Speaker: Bernhard Schrefler (University of Padova)

Room: SISSA - Santorio A - room 5

Abstract: 
Multiphase porous media mechanics is applied to model tumor growth. The governing equations obtained via the Thermodynamically Constrained Averaging Theory (TCAT) are solved numerically by means of the Finite Element Method. The multiphase system consists of four phases: the extracellular matrix (ECM), the tumor cells (TC), which may include a necrotic portion depending on the environmental conditions and pressure; the healthy cells (HC); and the interstitial fluid (IF) with the dissolved chemical species. The three phases, HC, TC and IF are modeled as fluids which can sustain a pressure difference at their interfaces. This requires appropriate constitutive models, which include interfacial tensions. These tensions strongly influence tumor growth both in volume and in shape. Also the interaction of the fluids with the ECM, the sole solid phase, is investigated. Several cases of biological relevance are solved.