Contact Info
Department of Applied Mathematics
University of Waterloo
Waterloo, Ontario
Canada N2L 3G1
Phone: 519-888-4567, ext. 32700
Fax: 519-746-4319
PDF files require Adobe Acrobat Reader
MC 5158
Remziye Karabekmez, Applied Math, University of Waterloo
Modeling of Cancer Signaling Pathways
Cancer is an ongoing problem all over the world. To find a cure to this disease, both clinicians and scientists are looking for a reasonable treatment method. According to Hanahan and Weinberg, one of the hallmarks of cancer is evasion of programmed cell death, referred to as apoptosis. Apoptosis is an important cellular process, and is regulated by many different pathways. Proteins in these pathways contribute to either cell death or cell survival depending on the cell stresses. Much research in systems biology has been devoted to understanding these pathways at the molecular level.
In this study a mathematical model is built to describe apoptosis, and the pathways involving the related proteins p53- and Akt. The primary purpose of the construction of the kinetic model is to verify that this network can exhibit bistability between the pro- and anti-apoptotic proteins. Dynamical network analysis (stability and phase plane portrait analysis) is used to verify bistability. Sensitivity and bifurcation analysis are conducted to determine which parameters have the greatest effect on the system behavior. In future, a complete characterization of the model parameterization will be needed to use this model to address the effects of specific cancer drugs.
Contact Info
Department of Applied Mathematics
University of Waterloo
Waterloo, Ontario
Canada N2L 3G1
Phone: 519-888-4567, ext. 32700
Fax: 519-746-4319
PDF files require Adobe Acrobat Reader
The University of Waterloo acknowledges that much of our work takes place on the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishinaabeg and Haudenosaunee peoples. Our main campus is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land granted to the Six Nations that includes six miles on each side of the Grand River. Our active work toward reconciliation takes place across our campuses through research, learning, teaching, and community building, and is co-ordinated within the Office of Indigenous Relations.