Independent Research
Born out of curiosity and boredom, I decided to experiment with Matlab. This experimentation led to a research project in my senior year of high school. Entitled, Angiogenesis in malignant solid tumors and anti-angiogenesis therapeutics: Polarization of tip cells in response to VEGF and correlated mathematical models, I constructed a model to identify patterns and likely pathways of angiogenesis. This identification enables the use of targeted anti-angiogenesis therapeutics. Using thousands of open-sourced images, I accurately identified how tip cells polarize in response to chemical stimuli and modeled this approach with respect to time. Ideally, doctors and researchers could utilize this model to place molecular therapeutics on a fully vascularized and modeled tumor to understand its effects before treating in vivo.
Abstract
Individualistic models for tumor progression remain poorly studied. Further, characteristics of angiogenesis are broad, highlighting the need for scalable models based on solitary factors. Endothelial tip cells move and polarize in a directed fashion towards chemical stimuli. To ensure continued growth, tumors must acquire a continuous supply of nutrients and means of metabolic waste. In this study, the biased 2D random walk of cells towards tumors based on diffusion along it’s respective concentration gradient and chemotaxis due to the presence of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) are modeled to understand the polarization shift and identify treatments. The lack of tissue level biomechanical interactions including extra cellular matrix density inputs and the assumption of tip cells being the sole input in angiogenic movement show the limitations in mathematical modeling. Additionally, variations in concentrations of vascular endothelial growth factor were not shown. Utilizing unbiased 2D random walk growth as a basis for interpretation, the biomechanical interactions can be deduced capturing activation and polarization of the tip cells. Modeling the architectural features of angiogenic formation is a novel advancement in oncological pharmacology.
