Thomas Deisboeck, M.D.

Professional Information

Experience: 

Associate Professor in Radiology, Harvard Medical School
Assistant in Neuroscience, Massachusetts General Hospital

Education: 

M.D. Medicine, Technical University of Munich - Germany, 1996

Position: 
Martinos Faculty

Contact

Mailing Address

149 Thirteenth Street, Rm 2299
Charlestown, MA 02129 USA

General Contact Information

Phone: 
617-724-1845
Location: 
MIT, 16-352

Biosketch

Work in our laboratory is focused on the development of novel experimental and computational modeling and simulation platforms studying highly malignant tumors as complex dynamic self-organizing and adaptive biosystems. We argue that macroscopic tumor growth patterns are determined by microscopic cell-cell interaction rules which in turn are governed by molecular dynamics on the gene and protein level. We use methods from various disciplines such as cancer research, bioengineering, materials science and statistical mechanics, mathematical biology, nonlinear physics as well as computational and complex systems science. This interdisciplinary work relies on multiple national and international collaborations. The aim of this effort is to develop a set of interactive experimental tumor models and computational algorithms, which allow us to simulate and, eventually, to predict tumor growth behaviour over several orders of magnitude. Through this research we hope to improve both, our understanding of tumorigenesis in particular and complex biosystems modeling in general. The ultimate goal is to develop innovative anti-cancer treatment strategies.