04/7 Multi-scale tumor modeling

		simulation of tumor simulation of tumor

We are investigating carefully selected aspects of tumor growth and neovascularization, which is of major interest both for clinical care and basic biological research. Modeling the process of tumor development can not only improve our insight into the underlying mechanisms but will also contribute to the development of novel treatment strategies like optimising dose delivery during radiation therapy or systematic selection of anti-angiogenic drugs depending on tumor phenotype.

Our goal is to develop a comprehensive simulation package, allowing to simulate the underlying physical and biochemical processes, covering mutual relationships between mechanical and biochemical stimuli, transport phenomena like flow, diffusive transport or active cell migration or possibly even gene expression, resulting in tissue formation, deformation or removal. The major aspects, which need to be accounted for, are listed below:

• Production, transport and absorption of molecules (nutrients, growth factors and inhibitors):(chemotaxis,chemokinesis) and cells (haptotaxis,haptokinesis)
  
• Vessel growth (endothelial cell transport, growth, death)
  
• Tissue growth (tumor cell transport, growth, death)
  
• Blood flow in vessels
  
• Accurate biomechanical tissue model
  

Major emphasis will be given to the interaction and interrelation of these processes, in contrast to the currently existing approaches which usually only deal with one of these issues in an isolated fashion.