October 31, 2022 — Backed up by the laws of physics, and with enough observation, scientists can create mathematical models that explain, simulate, and predict the behavior of just about anything. Even things we can’t see—like a dividing cancer cell or the marauding COVID-19 virus.
That’s what David Odde, Ph.D., who co-directs the Cancer Bioengineering Initiative, does. A biomedical engineer at the University of Minnesota, Odde brings a mathematical mindset to medicine. He and his team observe how different types of disease cells move, migrate, and grow in the body, and use that information to build models that predict how diseases will react in specific scenarios.
Think of it like a flight simulator, but on a microscopic level, Odde says. Instead of practicing landing a plane in different kinds of weather, Odde and his team run simulations that test how diseases like cancer will respond to different kinds of treatment.
And much like a flight simulator allows pilots to make mistakes without risk, mathematical models of disease allow researchers to rapidly try all kinds of treatments—including ones that fail—without putting a single person in harm’s way. Once a successful treatment emerges from the models, the scientists behind it can be more confident that it’s going to work.
That’s the ultimate goal, says Odde, who holds the Medtronic Professorship for Engineering in Medicine and is a member of the Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota. He thinks disease simulators have the potential to power up the potency of clinical trials, making their chances of success far better than they are today.
“We think it can change the trajectory of therapy development and outcomes for patients,” Odde says.
