An Exploratory Approach to Improved Mathematical Modeling of Cancer Cell Motility Utilizing In Vitro Biological Constants with an Emphasis on Cell Cycle

The goal of this project was to create a math model incorporating biological constants to build an in silico model that would more simulate cancer cell motility and growth. Creating a program to model cancer cell movement within a 2D environment was necessary for evaluating the population growth equations while also establishing the cell phase dependent motility equations. The program was created using MATLAB for migration which involved considering cell-to-cell interactions, cellular movement, population generation, and the velocity of moving cells. Furthermore, a novel device was created to reproducibly produce a wound for determining biological (in vitro) motion constants. To evaluate the initial conditions necessary for the population growth equations, cell synchronization/asynchronization were done in order to obtain critical cell phase cycle data. In addition, cell velocity was obtained via the scratch assays created from the novel device, this resulted in motility data which was used in the novel in silico modeling program. The incorporation of the in vitro data demonstrated that varied motility in conjunction with cell phase dependent scaling created results similar to those observed at an in vitro level.

Embargo status: Restricted until 09/2024. To request the author grant access, click on the PDF link to the left.