This session will focus on providing an introduction to the current state of the art in mechanistic modeling of tumor growth and drug response. The speakers will illustrate both the breadth and the depth of the mathematical approaches. In particular, novel theories of tumor invasion will be described that span across the multiple scales of the phenomena thus mechanistically connecting the sub-cellular signaling events to the micro-environmental and tissue scale transport and proliferation phenomena. The translational potential of this mechanistic approach will also be illustrated through examples of recent breakthrough work in predicting tumor drug response and in improving surgical outcomes through the incorporation of mechanistic modeling within current clinical practice.
Educational Session: Mathematical Models of Tumor Growth and Drug Response

The grand challenge: Modeling growth and drug response at multiple scales; Vittorio Cristini. UT Health Science Ctr. at Houston, Houston, TX

Mathematical models of tumor invasion and metastasis; Robert A. Gatenby. H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institue, Tampa, FL

Mathematical modeling applications to translational oncology; Mary E. Edgerton. UT M.D. Anderson Cancer Ctr., Houston, TX

Approaches to modeling tumor vasculature and anti-angiogenic therapy; Trachette L. Jackson. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI,