Leah Edelstein-Keshet, University of British Columbia

Research

cell motility cell polarity cell shape computations multi scale modeling reaction-diffusion equations Rho GTPases single and collective cell behaviour Spatio-temporal signaling

Latest papers

Investigating local negative feedback of Rac activity by mathematical models and cell-motility simulations.
iScience · 2026 · senior author
Modeling and Simulating Single and Collective Cell Motility.
Cold Spring Harbor perspectives in biology · 2025 · senior author
A Mechanical Model for the Failure of Reconstructive Breast Implant Surgery Due to Capsular Contracture.
Bulletin of mathematical biology · 2025

All 54 publications

Latest funding

Models and computation of intracellular signaling in single and collective cell migration
NSERC · 2020 · Principal investigator
$483,600
Computational models of eukaryotic cell polarization/motility
NSERC · 2012 · Principal investigator
$560,000
Computation and visualization in pure and applied mathematics
NSERC · 2010 · Co-investigator
$48,530

All 13 grants and awards

54 publications.

01

Investigating local negative feedback of Rac activity by mathematical models and cell-motility simulations.

Algorta J, Town JP, Weiner OD, Edelstein-Keshet L

iScience2026Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2026.114641 PMID: 41660246

02

Modeling and Simulating Single and Collective Cell Motility.

Algorta J, Fele-Paranj A, Hughes JM, Edelstein-Keshet L

Cold Spring Harbor perspectives in biology2025Senior author

DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a041796 PMID: 40234055

03

A Mechanical Model for the Failure of Reconstructive Breast Implant Surgery Due to Capsular Contracture.

Xiao Y, Edelstein-Keshet L, Goriely A, Isaac KV

Bulletin of mathematical biology2025

DOI: 10.1007/s11538-025-01473-7 PMID: 40540071

04

A dissipative mass conserved reaction-diffusion system reveals switching between coexisting polar and oscillatory cell motility states.

Hughes JM, Martinez-Torres C, Beta C, Edelstein-Keshet L, Yochelis A

Chaos (Woodbury, N.Y.)2025

DOI: 10.1063/5.0274689 PMID: 40424020

05

How Cells Stay Together: A Mechanism for Maintenance of a Robust Cluster Explored by Local and Non-local Continuum Models.

Buttenschön A, Sinclair S, Edelstein-Keshet L

Bulletin of mathematical biology2024Senior author

DOI: 10.1007/s11538-024-01355-4 PMID: 39306809

06

Modeling the Growth and Size Distribution of Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Clusters in Culture.

Yosprakob T, Shyntar A, Iworima DG, Edelstein-Keshet L

Bulletin of mathematical biology2024Senior author

DOI: 10.1007/s11538-024-01325-w PMID: 38916694

07

Implant Texture and Capsular Contracture: A Review of Cellular and Molecular Pathways.

Wells HJ, Yang JCC, Edelstein-Keshet L, Isaac KV

Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open2024

DOI: 10.1097/gox.0000000000005802 PMID: 38746946

08

Models for Implant-Induced Capsular Contracture Post Breast Cancer Surgery.

Dyck C, Isaac KV, Edelstein-Keshet L

Bulletin of mathematical biology2023Senior author

DOI: 10.1007/s11538-023-01236-2 PMID: 38091110

09

Predicting the number of lifetime divisions for hematopoietic stem cells from telomere length measurements.

Boyle C, Lansdorp PM, Edelstein-Keshet L

iScience2023Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107053 PMID: 37360685

10

From actin waves to mechanism and back: How theory aids biological understanding.

Beta C, Edelstein-Keshet L, Gov N, Yochelis A

eLife2023

DOI: 10.7554/elife.87181 PMID: 37428017

Models and computation of intracellular signaling in single and collective cell migration

Principal investigatorNSERC2020Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Edelstein-Keshet, Leah

Keywords: rho gtpases; single and collective cell behaviour; cell polarity; cell motility; spatio-temporal signaling; reaction-diffusion equations; cell shape computations; multi scale modeling

$483,600

Computational models of eukaryotic cell polarization/motility

Principal investigatorNSERC2012Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: EdelsteinKeshet, Leah

$560,000

Computation and visualization in pure and applied mathematics

Co-investigatorNSERC2010Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)

