Investigators
Rajanikanth Vadigepalli, James Schwaber, William Lytton
Contact info (email)
rajanikanth.vadigepalli@jefferson.edu
1. Define context(s)
identify/explore new therapies
reveal new biological insights
Current Conformance Level / Target Conformance Level
Comprehensive
Primary goal of the model/tool/database
The primary goal of the model is to quantitatively account for the neuronal network activity in the intrinsic cardiac nervous system (ICN) to inform bioelectronic medicine and impact neuromodulation therapy developments for interventions in heart disease.
Biological domain of the model
intrinsic cardiac nervous system
Structure(s) of interest in the model
intrinsic cardiac nervous system; neurons; right atrial ganglionic plexus; heart
Spatial scales included in the model
ion channels; signaling; neurons; neuronal networks
Time scales included in the model
milliseconds; seconds; minutes
2. Data for building and validating the model
| Data for building the model | Published? | Private? | How is credibility checked? | Current Conformance Level / Target Conformance Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| in vitro (primary cells cell, lines, etc.) | ||||
| ex vivo (excised tissues) | ||||
| in vivo pre-clinical (lower-level organism or small animal) | Yes | Yes (SPARC) | SPARC DRC Curation | Extensive/Adequate |
| in vivo pre-clinical (large animal) | Yes | Yes (SPARC) | SPARC DRC Curation | Extensive/Adequate |
| Human subjects/clinical | ||||
| Other: ________________________ |
| Data for validating the model | Published? | Private? | How is credibility checked? | Current Conformance Level / Target Conformance Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| in vitro (primary cells cell, lines, etc.) | ||||
| ex vivo (excised tissues) | ||||
| in vivo pre-clinical (lower-level organism or small animal) | Yes | Yes (SPARC) | SPARC DRC Curation | Extensive/Adequate |
| in vivo pre-clinical (large animal) | Yes | Yes (SPARC) | SPARC DRC Curation | Extensive/Adequate |
| Human subjects/clinical | ||||
| Other: ________________________ |
3. Validate within context(s)
| Who does it? | When does it happen? | How is it done? | Current Conformance Level / Target Conformance Level | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verification | Project team and Third-party reviewer | Quarterly | Qualitative | Adequate |
| Validation | Project team | Post 2-year project | New experiments | Adequate |
| Uncertainty quantification | Project team | During modeling process | Alternative randomizations | Adequate |
| Sensitivity analysis | Model developer | During modeling process | Established techniques | Adequate |
| Other:__________ | ||||
| Additional Comments |
4. Limitations
| Disclaimer statement (explain key limitations) | Who needs to know about this disclaimer? | How is this disclaimer shared with that audience? | Current Conformance Level / Target Conformance Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lack of dendritic processing | Cardiovascular disease researchers | Description in the publications | Adequate |
| Lack of detailed network connectivity | Cardiovascular disease researchers | Description in the publications | Adequate |
5. Version control
| Current Conformance Level / Target Conformance Level |
|---|
| Adequate |
| Naming Conventions? | Repository? | Code Review? | |
|---|---|---|---|
| individual modeler | Yes | Github | Independent peer cross-check |
| within the lab | Yes | Github | Independent peer cross-check |
| collaborators | Yes | Github | Independent peer cross-check |
6. Documentation
| Current Conformance Level / Target Conformance Level | |
|---|---|
| Code commented? | Extensive |
| Scope and intended use described? | Comprehensive |
| User’s guide? | Adequate |
| Developer’s guide? | Adequate |
7. Dissemination
| Current Conformance Level / Target Conformance Level |
|---|
| Comprehensive |
| Target Audience(s): | “Inner circle” | Scientific community | Public |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simulations | Github | Github; Manuscripts; O2S2PARC | Github; Manuscripts; O2S2PARC |
| Models | Github | Github; Manuscripts; O2S2PARC | Github; Manuscripts; O2S2PARC |
| Software | Github | Github; O2S2PARC | Github; O2S2PARC |
| Results | Github; Manuscripts | Github; Manuscripts | Github; Manuscripts |
| Implications of results | Manuscripts | Manuscripts | Manuscripts; Institutional Newsletters |
8. Independent reviews
| Current Conformance Level / Target Conformance Level |
|---|
| Adequate |
| Reviewer(s) name & affiliation: | Guy Kember, Dalhousie University |
|---|---|
| When was review performed? | Expected to be performed Quarterly after initial set of models were developed |
| How was review performed and outcomes of the review? | Pending; Ongoing discussions to setup the reviews |
9. Test competing implementations
| Current Conformance Level / Target Conformance Level |
|---|
| Adequate |
| Yes or No (briefly summarize) | |
|---|---|
| Were competing implementations tested? | Yes |
| Did this lead to model refinement or improvement? | Expected; Model components selected from different options for ion channel conductance kinetics |
10. Conform to standards
| Current Conformance Level / Target Conformance Level |
|---|
| Adequate |
| Yes or No (briefly summarize) | |
|---|---|
| Are there operating procedures, guidelines, or standards for this type of multiscale modeling? | Yes |
| How do your modeling efforts conform? | Use of standard integrators and simulators |
Studies of the local intrinsic cardiac nervous system have revealed its significance and complexity, but yielding so far a fragmented picture that leaves gaps that cannot be addressed by experiments alone towards functional predictions for control of the system. Prior modeling efforts, including our own, have had to work within these limitations. Recently the SPARC initiative has supported comprehensive study of the ICN to provide foundational data to allow modeling that supports functional prediction and control more feasible. These rich datasets on ICN are cross species (rat and pig), include male and female, and have multiple replicates to account for variability and uncertainties including off target effects. The unmet need now is to build on the opportunity for an integrative multiscale model (MSM) of the circuit to integrate this patchwork into a functional whole foundational to determining control points for interventions. The MSM will provide quantitative and dynamic accounting of the signal processing and adaptation dynamics of this local nervous system intrinsic to the heart. The newly available foundational neuroanatomical, physiological and molecular information on the ICN now support MSM to scale single neuron and molecular phenotype data to have ICN networks and cardiac functional impact. We will use MSM modeling to close the gap between these data and ICN functions, supporting exploration of how this system drives cardiac dynamics. This will enable our simulations to predict organ-scale functional consequences of vagal neurostimulation with high fidelity, immediately opening avenues for in silico testing and in vivo and clinical confirmation of neuromodulatory control algorithms.