Mathematical modelling of cancer growth

Abstract

In this thesis we use optimal parameter selection techniques to optimise parameters for mathematical models describing both non-cancerous and cancerous growths. We use computational methods to implement the optimal parameter selection models and discuss our results. We develop a novel model to describe melanoma growth using a set of ordinary differential equations. We incorporate into our model the mutated Braf protein which to our knowledge has not been included in a modelling sense until now.