Mathematics Graduate Student Colloquium

MGSC Website: http://math.uci.edu/~mgsc/

A Mathematical Model for Metabolic Patterning in Colon Cancer

Mary Lee
Wednesday, April 22, 2015
4:00 pm - 4:50 pm
RH440R

Talk Abstract:

Understanding how cancer cells metabolize nutrients into energy is an important step toward developing treatment methods for this disease. In this talk I will present experimental data for a symbiotic relationship between two different metabolic cell types in colon cancer. I will present a mathematical model that describes this relationship as a Turing pattern based on the Wnt signaling pathway, an important pathway in the healing and development of cells. I will discuss how interfering with Wnt signaling alters the metabolic pattern, and show that the mathematical model agrees with these observations. Finally, I will discuss how the model can be used to simulate treatment programs that take advantage of this symbiotic relationship and show that they have the potential to be highly effective. This talk is aimed at a general audience.

About the Speaker:

Mary is a 6th year graduate student at UC Irvine. She obtained her B.A. in Applied Mathematics from UC Berkeley and her M.S. in Mathematics from UC Irvine. She worked as Senior Systems Engineer at Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems before coming to UCI and is currently an Adjunct Employee at the RAND Corporation. Mary enjoys wearing her Viking helmet while looking up and off into the distance, with waves from an angry sea crashing behind her.

Refreshments:

Pizza will be served after the talk.