Past Event: Oden Institute Seminar

Inverting tumor angiogenesis with fluid flow

Hector Gomez, Professor, School of Mechanical Engineering, Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, Purdue Center for Cancer Research, Purdue University

Abstract

Angiogenesis, the growth of blood vessels from pre-existing ones, plays a key role in cancer progression. Cancerous tumors release pro-angiogenic growth factors into the extracellular matrix that promote vessel growth once they reach the pre-existing vasculature. The neovasculature provides nutrients to the tumor, usually accelerating its growth. Therefore, the understanding and control of angiogenesis are critical to combat cancer. Until very recently, the literature had systematically assumed that the interstitial flows unavoidably occurring in the extracellular matrix had little impact on angiogenesis. Surprisingly, recent experimental evidence has shown that even very mild flows like those likely occurring in the human body can significantly alter vascular growth patterns. However, the mechanisms whereby fluid flow alters angiogenesis remain unknown; and different experiments show opposite effects of fluid flow on angiogenesis. In this seminar, I will present our recent modeling work to investigate the influence of fluid flow in tumor angiogenesis. Our model demonstrates the key role of interstitial flow in angiogenesis and reconciles two seemingly contradicting experiments: one showing more prominent angiogenic growth against the flow and another other showing more prominent growth with the flow. The model suggests that fluid flow may be used to invert the direction of angiogenic growth when combined with the adequate isoform of the growth factors. Bio Hector Gomez is currently a Professor in the School of Mechanical Engineering at Purdue University. Prof. Gomez specializes in computational mechanics with particular emphasis in isogeometric modeling and analysis, interfacial mechanics of multiphysics systems and simulation at the interface of engineering and medicine. Prof. Gomez’s research has been recognized with multiple awards including the Juan C. Simo Award from the Spanish Society of Computational Mechanics, the MIT Innovators Under 35 (Spain section), the Young Investigator Award from the Royal Academy of Engineering of Spain, the Gallagher Young Investigator Award and the Princess of Girona Scientific Research Award (the award is presented by the King of Spain to the best young researcher in all fields of science, engineering and humanities). Prof. Gomez has published over 80 journal papers and made over 130 contributions to conferences.