From cell migration to tumor growth and therapy: a multiscale modeling perspective

Many biological phenomena, such as cell migration, tissue organization, and tumor evolution, arise from the interaction of processes taking place across different spatial and temporal scales. Understanding these mechanisms requires mathematical models capable of linking the behavior of individual cells to the collective dynamics observed at the tissue level. In this seminar, we will introduce a multiscale mathematical framework based on kinetic equations for the modeling of cell dynamics. Starting from microscopic descriptions of cell behavior, we will show how macroscopic models for cellular populations can be derived and analyzed, highlighting the role of mathematical tools in understanding complex biological systems. A variety of applications inspired by real biological problems will be presented, ranging from cell migration on fibrous substrates and heterogeneous microenvironments to the modeling of tumor growth and invasion into healthy tissue, including the study of the impact of different therapeutic strategies on tumor evolution.