Section: Research Program

Mathematical and computational modeling

Multi-scale modeling of hematopoiesis is one of the key points of the project that has started in the early stage of the Dracula team. Investigated by the team members, it took many years of close discussion with biologists to get the best understanding of the key role played by the most important molecules, hormones, kinase cascade, cell communication up to the latest knowledge. An approach that we used is based on hybrid discrete-continuous models, where cells are considered as individual objects, intracellular regulatory networks are described with ordinary differential equations, extracellular concentrations with diffusion or diffusion-convection equations (see Figure 1). These modeling tools require the expertise of all team members to get the most qualitative satisfactory model. The obtained models will be applied particularly to describe normal and pathological hematopoiesis as well as immune response.