A system may include a processor, a user input, and memory comprising a graph database and executable instructions. The executable instructions may cause the processor to effectuate operations. The operations include receiving, via the user input, a query comprising a class generalization and pathway variables. The operations include identifying a query class based on at least the class generalization and determining an anchor set based on at least one of the pathway variables. The operations also include translating the pathway variables into a pathway algebraic expression based on the anchor set and the query class and executing the pathway algebraic expression on the graph database to return a pathway set. The class generalization comprises at least one of a component, a class field, or metadata.