Modelling and Experiment to Understand the Control of Stem Cell Migration in vivo
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Nottingham
Department Name: Sch of Mathematical Sciences
Abstract
Cell migration plays a key role in a variety of normal and pathogenic biologic processes, including embryogenesis, the immune responses, wound healing, and cancer metastasis. Stem cell migration is required for embryogenesis, for homeostasis and repair of adult tissues, but also plays an important role in the development of cancer. Therefore, migration capacity of stem cells is a fundamental characteristics necessary to carry out their function. The acquisition of knowledge of this process could be potentially used in cell therapy increasing and/or directing migration and in treatments of diseases with cell migration involved inhibiting this migration.
The aim is to use the embryonic migration of germ cells in the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, as a paradigm to understand how chemotactic signals are deployed to control the directionality of individually moving cells. The project will develop a three dimensional model for germ cell migration through a deforming background. This will be done by development of mathematical models using the theory of biased random walks coupled, reaction-diffusion stochastic or partial differential equations for the signalling pathways, and using a combination of simulations and experimental data to develop statistical inference methods for parameter estimation and subsequent model selection.
By utilising the connection between germ cell migration and stem cell migration in the Drosophila to explore how adult stem cells are regulated in vivo. Long term vision is to advance development of a more comprehensive model that take into account chemical, physical and cellular components of cell migration, that can utilise experimental data to infer parameters and considers a deforming background. This will bridge the work between theory and experimental work and develop a fully integrative experimental-modelling approach that can reject certain hypotheses in favour of others and explain multiscale mechanisms of cell migration.
The aim is to use the embryonic migration of germ cells in the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, as a paradigm to understand how chemotactic signals are deployed to control the directionality of individually moving cells. The project will develop a three dimensional model for germ cell migration through a deforming background. This will be done by development of mathematical models using the theory of biased random walks coupled, reaction-diffusion stochastic or partial differential equations for the signalling pathways, and using a combination of simulations and experimental data to develop statistical inference methods for parameter estimation and subsequent model selection.
By utilising the connection between germ cell migration and stem cell migration in the Drosophila to explore how adult stem cells are regulated in vivo. Long term vision is to advance development of a more comprehensive model that take into account chemical, physical and cellular components of cell migration, that can utilise experimental data to infer parameters and considers a deforming background. This will bridge the work between theory and experimental work and develop a fully integrative experimental-modelling approach that can reject certain hypotheses in favour of others and explain multiscale mechanisms of cell migration.
Organisations
Studentship Projects
| Project Reference | Relationship | Related To | Start | End | Student Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BB/M008770/1 | 01/10/2015 | 31/10/2024 | |||
| 1944672 | Studentship | BB/M008770/1 | 01/10/2017 | 12/12/2021 |