Modeling Clonal Evolution with Branching Processes

dc.contributor.advisorKimmel, Mareken_US
dc.contributor.committeeMemberCox, Dennisen_US
dc.contributor.committeeMemberLevine, Herberten_US
dc.creatorMcDonald, Thomas Oliveren_US
dc.date.accessioned2016-01-27T22:36:35Zen_US
dc.date.available2016-01-27T22:36:35Zen_US
dc.date.created2015-12en_US
dc.date.issued2015-09-11en_US
dc.date.submittedDecember 2015en_US
dc.date.updated2016-01-27T22:36:36Zen_US
dc.description.abstractClonal evolution in tumorigenesis assumes a tumor arises from a single ancestor cell followed by a sequence of mutations that increase fitness in clones. Waves of clonal expansions take place with each new mutation contributing to the selection of the cell. Not all mutations affect a clone's growth dynamics, and some have a neutral effect on cell growth. We create a branching process model of clonal evolution that distinguishes between selective (driver) and neutral (passenger) mutations. In this model, cells grow according to distributions unique to their set of mutations, and further mutations can arise as stochastic events during replication. The models are introduced as infinite-allele multitype branching processes, and we prove asymptotic results about the number and distribution of neutral alleles. The model can be used to determine the growth rate of a tumor and the clonal subpopulations within, and we discuss how this model may be used for estimation of growth parameters in clones. Using variant frequency data from a tumor at a single time point, estimation methods can then be used to rebuild the evolutionary history of a tumor. We discuss how the rate of growth of the number of neutral alleles can be used as a molecular clock to help us in this task.en_US
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdfen_US
dc.identifier.citationMcDonald, Thomas Oliver. "Modeling Clonal Evolution with Branching Processes." (2015) Diss., Rice University. <a href="https://hdl.handle.net/1911/88200">https://hdl.handle.net/1911/88200</a>.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1911/88200en_US
dc.language.isoengen_US
dc.rightsCopyright is held by the author, unless otherwise indicated. Permission to reuse, publish, or reproduce the work beyond the bounds of fair use or other exemptions to copyright law must be obtained from the copyright holder.en_US
dc.subjectBranching Processesen_US
dc.subjectClonal Evolutionen_US
dc.subjectInfinite-alleles modelen_US
dc.subjectstochastic processesen_US
dc.titleModeling Clonal Evolution with Branching Processesen_US
dc.typeThesisen_US
dc.type.materialTexten_US
thesis.degree.departmentStatisticsen_US
thesis.degree.disciplineEngineeringen_US
thesis.degree.grantorRice Universityen_US
thesis.degree.levelDoctoralen_US
thesis.degree.nameDoctor of Philosophyen_US
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