Phenotypic heterogeneity of melanoma cells contributes to drug tolerance, increased metastasis, and immune evasion in patients with progressive disease. However, the dynamics of the co-existence and interconversion among these different phenotypes remains unclear. Here, we integrate dynamical systems modeling with transcriptomic data analysis at bulk and single-cell levels to investigate...
Waddington’s epigenetic landscape (EL) famously represents development as a ball rolling down a branching surface whose valleys correspond to cell fates, while the landscape itself is shaped by pegs and ropes representing gene interactions. Despite its enduring influence, which continues today in fields such as stem cell biology, aging and single-cell omics, the conceptual meaning of this...
Low-grade gliomas (LGGs) are slow-growing, infiltrative brain tumors for which complete surgical resection is often unfeasible, necessitating the use of adjunctive therapies. In this work \cite{Vela}, we present and analyze a mathematical model for LGG growth and response to chemotherapy, validated against clinical patient data. We prove the existence and uniqueness of a global non-negative...
Phenotypic plasticity in breast cancer can be viewed as stochastic switching between stable gene-expression states associated with clinically distinct subtypes. Building on our previously published NF-κB-centered regulatory network model for breast cancer heterogeneity \cite{Lopes2025}, I will present recent results showing that, in non-conservative gene regulatory systems, in which potential...
Phenotypic plasticity,the dynamic switching of cancer cells between phenotypes, is a fundamental, yet poorly quantified, driver of metastasis, therapy resistance, and relapse. A deep understanding of this process requires the integration of experimental data with advanced mathematical frameworks to move beyond description to prediction. This symposium brings together world-leading experts at...
