Nested sampling for parameter inference in systems biology: application to an exemplar circadian model.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Model selection and parameter inference are complex problems that have yet to be fully addressed in systems biology. In contrast with parameter optimisation, parameter inference computes both the parameter means and their standard deviations (or full posterior distributions), thus yielding important information on the extent to which the data and the model topology constrain the inferred parameter values.

Results

We report on the application of nested sampling, a statistical approach to computing the Bayesian evidence Z, to the inference of parameters, and the estimation of log Z in an established model of circadian rhythms. A ten-fold difference in the coefficient of variation between degradation and transcription parameters is demonstrated. We further show that

SUBMITTER: Aitken S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3735395 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature