Doron Levy | |
---|---|
Occupation(s) | Mathematician, scientist, magician, and academic |
Academic background | |
Education | B.Sc. in Mathematics and Physics M.Sc. in Applied Mathematics Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics |
Alma mater | Tel Aviv University |
Thesis | Topics in Approximate Methods for Non-Linear Partial Differential Equations (1997) |
Doctoral advisor | Eitan Tadmor |
Academic work | |
Institutions | École normale supérieure (Paris) Paris 6 University (Sorbonne University) University of California,Berkeley Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Stanford University University of Maryland,College Park |
Doron Levy is a mathematician,scientist,magician,and academic. He is a Professor and chair at the Department of Mathematics at the University of Maryland,College Park. [1] He is also the Director of the Brin Mathematics Research Center. [2]
Levy's research encompasses the field of numerical analysis,applied nonlinear PDEs,[ clarification needed ] and biology and medical applications,particularly focusing on analyzing cancer dynamics,immunology,and cell motility. He has written more than 100 peer-reviewed articles. He is the recipient of the National Science Foundation Career Award. [3]
Levy is a Fellow of the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation [4] He is an Editorial Board Member of the Bulletin of Mathematical Biology, [5] Discrete and Continuous Dynamics Systems Series B,Le Matematiche, [6] Acta Applicandae Mathematicae , [7] Frontiers in Systems Biology,Cancer Research, [8] Applied Mathematics Modelling, [9] PLoS One , [10] and Differential Equations and Dynamical Systems. [11] He is the Editor-in-Chief at ImmunoInformatics. [1]
Levy earned his Baccalaureate degree in Mathematics and Physics in 1991 and completed a master's degree in Applied Mathematics in 1994 from Tel Aviv University. His Master's thesis was titled "From Semi-Discrete to Fully-Discrete:The Stability of Runge-Kutta Schemes by the Energy Method". [12] In 1997,he received a Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics under the guidance of Eitan Tadmor,with a thesis on "Topics in Approximate Methods for Non-Linear Partial Differential Equations." Afterward,he held several post-doctorate fellowships at Laboratoire d'Analyse Numerique (University of Paris 6),École normale supérieure (Paris),University of California,Berkeley,and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. [1]
Following his post-doctoral fellowship at Berkeley in 2000,Levy joined the Department of Mathematics at Stanford University as an assistant professor. In 2007,he was appointed as associate professor of mathematics and a member of the Center for Scientific Computation and Mathematical Modeling at the University of Maryland,College Park. In 2014,he became a Pauli Fellow at the Wolfgang Pauli Institute of the University of Vienna in Austria. [13] Since 2011,he has been a professor at the Department of Mathematics &Center for Scientific Computation and Mathematical Modeling of the University of Maryland,College Park. [14]
Levy served as a Member of the Board of Governors of the Institute for Mathematics and Its Applications (IMA) at the University of Minnesota in 2018 for one year,and a Member of the Board of Directors of the Society for Mathematical Biology from 2018 to 2022. Since 2022,he has been serving as the Founding Director of the Brin Mathematics Research Center at the University of Maryland,College Park. [2]
As of 2020,Levy has been a chair at the Department of Mathematics and the Director of the Center for Scientific Computation and Mathematical Modeling of the University of Maryland,College Park. [1]
Levy's research is focused on mathematical equations and biomedical applications of mathematics with a particular interest in cancer dynamics,drug resistance,drug delivery,immunology,imaging,and cell motility.
During his early research career,Levy worked on developing and analyzing high-order numerical methods for approximating solutions to hyperbolic conservation law and related equations. He developed novel methods for approximating solutions to nonlinear partial differential equations including Euler equations,Navier-Stokes equations,Hamilton-Jacobi equations,nonlinear dispersive equations. Some of the approximation methods he developed used Weighted Essentially Non-Oscillatory (WENO) schemes. [15] He developed a third-order central scheme for approximating solutions of multidimensional hyperbolic conservation laws [16] and 2D conservation laws using compact central WENO reconstructions. [17] In a series of works with Steve Bryson,he proposed new high-order central schemes [18] for approximating solutions of multidimensional Hamilton-Jacobi equations. [19] [20]
Levy contributed to cancer dynamics by formulating a set of computational and mathematical tools designed for specific types of cancer. [21] He discussed the need for mathematical models to understand the complexity of breast and ovarian cancers [22] and proposed a model to explain the failure of transvaginal ultrasound-based screening in detecting low-volume high-grade serous ovarian cancer. [23] In a collaborative study,he investigated the effects of regulatory T cell switching the immune response and identified a biologically testable range for the switching parameter. [24] Furthermore,he presented mathematical models for studying cancer cell growth dynamics [25] in response to antimitotic drug treatment in vitro, [26] to understand the immunogenic effects of LSD1 inhibition on tumor growth and T cell dynamics, [27] and for the interaction between immune response and cancer cells in chronic myelogenous leukemia and analyzes the stability of steady states. [28]
Levy analyzed cancer's immune response mechanisms,particularly in chronic myeloid leukemia,providing insights into the role of the immune response and drug therapy in controlling the disease. [29] He also demonstrated that the autologous immune system may play a role in the BCR-ABL transcript variations observed in chronic phase chronic myelogenous leukemia patients on imatinib therapy. [30] Considering the problem of drug resistance in cancer [31] he suggested a simple compartmental system of ordinary differential equations to model it [32] and stated that drug resistance depends on the turnover rate of cancer cells. [33] Additionally,he extended a model of drug resistance in solid tumors to explore the dynamics of resistance levels and the emergence of heterogeneous tumors in response to chemotherapy. [34] [35] Conducting a study on cervical cancer,he investigated the efficacy of combination immunotherapy using engineered T cells and IL-2. [36] Moreover,he assessed the influence of cell density, [37] intratumoral heterogeneity, [38] and mutations in multidrug resistance, [39] considering the continuum model as the most suitable approach for modeling resistance heterogeneity in metastasis. [40] [41] In collaboration with Heyrim Cho,he also investigated the impact of competition between cancer cells and healthy cells on optimal drug delivery and indicated that in scenarios with moderate competition,combination therapies are more effective,whereas in highly competitive situations,targeted drugs prove to be more effective. [42]
Levy is a magician member of the Academy of Magical Arts in Hollywood (Magic Castle) [43] and a member of the Order of Merlin of the International Brotherhood of Magicians (I.B.M.). [44] Throughout his academic career,he has highlighted the connection between performing arts and the academic world.
