Leader:Dr. Saikat Basu
Project Title: Computational and theoretical fluid mechanics modeling for transport in dense tumors

Intratumoral perfusion has long been recognized as a critical issue in both clinical diagnosis and therapy of dense solid cancerous tumors. In such context, a first-principles mechanics-based model that quantifies perfusion in the intratumoral extracellular spaces as a function of the tumor vasculature shapes and the fiber packing fraction in the stroma – can launch new avenues in cancer diagnosis and care. With that vision, Dr. Basu’s project integrates computational fluid dynamics (CFD) tracking with theoretical fluid mechanics analysis to generate an in silico tumor uptake modeling framework, that can operate over a wide parametric space.

The model biophysical domains are based off medical-grade scans of human pancreatic tumors implanted in mice. The project also incorporates supplementary physical experiments in microfluidic setups and artificial tumor spheroids to benchmark and validate the in silico approach. With use of mean continuum-level transport frameworks such as Darcy's Law and Starling model still a go-to resort for basic fluids modeling of intratumoral uptake quantification, the CFD-informed advanced theoretical fluid mechanics approach to parameterize tumor perfusion based on tumor geometry and intratumoral stress constitutes this project's key contribution.

Dr. Basu’s project is supported through a subaward at South Dakota State University for $450,000 over 3 years.

Peer-reviewed journal publication on the preliminary findings can be accessed in: Akash, M.M.H., Chakraborty, N., Mohammad, J., Reindl, K. and Basu, S., 2023. Development of a multiphase perfusion model for biomimetic reduced-order dense tumors. Experimental and Computational Multiphase Flow, pp.1-11. (link)