Cancer
Deciphering the principles of tumor invasion is essential for development of new therapy concepts. Besides more and more complex molecular investigations, mathematical modelling of selected aspects of tumour growth has become attractive within the last years (mathematical oncology). The importance of mathematical modeling approaches is also acknowledged by clinicians. We use cell-based models (in particular cellular automata). Simulations show that such models permit to investigate characteristic growth, invasion, and progression scenarios. In the future, in silico simulations shall allow to test therapies. Special emphasis lies on the extension of the models to three dimensions and to incorporate patient data.
Comparison of Simulation (left) and in vitro Experiment (right) (from:
Tektonidis et al., Identification of intrinsic mechanisms for glioma invasion, J. Theor. Biol. 287, 131-147, 2011 [DOI]).
Movie of the simulation of a
moving tumor front (from:
Hatzikirou et al., Prediction of traveling front behavior in a lattice-gas cellular automaton model for tumor invasion, Comput. Math. Appl. 59, 2326-2339, 2010 [DOI]).
Cooperations:
Prof. Dr. David Basanta (Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida, US)
PD Dr. Dr. Ada Cavalcanti (MPI for Medical Research, Heidelberg)
Prof. Dr. Peter Friedl (Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center)
Prof. Dr. Miguel Herrero (Complutense University Madrid)
Prof. Dr. Thomas Hillen (University of Alberta, Edmonton)
PD Dr. Barbara Klink (National Center of Genetics, Luxemburg)
Prof. Dr. Leoni Kunz-Schughart (Oncoray, University Clinics Dresden)
Prof. Dr. Simone Niclou (Luxemburg Institute of Health)
Prof. Dr. Karl Schaller (Geneva University Neurocenter)
Dr. Michael Seifert (Faculty of Medicine, University Clinics Dresden)
Prof. Matthias Simon (Bethel Clinics Bielefeld)
Prof. Dr. Olaf Wolkenhauer (University of Rostock)
Key Publications:
-
Cell–cell adhesion and 3D matrix confinement determine jamming transitions in breast cancer invasion
Nature Cell Biology -
Molecular characterization of astrocytoma progression towards secondary glioblastomas utilizing patient-matched tumor pairs
Cancers -
Patterns of tumor progression predict small and tissue-specific tumor-originating niches
Front. Oncol., 8, 668, 2019 [DOI] -
Stem cell-associated heterogeneity in Glioblastoma results from intrinsic tumor plasticity shaped by the microenvironment
Nature Communications, 10 (1), 1787, 2019 [DOI] -
Whither Systems Medicine?
Experimental & Molecular Medicine, 50, e453, 2018 [DOI] -
The biology and mathematical modelling of glioma invasion: a review
Journal of the Royal Society Interface 14 (136), 20170490, 2017 [DOI] -
Cell adhesion heterogeneity reinforces tumour cell dissemination: novel insights from a mathematical model
Biology Direct, 12, 1, 18, 2017 [DOI] -
Amoeboid-mesenchymal migration plasticity promotes invasion only in complex heterogeneous microenvironments
Scientific Reports, 7, 9237, 2017 [DOI] -
Why one-size-fits-all vaso-modulatory interventions fail to control glioma invasion: in silico insights
Scientific Reports, 6, 37283, 2016 [DOI] -
An Emerging Allee Effect Is Critical for Tumor Initiation and Persistence
PLoS Comput Biol, 11, 9, e1004366, 2015 [DOI] -
Model-Based Evaluation of Spontaneous Tumor Regression in Pilocytic Astrocytoma
PLoS Comput Biol, 11, 12, e1004662, 2015 [DOI] -
Evolutionary game theory: cells as players
Mol. BioSyst., 10, 3044-3065, 2014 [DOI] -
Identification of intrinsic mechanisms for glioma invasion
J. Theor. Biol., 287, 131-147, 2011 [DOI] -
'Go or Grow': the key to the emergence of invasion in tumour progression?
Math Med Biol, dqq011, 2010 [DOI] -
Prediction of traveling front behavior in a lattice-gas cellular automaton model for tumor invasion
Comput. Math. Appl., 59, 2326-2339, 2010 [DOI] -
Evolutionary game theory elucidates the role of glycolysis in glioma progression and invasion
Cell Prolif., 41, 980, 2008 [DOI]
