Leiden researchers are using advanced computer models to better understand how melanoma cells spread through the body
Why does skin cancer spread more rapidly in some patients than in others? This question is at the heart of a new European research project involving researchers from Leiden University. Using advanced computational models, the team aims to gain a better understanding of the factors that influence the spread of melanoma, one of the most aggressive forms of skin cancer.
The four-year project, funded through Horizon Europe Mission Cancer, brings together scientists from across Europe. Leiden University's contribution is led by Professor of Mathematical Biology Roeland Merks, whose research focuses on using computational models to reveal and analyse complex biological processes.
Looking beyond the cancer cell
Rather than focusing solely on cancer cells, the researchers are examining the environment that surrounds them. This environment, known as the extracellular matrix, consists of a network of fibres and proteins that support cells and influences their behaviour. Changes in this structure may affect how easily cancer cells can move through tissue and eventually spread to other parts of the body.
By combining laboratory data with sophisticated computer simulations, the researchers can investigate biological processes that are difficult to observe directly. The models act as a virtual laboratory, helping scientists uncover the conditions that may either encourage or restrict the spread of cancer cells.