Leukemia is a group of blood cancers that usually begin in the bone marrow and result in high numbers of abnormal blood cells. These blood cells are not fully developed and are called blasts or leukemia cells. Symptoms may include bleeding and bruising,bone pain,fatigue,fever,and an increased risk of infections. These symptoms occur due to a lack of normal blood cells. Diagnosis is typically made by blood tests or bone marrow biopsy.
The Philadelphia chromosome or Philadelphia translocation (Ph) is a specific genetic abnormality in chromosome 22 of leukemia cancer cells. This chromosome is defective and unusually short because of reciprocal translocation,t(9;22)(q34;q11),of genetic material between chromosome 9 and chromosome 22,and contains a fusion gene called BCR-ABL1. This gene is the ABL1 gene of chromosome 9 juxtaposed onto the breakpoint cluster region BCR gene of chromosome 22,coding for a hybrid protein:a tyrosine kinase signaling protein that is "always on",causing the cell to divide uncontrollably by interrupting the stability of the genome and impairing various signaling pathways governing the cell cycle.
Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML),also known as chronic myeloid leukemia,is a cancer of the white blood cells. It is a form of leukemia characterized by the increased and unregulated growth of myeloid cells in the bone marrow and the accumulation of these cells in the blood. CML is a clonal bone marrow stem cell disorder in which a proliferation of mature granulocytes and their precursors is found;characteristic increase in basophils is clinically relevant. It is a type of myeloproliferative neoplasm associated with a characteristic chromosomal translocation called the Philadelphia chromosome.
Imatinib,sold under the brand names Gleevec and Glivec (both marketed worldwide by Novartis) among others,is an oral targeted therapy medication used to treat cancer. Imatinib is a small molecule inhibitor targeting multiple tyrosine kinases such as CSF1R,ABL,c-KIT,FLT3,and PDGFR-β. Specifically,it is used for chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) and acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) that are Philadelphia chromosome–positive (Ph+),certain types of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST),hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES),chronic eosinophilic leukemia (CEL),systemic mastocytosis,and myelodysplastic syndrome.
Daunorubicin,also known as daunomycin,is a chemotherapy medication used to treat cancer. Specifically it is used for acute myeloid leukemia (AML),acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL),chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML),and Kaposi's sarcoma. It is administered by injection into a vein. A liposomal formulation known as liposomal daunorubicin also exists.
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are cancer cells that possess characteristics associated with normal stem cells,specifically the ability to give rise to all cell types found in a particular cancer sample. CSCs are therefore tumorigenic (tumor-forming),perhaps in contrast to other non-tumorigenic cancer cells. CSCs may generate tumors through the stem cell processes of self-renewal and differentiation into multiple cell types. Such cells are hypothesized to persist in tumors as a distinct population and cause relapse and metastasis by giving rise to new tumors. Therefore,development of specific therapies targeted at CSCs holds hope for improvement of survival and quality of life of cancer patients,especially for patients with metastatic disease.
Targeted therapy or molecularly targeted therapy is one of the major modalities of medical treatment (pharmacotherapy) for cancer,others being hormonal therapy and cytotoxic chemotherapy. As a form of molecular medicine,targeted therapy blocks the growth of cancer cells by interfering with specific targeted molecules needed for carcinogenesis and tumor growth,rather than by simply interfering with all rapidly dividing cells. Because most agents for targeted therapy are biopharmaceuticals,the term biologic therapy is sometimes synonymous with targeted therapy when used in the context of cancer therapy. However,the modalities can be combined;antibody-drug conjugates combine biologic and cytotoxic mechanisms into one targeted therapy.
