Cancer as a Dynamic Network

Group Org

Next Meeting

Fiday, Week 2 (location <tba>, time <tba>)

Agenda

Feedback on pseudo-code generation

People

• Monika Piotrowska (monika AT mimuw.edu.pl)
• Simon Angus (s.angus AT unsw.edu.au)
• ...

(please add if interested, there is work to do!)

Consulting to us!

• Will Ludington

Concept

Tumor growth has been well studied and is a very complicated process. However, there are various dynamics of the growth process that are not adequately captured by theoretical models. The main approach in the literature is to use differential equations to model the diffusion of (say) nutrients (glucose, oxygen) to the growing cells, to promote the cell growth observed.

This project aims to build a network based model of cancer growth. Phases that could be modelled are:

• Initial growth (from stem cell to a group of cells, diffusion mediated);
• Angiogenesis (appropriation of blood-vessel supply from the host);
• Metastatis (the splitting and movement of stem cells to other sites in the host).

In the first place, purely the stem-cell to many cell phase will be modelled. The concept is to begin with a central node (the stem cell) and then allow this node to add (dynamically) other nodes to the growing cancer network. A spring-algorithm will be used for visualisation of the growing tumor.

Nice features of such an approach are the following:

• Non differential equation model (if time-scales of change in the tumor are similar then differential equations may not capture dynamics);
• Nutrient diffusion can be modelled by a novel 'leaf-node to core nodes' process where the leaf (outer) nodes are assumed to be at the systemic nutrient level, all other cells will gain nutrients only via a minimum-path to the leaf node;
• Nodes can be made to build edges between them to solidify a matrix of cells, thus enabling a stable structure despite the formation of the necrotic core due to central cell death;
• Angiogenisis can be captured by using an edge path into the tumor as a proxy for a growing vessel, feeding into the leaf-to-core model of diffusion above, re-generating the core region

Work Schedule

Current

• develop pseudo-code for modelling approach (due Wk2-Friday)

Future

• build basic NetLogo model, check:
  • growth (!)
  • network structure realistic ?
  • necrotic core ?

Done

• discuss initial concept
• formulate modelling approach

Past Group Meetings

Week 1(Tues-Fri)

various meetings between Monika and Simon

Week 1(Sun)

Meeting at 8:30pm in cafe to organise model

Refs

• Quick overview of Cancer from recent Nature article
• Cancer modelling database clearing house: http://calvino.polito.it/~mcrtn/index.html