The application of signaling networks to cancer metastasis and cellular motility through the EGFR pathway
Name
930152722-MIT.pdf
Description
Full printable version
Size
16.43 MB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
bcc4e52705fe1bae2e8e7a08c3d9645d
Author(s)
Bharath, Ranjeetha
Advisor(s)
Linda G. Griffith and Douglas A. Lauffenburger.
Date Issued
2015
Publisher
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Abstract
This thesis explores the problem of cancer metastasis by analyzing the various downstream components of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) pathway. This work develops a mathematical model that consists of partial differential equations and signaling networks. Analysis techniques for these nonlinear reaction-diffusion equations included a study of the biological background and motivation, along with computational simulation of the various sets of models developed. The modeling effort combined biochemical reaction-diffusion equations for various species with mathematical descriptions of the mechanical machinery of the cell to characterize the foundations of cell movement in response to stimuli. By quantifying and qualifying the signaling networks and molecular pathways involved in cellular signaling and linking intracellular signaling to the mechanical machinery of the cell, it is possible to quickly check in silico the effects of changing various feedback parameters and signaling molecule concentrations. By creating a model of this process, it is possible to perform rapid tests of different pharmaceuticals on the biochemical and biomechanical pathways, in order to assess how they would affect cell motility and cancer metastasis on a large scale.
Description
Thesis: S.M., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Mechanical Engineering, 2015.
Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 83-86).
Subjects
Mechanical Engineering.
MIT Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Mechanical Engineering
Terms of Use
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