ABSTRACT Dynamic process modeling is essential for simulating time‐evolving biochemical systems, particularly those with multistate interactions and combinatorial complexity. Traditional Ordinary Differential Equation (ODE) models offer mechanistic clarity but struggle with scalability and context‐sensitive encoding. Rule‐Based Modeling (RBM) frameworks address these limitations through modular rule abstraction, yet require manual specification and lack adaptive learning. This study introduces algorithmic innovations within the Neural Ordinary Differential Equation (Neural ODE) paradigm to bridge the gap between mechanistic interpretability and scalable expressivity. Neural ODEs can be considered as a revolutionary approach in the field of modeling dynamic biochemical interactions. They have made it possible to create models of such interactions that are flexible enough to adapt to different scenarios and do so without requiring any manual intervention in terms of rule encoding or predefined reaction schemes. This is achieved by employing differential solvers within the framework of neural networks, thus enabling a learning process that is in accordance with the behavior of the system. Using the DARPP‐32 signaling network—a benchmark system characterized by multivalent phosphorylation and dynamic perturbations—the proposed Neural ODE framework demonstrates the ability to replicate key dynamic behaviors observed in ODE and RBM models. Comparative simulations under baseline and perturbed conditions reveal that Neural ODEs maintain trajectory fidelity while offering enhanced modularity and computational efficiency. Feature importance analysis and latent space visualizations further validate the model's interpretability and robustness. Unlike ODEs and RBMs, Neural ODEs adapt to structural mutations and binding schemes through latent trajectory learning, enabling flexible simulation of biochemical variability without manual rule encoding. This work establishes Neural ODEs as a viable and scalable alternative for modeling complex biochemical systems, combining the strengths of data‐driven learning with the interpretability of differential equations.
Guobin Zeng (Sun,) studied this question.