Louise Dyson

Individual-based modelling the migration of cranial neural crest cells during embryo development

Cell migration and differentiation during embryo development is instrumental in transforming a clump of cells into a functioning organism. One such migration is that of cranial neural crest cells (CNCCs), which give rise to bone, cartilage, nerves and connective tissue in the face. Elucidating the mechanisms underlying the migration requires close collaborations between experimentalists and mathematical modellers. I have formulated an individual-based model of this system which is then used to predict experimental outcomes, thus testing our modelling assumptions and hypotheses. This work is in close collaboration with Prof. Paul Kulesa at the Stowers Institute for Medical Research.

Stochastic modelling of cellular migration with volume exclusion

Partial differential equations (PDE) are widely used in the modelling of cellular migration, enabling the use of both analytical and numerical techniques for studying such systems. However, these equations are rarely explicitly derived from the underlying behaviours of individual cells and thus it is difficult to parameterise and peturb systems on an individual level. Moreover, in many biological systems there is not a large enough number of individuals to justify the continuum approximation. I am interested deriving PDE approximations to off-lattice individual-based models (IBMs), particularly those with volume exclusion.