Math-based models to explain how cells divide and move
Mathematical modeling of mechanical and spatiotemporal processes in cellular functions
This project builds computer models to show how cells divide and move, aiming to uncover clues that could help treat cancers driven by abnormal cell division.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Virginia Polytechnic Inst and St Univ NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Blacksburg, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11260436 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
The team uses mathematical and physical principles to combine different lab measurements into clear, testable pictures of how cellular machinery moves and signals. They focus on cell division (mitosis), which is directly relevant to many cancers, and on how bacteria generate force and move. These models help explain fragmented experimental data and point lab researchers toward the most important experiments to run next. Over the coming years the lab will expand and refine models and work with experimentalists to validate key predictions.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with cancers linked to errors in cell division, or patients willing to contribute tumor samples to research collaborations, would be most directly relevant to this work.
Not a fit: Patients looking for an immediate change in their medical treatment should not expect direct clinical benefit from this basic modeling project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could reveal new biological mechanisms and suggest targets or strategies to stop cancer cells from dividing uncontrollably.
How similar studies have performed: Previous mathematical modeling of cell division has clarified biological mechanisms and guided useful experiments, though clinical translation typically takes additional years of work.
Where this research is happening
Blacksburg, United States
- Virginia Polytechnic Inst and St Univ — Blacksburg, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chen, Jing — Virginia Polytechnic Inst and St Univ
- Study coordinator: Chen, Jing
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.