K562 cells were the first human immortalised myelogenous leukemia cell line to be established. K562 cells are of the erythroleukemia type,and the cell line is derived from a 53-year-old female chronic myelogenous leukemia patient in blast crisis. The cells are non-adherent and rounded,are positive for the bcr:abl fusion gene,and bear some proteomic resemblance to both undifferentiated granulocytes and erythrocytes.
Systems immunology is a research field under systems biology that uses mathematical approaches and computational methods to examine the interactions within cellular and molecular networks of the immune system. The immune system has been thoroughly analyzed as regards to its components and function by using a "reductionist" approach,but its overall function can't be easily predicted by studying the characteristics of its isolated components because they strongly rely on the interactions among these numerous constituents. It focuses on in silico experiments rather than in vivo.
Raúl Rabadán is a Spanish-American theoretical physicist and computational biologist. He is currently the Gerald and Janet Carrus Professor in the Department of Systems Biology,Biomedical Informatics and Surgery at Columbia University. He is the director of the Program for Mathematical Genomics at Columbia University and director of the Center for Topology of Cancer Evolution and Heterogeneity. At Columbia,he has put together a highly interdisciplinary lab with researchers from the fields of mathematics,physics,computer science,engineering,and medicine,with the common goal of solving pressing biomedical problems through quantitative computational models. Rabadan's current interest focuses on uncovering patterns of evolution in biological systems—in particular,viruses and cancer.
Acute myeloblastic leukemia with maturation (M2) is a subtype of acute myeloid leukemia (AML).
Tyrosine-protein kinase receptor UFO is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the AXL gene. The gene was initially designated as UFO,in allusion to the unidentified function of this protein. However,in the years since its discovery,research into AXL's expression profile and mechanism has made it an increasingly attractive target,especially for cancer therapeutics. In recent years,AXL has emerged as a key facilitator of immune escape and drug-resistance by cancer cells,leading to aggressive and metastatic cancers.
Bosutinib,sold under the brand name Bosulif,is a small molecule BCR-ABL and src tyrosine kinase inhibitor used for the treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia.
Somatic evolution is the accumulation of mutations and epimutations in somatic cells during a lifetime,and the effects of those mutations and epimutations on the fitness of those cells. This evolutionary process has first been shown by the studies of Bert Vogelstein in colon cancer. Somatic evolution is important in the process of aging as well as the development of some diseases,including cancer.
Cancer cells are cells that divide continually,forming solid tumors or flooding the blood or lymph with abnormal cells. Cell division is a normal process used by the body for growth and repair. A parent cell divides to form two daughter cells,and these daughter cells are used to build new tissue or to replace cells that have died because of aging or damage. Healthy cells stop dividing when there is no longer a need for more daughter cells,but cancer cells continue to produce copies. They are also able to spread from one part of the body to another in a process known as metastasis.
Ponatinib,sold under the brand name Iclusig,is a medication used for the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia and Philadelphia chromosome–positive (Ph+) acute lymphoblastic leukemia. It was developed by Ariad Pharmaceuticals. It is a multi-targeted tyrosine-kinase inhibitor. Some forms of chronic myeloid leukemia,those that have the T315I mutation,are resistant to current therapies such as imatinib. Ponatinib has been designed to be effective against these types of tumors.
Antineoplastic resistance,often used interchangeably with chemotherapy resistance,is the resistance of neoplastic (cancerous) cells,or the ability of cancer cells to survive and grow despite anti-cancer therapies. In some cases,cancers can evolve resistance to multiple drugs,called multiple drug resistance.
Tumour heterogeneity describes the observation that different tumour cells can show distinct morphological and phenotypic profiles,including cellular morphology,gene expression,metabolism,motility,proliferation,and metastatic potential. This phenomenon occurs both between tumours and within tumours. A minimal level of intra-tumour heterogeneity is a simple consequence of the imperfection of DNA replication:whenever a cell divides,a few mutations are acquired—leading to a diverse population of cancer cells. The heterogeneity of cancer cells introduces significant challenges in designing effective treatment strategies. However,research into understanding and characterizing heterogeneity can allow for a better understanding of the causes and progression of disease. In turn,this has the potential to guide the creation of more refined treatment strategies that incorporate knowledge of heterogeneity to yield higher efficacy.
Patient derived xenografts (PDX) are models of cancer where the tissue or cells from a patient's tumor are implanted into an immunodeficient or humanized mouse. It is a form of xenotransplantation. PDX models are used to create an environment that allows for the continued growth of cancer after its removal from a patient. In this way,tumor growth can be monitored in the laboratory,including in response to potential therapeutic options. Cohorts of PDX models can be used to determine the therapeutic efficiency of a therapy against particular types of cancer,or a PDX model from a specific patient can be tested against a range of therapies in a 'personalized oncology' approach.
Franziska Michor is an Austrian computational biologist. She is a professor in the department of data science at the Dana–Farber Cancer Institute. She serves as Director of the Physical Sciences-Oncology Center and the Center for Cancer Evolution.