Math and Eng used in Medicine

Some student researchers including two undergraduates in the Viterbi School of Engineering combine math and medicine knowledge in tracking the spread of lung cancer in the human body.

These student researchers participate in a project started four years ago by researchers aiming to use mathematical models and algorithms created by Viterbi analyze the science and medicine behind cancer cell growth.

The work team led by Viterbi Professor of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering Paul Newton, hope to build computational and mathematical models to design clinical trials and inform doctors of different kinds of treatment scenarios.

The study was published in the journal Cancer Research by researchers from The Scripps Research Institute, Scripps Clinic Medical Group, UCSD Moores Cancer Center, the Viterbi School of Engineering at USC.

This suggests interdiscipline brings great opportunities in making breakthroughs in scientific research. Oalib (http:www.oalib.com) holds the belief that easy access to scientific research materials brings great power.

The study analyzed records of 3,827 deaths of untreated cancer patients between 1914 and 1943, including 163 lung cancer patients. Google’s PageRank algorithm which predicts which websites are most likely to contain pertinent information by examining the density of links between sites and Viterbi Algorithm invented by Andrew Viterbi in 1966, which predicts the most likely path of digital wireless signals through a cellphone network, were applied in the program.