Predictive Toxicology for Biological Systems

Abstract

Methods and apparatus to identify a potential toxicity of a therapy in a biological system are described. In one embodiment, a method uses a computer model that represents a set of biological processes of the biological system. The method includes executing the computer model to identify a first set of biological processes contributing to the occurrence of a toxic state of the biological system. The method also includes identifying a set of biological assays based on the first set of biological processes and testing the therapy in the set of biological assays to identify a second set of biological processes modified by the therapy. The method further includes identifying the potential toxicity of the therapy based on the second set of biological processes.

1 - 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . A method to identify a potential toxicity of a drug in a biological system, the method comprising:
 receiving a computer model-based identification of a virtual profile of a set of biological constituents, the virtual profile of the set of biological constituents being associated with a toxic state of the biological system;   identifying a set of biological assays associated with the set of biological constituents;   testing the drug in the set of biological assays to generate an experimental profile of the set of biological constituents; and   identifying the potential toxicity of the drug based on comparing the virtual profile of the set of biological constituents and the experimental profile of the set of biological constituents.   
     
     
         14 . A method to predict the occurrence of a toxic state, the method comprising:
 receiving a computer model-based identification of a virtual profile of a set of biological constituents, the virtual profile of the set of biological constituents being associated with the toxic state;   identifying a set of biological assays associated with the set of biological constituents;   applying the set of biological assays to a patient to generate an experimental profile of the set of biological constituents; and   predicting the occurrence of the toxic state for the patient based on comparing the virtual profile of the set of biological constituents and the experimental profile of the set of biological constituents.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein predicting the occurrence of the toxic state includes producing a degree of correspondence based on comparing the virtual profile of the set of biological constituents and the experimental profile of the set of biological constituents. 
     
     
         16 . A method to identify a potential toxicity of an environmental agent in a biological system, the method comprising:
 executing a computer model to identify a first set of biological processes contributing to the occurrence of a toxic state of the biological system;   identifying a set of biological assays based on the first set of biological processes;   testing the environmental agent in the set of the biological assays to identify a second set of biological processes modified by the environmental agent; and   identifying the potential toxicity of the environmental agent based on the second set of biological processes.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein identifying the potential toxicity of the environmental agent includes comparing the first set of biological processes and the second set of biological processes. 
     
     
         18 - 27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the biological system includes an organ. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the organ is a mammalian liver. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the set of biological assays includes a cell-based assay.