@article{YousefianFrankWeberetal.2025, author = {Yousefian, Maryam and Frank, Anne-Simone and Weber, Marcus and R{\"o}blitz, Susanna}, title = {Efficient construction of Markov state models for stochastic gene regulatory networks by domain decomposition}, volume = {26}, journal = {BMC Bioinformatics}, number = {147}, doi = {10.1186/s12859-025-06174-5}, year = {2025}, abstract = {The dynamics of many gene regulatory networks (GRNs) is characterized by the occurrence of metastable phenotypes and stochastic phenotype switches. The chemical master equation (CME) is the most accurate description to model such stochastic dynamics, whereby the long-time dynamics of the system is encoded in the spectral properties of the CME operator. Markov State Models (MSMs) provide a general framework for analyzing and visualizing stochastic multistability and state transitions based on these spectral properties. Until now, however, this approach is either limited to low-dimensional systems or requires the use of high-performance computing facilities, thus limiting its usability.}, language = {en} } @inproceedings{YousefianDonatiSikorskietal.2026, author = {Yousefian, Maryam and Donati, Luca and Sikorski, Alexander and Weber, Marcus and R{\"o}blitz, Susanna}, title = {Exploring Metastable Dynamics of Gene Regulatory Networks with ISOKANN}, volume = {15959}, booktitle = {Computational Methods in Systems Biology. CMSB 2025}, doi = {10.1007/978-3-032-01436-8_8}, pages = {126 -- 149}, year = {2026}, abstract = {Stochastic dynamical systems like gene regulatory networks (GRNs) often exhibit behavior characterized by metastable sets (representing cellular phenotypes), in which trajectories remain for long times, whereas switches between these sets in the phase space are rare events. One way to capture these rare events is to infer the system's long-term behavior from the spectral characteristics (eigenvalues and eigenvectors) of its Koopman operator. For GRNs, the Koopman operator is based on the chemical master equation (CME), which provides a precise mathematical modeling framework for stochastic GRNs. Since the CME is typically analytically intractable, methods based on discretizing the CME operator have been developed. However, determining the number and location of metastable sets in the phase space as well as the transition rates between them remains computationally challenging, especially for large GRNs with many genes and interactions. A promising alternative method, called ISOKANN (invariant subspaces of Koopman operators with artificial neural networks) has been developed in the context of molecular dynamics. ISOKANN uses a combination of the power iteration and neural networks to learn the basis functions of an invariant subspace of the Koopman operator. In this paper, we extend the application of ISOKANN to the CME operator and apply it to two small GRNs: a genetic toggle switch model and a model for macrophage polarization. Our work opens a new field of application for the ISOKANN algorithm and demonstrates the potential of this algorithm for studying large GRNs.}, language = {en} } @article{FischerHolzhausenRoeblitz2022, author = {Fischer-Holzhausen, Sophie and R{\"o}blitz, Susanna}, title = {Hormonal regulation of ovarian follicle growth in humans: Model-based exploration of cycle variability and parameter sensitivities}, journal = {Journal of Theoretical Biology}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtbi.2022.111150}, year = {2022}, abstract = {We present a modelling and simulation framework for the dynamics of ovarian follicles and key hormones along the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis throughout consecutive human menstrual cycles. All simulation results (hormone concentrations and ovarian follicle sizes) are in biological units and can easily be compared to clinical data. The model takes into account variability in follicles' response to stimulating hormones, which introduces variability between cycles. The growth of ovarian follicles in waves is an emergent property in our model simulations and further supports the hypothesis that follicular waves are also present in humans. We use Approximate Bayesian Computation and cluster analysis to construct a population of virtual subjects and to study parameter distributions and sensitivities. The model can be used to compare and optimize treatment protocols for ovarian hyperstimulation, thus potentially forming the integral part of a clinical decision support system in reproductive endocrinology.}, language = {en} } @article{FischerHolzhausenRoeblitz2022, author = {Fischer-Holzhausen, Sophie and R{\"o}blitz, Susanna}, title = {Mathematical modelling of follicular growth and ovarian stimulation}, journal = {Current Opinion in Endocrine and Metabolic Research}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coemr.2022.100385}, year = {2022}, language = {en} } @article{KruegerLeenersTroncietal.2022, author = {Kr{\"u}ger, Tillmann and Leeners, Brigitte and Tronci, Enrico and Mancini, Toni and Ille, Fabian and Egli, Marcel and Engler, Harald and R{\"o}blitz, Susanna and Frieling, Helge and Sinke, Christopher and Jahn, Kirsten}, title = {The androgen system across the menstrual cycle: Hormonal, (epi-)genetic and psychometric alterations}, journal = {Physiology and Behavior}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2022.114034}, year = {2022}, language = {en} } @article{FrankSikorskiRoeblitz2024, author = {Frank, Anna-Simone and Sikorski, Alexander and R{\"o}blitz, Susanna}, title = {Spectral clustering of Markov chain transition matrices with complex eigenvalues}, volume = {444}, journal = {Journal of Computational and Applied Mathematics}, arxiv = {http://arxiv.org/abs/2206.14537}, doi = {10.1016/j.cam.2024.115791}, pages = {115791}, year = {2024}, abstract = {The Robust Perron Cluster Analysis (PCCA+) has become a popular spectral clustering algorithm for coarse-graining transition matrices of nearly decomposable Markov chains with transition states. Originally developed for reversible Markov chains, the algorithm only worked for transition matrices with real eigenvalues. In this paper, we therefore extend the theoretical framework of PCCA+ to Markov chains with a complex eigen-decomposition. We show that by replacing a complex conjugate pair of eigenvectors by their real and imaginary components, a real representation of the same subspace is obtained, which is suitable for the cluster analysis. We show that our approach leads to the same results as the generalized PCCA+ (GPCCA), which replaces the complex eigen-decomposition by a conceptually more difficult real Schur decomposition. We apply the method on non-reversible Markov chains, including circular chains, and demonstrate its efficiency compared to GPCCA. The experiments are performed in the Matlab programming language and codes are provided.}, language = {de} }