William Martinson

I am interested in the development and analysis of mathematical models for collective cell migration -- the coordinated movement of multiple cells. Collective cell migration constitutes an important biological phenomenon: it plays a crucial role in successful embryonic development, for instance, as stem cells (known as the neural crest) migrate from what becomes an organism's spinal cord throughout the embryo to complete the formation of the skeletal and nervous systems. Collective cell migration also occurs during a process known as angiogenesis (the formation of new blood vessels from pre-existing ones): in this case, cells lining the walls of existing blood vessels must travel relatively far distances to a target site (such as a wound). However, the particular means by which cells coordinate their movements are not well characterised in many biological contexts. The mathematical modelling that I do can help supply new knowledge and insight into how collective cell migration is realised by evaluating different biological hypotheses in an abstract setting, exploring how certain mechanisms contribute to group behaviour, and guiding the design of new experiments in collaboration with biologists.