Cancer Growth Simulated For Research

[Dubh Aingeal]

For a long time now, researchers and scientists have used computer simulations in the physical sciences: physics, chemistry, and engineering. But what about biology? An international team of U.S. and Scottish mathematicians and biologists have built a math model to predict tumor behavior. The researchers say their approach is similar to the one used by weather forecasters. So far, this approach is entirely theoretical. But the scientists see their effort as the beginning of a new era in cancer research — 'a sea change in how biology is being done,' as the lead researcher described it. Read more for additional references and illustrations about this use of computer simulation to predict a cancer evolution."

[Zenji]

So it's not bad enough that living things get cancer, they want to give it to computers too?

Ok so basically it's a program written to simulate the growth and spread of cancer. Why? Cancer is a gift from nature to get back at us for being a growth on the planet.

They plan on using this program to predict the spread of cancer and to help fight the spread? If it's a random type of thing (much like the weather), why take the chance? And how hard could it be to write this program, it is after all just a program right?

I'm not sure if I'm correlating biological research and computers being the new study model. Instead of studying live specimens they think they can study a computer simulation and learn...more?