Principal investigators: Doebeli, Michael

$48,530

MPrime Network (formerly MITACS) / Réseau MPrime (autrefois MITACS)

Co-investigatorNSERC2009Networks of Centres of Excellence

Principal investigators: Gupta, Arvind

$12,553,000

Mathematical models of actin in cell motility and of swarms/schools in social aggregation

Principal investigatorNSERC2007Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: EdelsteinKeshet, Leah

$175,000

Mathematical models of actin in cell motility and of swarms/schools in social aggregation

Principal investigatorNSERC2007Discovery Grants Program - Accelerator Supplements

Principal investigators: EdelsteinKeshet, Leah

$120,000

Mathematics of Information Technology and Complex Systems/Les mathématiques des technologies de l'information et des systèmes complexes

Co-investigatorNSERC2005Networks of Centres of Excellence

Principal investigators: Gupta, Arvind

$17,419,000

Mathematical models in biology

Principal investigatorNSERC2002Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: EdelsteinKeshet, Leah

$160,000

4 CPU Pentium server and 6 Pentium III Desktop (Applied mathematics computing laboratory)

Co-investigatorNSERC2000Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)

Principal investigators: Peirce, Anthony

$78,714

Mathematical models in molecular biology and ecology

Principal investigatorNSERC1998Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: EdelsteinKeshet, Leah

$114,125

From CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC funding decisions: CIHR since 2008, NSERC since 1991 and SSHRC since 1998, including their latest published competition results.

Frequent collaborators

Mathematics
Biology

Co-authors at University of British Columbia, colored by department. Thicker lines mean more shared papers; select anyone to open their profile and their own map.

Eirikur Palsson

Biology

1 shared papers, latest 2017

Write to this professor

A short, specific email works best. This draft uses one of their recent papers; replace the parts in brackets with your own details before sending.

Applying for

Paper to mentionMention their NSERC grant from 2020

Subject: Prospective PhD student: cell motility Dear Professor Edelstein-Keshet, My name is [your name], and I am a [your current degree or role] at [your institution]. I am applying for a PhD position starting in [term and year]. I read your paper "Investigating local negative feedback of Rac activity by mathematical models and cell-motility simulations." (2026), and it connects closely to my own work on [your research topic]. [One or two sentences on what you did and what you learned.] I also saw your NSERC-funded project "Models and computation of intracellular signaling in single and collective cell migration" (2020), and I would be glad to contribute to work in that direction. Are you accepting new PhD students for [term and year]? I have attached my CV and transcripts, and I would be glad to talk at a time that suits you. Thank you for your time. Kind regards, [your name]

Leah Edelstein-Keshet

Research

Latest papers

Latest funding

Investigating local negative feedback of Rac activity by mathematical models and cell-motility simulations.

Modeling and Simulating Single and Collective Cell Motility.

A Mechanical Model for the Failure of Reconstructive Breast Implant Surgery Due to Capsular Contracture.

A dissipative mass conserved reaction-diffusion system reveals switching between coexisting polar and oscillatory cell motility states.

How Cells Stay Together: A Mechanism for Maintenance of a Robust Cluster Explored by Local and Non-local Continuum Models.

Modeling the Growth and Size Distribution of Human Pluripotent Stem Cell Clusters in Culture.

Implant Texture and Capsular Contracture: A Review of Cellular and Molecular Pathways.

Models for Implant-Induced Capsular Contracture Post Breast Cancer Surgery.

Predicting the number of lifetime divisions for hematopoietic stem cells from telomere length measurements.

From actin waves to mechanism and back: How theory aids biological understanding.

Models and computation of intracellular signaling in single and collective cell migration

Computational models of eukaryotic cell polarization/motility

Computation and visualization in pure and applied mathematics

MPrime Network (formerly MITACS) / Réseau MPrime (autrefois MITACS)

Mathematical models of actin in cell motility and of swarms/schools in social aggregation

Mathematical models of actin in cell motility and of swarms/schools in social aggregation

Mathematics of Information Technology and Complex Systems/Les mathématiques des technologies de l'information et des systèmes complexes

Mathematical models in biology

4 CPU Pentium server and 6 Pentium III Desktop (Applied mathematics computing laboratory)

Mathematical models in molecular biology and ecology

Frequent collaborators

Daniel Coombs

Eirikur Palsson