The IMO is partly funded by the NCI Integrative Cancer Biology Program (ICBP) which is focussed on the analysis of cancer as a complex biological system. With the cornerstones of integration and computation, the program brings together a multidisciplinary community of researchers to work on key questions in cancer biology.
In keeping with both the spirit and vision of the ICBP program the main goal of the IMO is the integration of theoretical and computational modeling tools into clinical and experimental cancer research to aid in both the core understanding of cancer processes and the mechanisms that drive them. By using a range of mathematical modeling approaches targeted at specific types of cancer we will aid in the development and testing of treatment strategies. This multi-model, multi-scale approach allows for a diverse and rich interdisciplinary environment that will create many novel approaches for the treatment and understanding cancer. Crucial to our success is the true integration of theoretical models with real cancers and treatments, which requires sophisticated imaging techniques and potentially new experimental and clinical protocols. To this end the IMO is an interdisciplinary team of scientists incorporating experts in the field of experimental biology, mathematics, computer science, imaging, clinical science and visualization to name but a few.