Ramon Ortiz Catalan, University of California at San Francisco.
Multiscale Monte Carlo modeling for radiation therapy applications
The response of living systems to radiation results from complex interactions among physical, chemical, and biological processes across subcellular, cellular, and tissue scales. Given this complexity, computational modeling offers a powerful approach to describe and interpret these multi-scale interactions in the context of radiation therapy. To address the wide range of spatial and temporal scales, as well as the diverse mechanisms involved, we have developed a flexible framework that integrates specialized simulation tools: TOPAS-nBio for physical, chemical, and biological processes at the nanoscale; CompuCell3D for agent-based modeling of cellular and tissue-scale dynamics; and TOPAS for patient-level treatment outcome simulations. Using this framework, we focus on the development of emerging radiation therapy techniques. For instance, we investigated how tumor growth and vascular redistribution influence the preferential effects of microbeam radiotherapy on tumors versus normal tissues, with a focus on changes in tissue oxygenation.