# Indian-origin professor uses maths to design better cancer therapy 2026-08-25T17:40:02+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Professor Philip Maini, an Indian-origin mathematician at the University of Oxford, is using mathematical models to design more effective cancer treatments that could overcome drug resistance. His work focuses on adaptive therapy, which manages tumours by keeping a baseline of drug-sensitive cells alive to prevent drug-resistant cells from taking over. Maini explained that tumours are ecosystems of drug-sensitive and drug-resistant cells. Aggressive treatment can wipe out sensitive cells, allowing resistant ones to dominate and cause progression. Mathematical modelling allows researchers to test many treatment strategies at low cost, which is not possible in clinical trials. Maini directs Oxford's Wolfson Centre for Mathematical Biology. His team is developing models of angiogenesis, oxygen delivery and cell growth, which they hope will eventually predict the best chemo or radiotherapy protocol for each patient. ## Indian Opinion Analysis Maini's approach turns a core oncology problem on its head: instead of seeking total tumour elimination, adaptive therapy accepts a manageable tumour burden to preserve drug sensitivity. The concept has been tested in small clinical pilots for prostate cancer, but wide adoption is years away. Maini's models need experimental validation before they can guide real-world protocols. The next signal to watch is whether his team publishes a clinical prediction tool backed by patient data, which would move the work from theory toward bedside use. ## Coverage - rediff.com Straight news agency style reporting with no discernible slant. This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Tags: cancer research, Mathematical biology, Philip Maini, University of Oxford Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/indian-origin-professor-uses-maths-to-design-better-cancer-therapy/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/indian-origin-professor-uses-maths-to-design-better-cancer-therapy/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes. How this brief was made: an AI model read the report linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/