology research for mathematical modeling at scale, allowing the community to predict emergent multicellular behavior.

Keywords: agent-based modeling; cancer biology; cell behavior hypothesis grammar; cell behaviors; cell interactions; immunology; immunotherapy; mathematical biology; mathematical modeling; modeling language; multi-omics; multicellular systems; multicellular systems biology; physics of multicellular biology; simulation; spatial transcriptomics; tissue dynamics.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of interests J.W.Z. receives other support from Roche/Genentech and honoraria from Sermo and ZoomRx. L.Z. receives grant support from Bristol-Myers Squibb, Merck, AstraZeneca, iTeos, Amgen, NovaRock, Inxmed, and Halozyme. L.Z. is a paid consultant/advisory board member at Biosion, Alphamab, NovaRock, Ambrx, Akrevia/Xilio, QED, Tempus, Pfizer, Novagenesis, Snow Lake Capitals, Amberstone, Tavotek Lab, ClinicalTrial Options, LLC, and Mingruizhiyao. L.Z. holds shares at Amberstone, Alphamab, Cellaration, and Mingruizhiyao. E.M.J. reports other support from Abmeta and Adventris; personal fees from Dragonfly, Neuvogen, Surge Tx, Mestag, and HDTbio; and grants from Lustgarten, Genentech, BMS, NeoTx, and Break Through Cancer. E.M.J. is a founder of and holds equity in Adventris Pharmaceuticals. She also serves as a consultant to the entity. Further, Adventris Pharmaceuticals has licensed a technology described in this study from the Johns Hopkins University. As a result of that agreement, E.M.J. and the University are entitled to royalty distributions related to technology described in the study discussed in this publication. This arrangement has been reviewed and approved by Johns Hopkins University in accordance with its conflict-of-interest policies. A.J.E.’s spouse is an employee of Immunocore. A.J.E. has unlicensed patents and patent applications in cancer and autoimmunity, and none of them closely relate to the topic of this paper. N.Z. is a consultant for Genentech and Adventris Pharmaceuticals and receives other support from Adventris Pharmaceuticals. L.M.C. has received reagent support from Cell Signaling Technologies, Syndax Pharmaceuticals, Inc., ZielBio, Inc., and Hibercell, Inc.; holds sponsored research agreements with Prospect Creek Foundation; receives grant support from Susan G. Komen Foundation, National Foundation for Cancer Research, and the National Cancer Institute; and is on the advisory board of Carisma Therapeutics, Inc., CytomX Therapeutics, Inc., Kineta, Inc., Hibercell, Inc., Cell Signaling Technologies, Inc, Alkermes, Inc., NextCure, Guardian Bio, Dispatch Biotherapeutics, AstraZeneca Partner of Choice Network (OHSU Site Leader), Genenta Sciences, Pio Therapeutics Pty Ltd., and Lustgarten Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research Therapeutics Working Group. E.J.F. was on the scientific advisory board of Resistance Bio/Viosera Therapeutics, a paid consultant for Merck and Mestag, and received research funds from Abbvie Inc. and Roche/Genetech outside the submitted work.

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