Time Delay in a Mathematical Model of Epithelial--Mesenchymal Transitions and Implications for Cancer Treatment

Speaker(s)

Magdalena Szafrańska-Łęczycka

Affiliation

Szkoła doktorska nauk ścisłych i przyrodniczych UW

Language of the talk

English

Date

April 15, 2026, 2:15 p.m.

Room

room 5070

Seminar

Seminar of Biomathematics and Game Theory Group

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In this presentation, we investigate the role of time delay in regulating epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) within the model proposed by Celià-Terrassa et al. (2018), with a particular emphasis on implications for cancer therapy. Temporal effects are shown to significantly influence the response of the system to treatment, especially in strategies targeting the TGF-beta signaling pathway. One of the most promising therapeutic approaches involves inhibition of TGF-beta signaling. Galunisertib (LY2157299), a small-molecule inhibitor of TGF-beta receptor I kinase (TGF-beta R1), blocks phosphorylation of SMAD2/3—key mediators of the canonical TGF-beta pathway. As a result, it suppresses transcriptional programs associated with EMT, including activation of ZEB 1/2, thereby limiting the acquisition of invasive, mesenchymal phenotypes. Our simulations incorporate this mechanism at the regulatory level by introducing inhibition within the ZEB pathway. The results highlight how time delay can modulate treatment outcomes, suggesting that properly timed therapeutic interventions targeting EMT may enhance treatment efficacy and limit tumor progression.

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