Applied mathematicians using math models to understand cancer drug

Researchers in the Department of Applied Mathematics are using computer-simulated drug trials to provide clinicians with insights on a promising cancer treatment.

The drug, called metformin, has traditionally been prescribed for diabetes but has been used in clinical settings as a cancer treatment in recent years.

The research team includes Anita Layton, professor of applied mathematics and Canada 150 Research Chair in mathematical biology and medicine, and Mehrshad Sadria, a PhD candidate in applied mathematics.

The computer-simulated treatments use models that replicate both the drug and the cancerous cells in a virtual environment. Such models can give clinical trials in humans a considerable head-start and can provide insights to medical practitioners that would take much longer to be discovered in the field.

Read more in the feature article at Waterloo News.