Chay Paterson: Network models of carcinogenesis in colorectal adenocarcinoma
Channel: NorthWestBiomathsDataScienceSeminars
Date: 12/04/2022

North West Seminar Series of Mathematical Biology and Data Science 

Monday, 4th April 2022 (hosted by Carl Whitfield) 

https://www.cms.livjm.ac.uk/APMSeminar/

Abstract: Multi-stage mathematical models have contributed a great deal to our understanding of cancer, from Armitage and Doll's original work in the 1950s, to Knudson's studies of retinoblastoma in the 1970s. We extend these models from linear paths to networks with multiple mutational pathways: somatic evolution is understood as a stochastic process on a directed graph, with edges representing specific mechanisms. This approach links population incidence, genomic data, and molecular mechanisms. 

While originally developed for colorectal adenocarcinoma, when applied to vestibular schwannoma, our approach enables new estimates of mutation rates in Schwann precursor cells. We also try to constrain what events may trigger the extremely rare process of malignant transformation of vestibular schwannoma. I make the case that this class of tumours represents an exciting opportunity to study tumour initiation and malignant transformation "in slow motion" and high resolution, with evolutionary models on networks providing us with powerful analytic tools.