Biology subjects

Camacho-Gomez, D.

Publications and source records attributed to Camacho-Gomez, D..

2 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2025

Discrete viscoelastic model of deformable immune cell migration through confined tumor microchannels

Understanding the mechanical behavior of immune cells as they migrate through the complex environment of solid tumors may be crucial for improving immunotherapy strategies. In this work, we present a particle-based model that captures the large deformations of single immune cells migrating through confined microchannels, which mimic the narrow tumor micropores. In our model, the nucleus, cytoplasm, and membrane are simulated through discrete particles with varying interacting forces that account for the differences in the mechanical properties of the discrete parts of the cell. We compare and validate the model with experimental measurements from microfluidic devices, providing relevant mechanistic conclusions into the effects of changes in cellular stiffness on migration efficiency.

bioengineering↗

bioRxiv2025

Leveraging agent-based models and deep reinforcement learning to predict taxis in cell migration: Insights from barotaxis

We present a novel computational framework that combines Agent-Based Modeling (ABM) with Reinforcement Learning (RL) using the Double Deep Q-Network (DDQN) algorithm to determine cellular behavior in response to environmental signals. We showcase its potential by modeling how pressure gradients direct cell migration in confined environments, a phenomenon known as barotaxis. By integrating RL, the model allows cells to learn and adapt their migration behavior based on sensed pressure gradients, capturing the dynamic, environment-dependent nature of cell behavior. We validate the framework using real microfluidic devices and experimental data, demonstrating the models ability to predict barotactic migration. Thus, this approach introduces a novel direction for modeling how cells sense and transduce environmental cues into biological behaviors.

bioengineering↗