Derivation of Continuum Models from An Agent-based Cancer Model: Optimization and Sensitivity Analysis

Authored by Dimitrios Voulgarelis, Ajoy Velayudhan, Frank Smith

Date Published: 2017

DOI: 10.2174/1389201019666180329111909

Sponsors: United Kingdom Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)

Platforms: NetLogo

Model Documentation: Other Narrative Mathematical description

Model Code URLs: Model code not found

Abstract

Background: Agent-based models provide a formidable tool for exploring complex and emergent behaviour of biological systems as well as accurate results but with the drawback of needing a lot of computational power and time for subsequent analysis. On the other hand, equation-based models can more easily be used for complex analysis in a much shorter timescale. Methods \& Objective: This paper formulates an ordinary differential equations and stochastic differential equations model to capture the behaviour of an existing agent-based model of tumour cell reprogramming and applies it to optimization of possible treatment as well as dosage sensitivity analysis. Results: For certain values of the parameter space a close match between the equation-based and agent-based models is achieved. The need for division of labour between the two approaches is explored.
Tags
Agent-Based ABM cancer Optimization Equations Ode Sde