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Pluchino, A.

Publications and source records attributed to Pluchino, A..

2 recordsLinked to original sources

Unraveling Evolutionary Dynamics: Insights from In Silico Experiments on Selective Mechanisms in Controlled Environments

In this paper, we present a series of in silico experiments aimed at probing the evolutionary properties of our model. Our investigation encompasses multiple methodologies, beginning with the standard model used in population genetics for measuring natural selection. Next, we employ the Price equation, a well-established formalism known for its effectiveness in tracking how the relationship between parents and offspring evolves over time. In conclusion, we delve into the model results to explain, in the light of evolutionary theory, how the selective mechanism operates. Furthermore, the speculation about the mechanism will be hindered on the agents of the selective process. Even though natural selection can be considered as a statistical phenomenon, sprouting from the change in population frequencies, we argue that in models where there is a elevate control on the environment, it is possible to define the single element responsible for the selective pressure on the units of selection.

evolutionary biology↗

Colorectal cancer as a Model for Biological Evolution

Complexity in cancer research has led to the creation of powerful analytical tools for helping experimental in vivo and in vitro methods. These tools range from systems of differential equations resolved in computer simulations, to lattice models and agent-based models (ABMs). These analytical methods are focused on studying cell behavior and dynamic cell populations. Among these, those that are increasingly used are ABMs because they can incorporate multi-scale features ranging from the individual up to the population level, mixing rules based on mathematical and conceptual parameters, and combining statistical/population assumptions with individual heterogeneity. In this work, we present an ABM that simulates tumor progression in a colonic crypt, with the aim of providing an experimental in silico environment for testing results achieved in traditional lab research, and developing alternative scenarios of tumor development. As the first part of an ongoing project, the long-term goal is to reproduce and study, the general evolutionary mechanisms of a biological system.

cancer biology↗