Mathematical models for orientation: from cells to animals

Luogo: Polo Scientifico e Tecnologico Fabio Ferrari - Via Sommarive 5 - Povo - Aula A221
Ore: 11.00 

• Relatore: Kevin Painter (Heriot-Watt University - Edinburgh)

Abstract:
Cells and animals share a capacity to navigate through complex environments. For example, embryonic cells must move into developing organs and animals need to find their way to feeding grounds. Biologists can often follow these movements, either through labelling cells and following them under a microscope, or by attaching a GPS system to an animal that records its motion: the data obtained by these models is at an individual level, and corresponding ``agent-based models’’ can be used to simulate the behaviour. However, agent-based models become computationally expensive if one has a large population and they allow little analysis. In this talk I will describe how one can formulate an agent-based model, but then derive through scaling methods a continuous PDE type equation that can be analysed and easily simulated. I will discuss the modelling within two applications: the predicted spread of cancer cells in brain tumour, and the navigation of sea turtles to nesting sites.
 

Referente:  Andrea Pugliese