Seminar

Applied Mathematics Seminar

Mathematical oncology: Predicting cancer`s behavior and optimizing treatments using mathematical models

Speaker:  Víctor M. Pérez García (Mathematical Oncology Laboratory (MOLAB), University of Castilla-La Mancha, Spain )
Date:  Monday, 26 September 2022 - 12:00
Place:  Aula Gris 3, ICMAT

Abstract:

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in industrialized countries. In spite of enormous resources spent on the disease, progresses are very slow and survival improves only around 1% per year. The use of mechanistic mathematical models in medicine, unlike other areas of science and engineering, has been very limited. However mechanistic models have the power to provide basis for predicting the future disease behavior from the diagnostic data, i.e. providing the so-called 'biomarkers'. They can also be used for the in-silico testing of different therapeutic schedules/combinations, i.e. developing 'in-silico' clinical trials, and finding optimal treatments that can be implemented in the clinics. In this talk intended for a non-specialist mathematical audience I will introduce the field of mathematical oncology, describe several types of models leading to success stories and the prospects for future progresses.