DRIVING RESEARCH PODCAST: HOW MATH IS SPEEDING UP CANCER TREATMENT
- Margarita Kilpatrick
- Nov 13
- 1 min read
You don’t usually associate spreadsheets with survival rates. But that’s exactly the connection Dr. Paul Macklin is exploring in our latest Driving Research episode.
Paul is a math modeler. And he’s applying that skill to something personal and critical: accelerating cancer research.
He and his team at Indiana University are developing virtual cell labs: open-source tools that let researchers simulate cancer treatments, test different responses, and quickly see what works (or doesn’t). Think of it like a wind tunnel... but for cancer therapies.
In Episode 3 of Driving Research, Paul and I talk about:
How math can predict and shape cancer progression
Why simulations can make experiments smarter and faster
And how cross-discipline partnerships like ours (a race car driver and a scientist!) lead to better science — and better outcomes
If we want faster cures, we need faster ways to test ideas. That’s what this episode is really about.
▶️ Watch it on YouTube
🔊 Listen on Buzzsprout
A huge thank you to Paul for joining the show and sharing his work. If you’re someone who believes data + drive can change the world, this one’s for you.



