Georgia Institute of Technology College of Sciences

An array of powerful mathematical tools can be used to identify the key underlying components and interactions that determine the mechanics of biological systems such as cancer and its interaction with various treatments. In this talk, we describe a mathematical model of tumor growth and the effectiveness of combined chemotherapy and anti-angiogenic therapy (drugs that prevent blood vessel growth). An array of mathematical tools is used in these studies including dynamical systems, linear stability analysis, numerical differential equations, SAEM (Stochastic Approximation of the Expectation Maximization) parameter estimation, and optimal control. We will develop the model using preclinical mouse data and discuss the optimal combination of these cancer treatments. The hope being that accurate modeling/understanding of experimental data will thus help in the development of evidence-based treatment protocols designed to optimize the effectiveness of combined cancer therapies.