# Epithelial Cell Migration: Model selectionn for mechanistic model development

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO · 2020 · $375,000

## Abstract

The collective migration of cells is a central biological process for multicellular organisms. While substantial research
has been devoted to its study, we still lack a fundamental understanding of what drives groups of cells to move
collectively in a single direction. The objective of this proposal is to advance our understanding of the causal
mechanisms which induce the collective movement of cells through advanced mathematical modeling and novel
experiments. This objective will be pursued in this context of studying the migration of keratinocytes during the
epithelialization stage of wound healing. A central premise of this research is that advances in the study this phase of
wound healing lead to a deeper understanding of the biochemical and mechanical signals that lie at the core of cellular
migration. A central obstacle inhibiting deeper study of migration lies in the fact that there are large number of viable
explanatory mechanisms. Toward this goal, we will use information-theoretic model selection criteria for dynamical
systems to choose among several candidate models to find those which best represent the migration patterns - and thus
those that best describe the underlying biology.
This project builds on a close collaboration between the labs of an applied mathematician (Bortz), a cell
biologist/biochemist (Liu), and a statistician (Dukie). It aims to transform scientific understanding of cellular migration
by discovering previously unknown biochemical and physical mechanisms. The proposed investigation is a novel blend
of advanced mathematical and statistical inquiry and experimental validation and reflects the ongoing synergistic efforts
of the three labs.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9929607
- **Project number:** 5R01GM126559-04
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO
- **Principal Investigator:** David Bortz
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $375,000
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-07-10 → 2023-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9929607

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9929607, Epithelial Cell Migration: Model selectionn for mechanistic model development (5R01GM126559-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9929607. Licensed CC0.

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