Lisette de Pillis facts for kids

Lisette G. de Pillis is an American mathematician. She works as a professor at Harvey Mudd College. She holds a special title there, the Norman F. Sprague, Jr. Professorship of Life Sciences. She has also led the college's Department of Mathematics twice. From 2009 to 2014, she directed the Harvey Mudd College Global Clinic program. She also helps lead the college's Center for Quantitative Life Sciences.

Her Education

Dr. de Pillis earned her highest degree, a Ph.D., in 1993. She received it from the University of California, Los Angeles. Her studies focused on how fluids behave, like water or air.

Her Research

Dr. de Pillis first studied how fluids move using computers. This is called computational fluid dynamics. Around the year 2000, she became very interested in cancer. She started using math to understand how the body's immune system fights cancer.

She creates special mathematical models. These models are like computer simulations. They show how normal cells, cancer cells, and immune cells interact. By adding cancer treatments to her models, she can find new ways to help patients. Her work helps doctors create better, more personalized treatments for cancer.

Her ongoing research explores new ways to treat cancer. This includes using immunotherapies, which boost the body's own defenses. She also studies how combination therapies work. These use different treatments together. Dr. de Pillis also researches how autoimmune diseases can develop. These are conditions where the body mistakenly attacks itself.

Awards and Honors

Dr. de Pillis has received many honors for her work.

• In 1999–2000, the Argonne National Laboratory named her a distinguished scholar.
• In 2016, she was chosen as a fellow of the American Mathematical Society. This is a very high honor for mathematicians.
• She was a leadership scholar in STEM in 2017. STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math.
• In 2019, she won an award for excellent teaching of mathematics. This award came from the Mathematical Association of America.
• In 2020, she was named a distinguished fellow by the Intercollegiate Biomathematics Alliance.

Textbook

Dr. de Pillis co-wrote a textbook for students. It is called Linear Algebra with Applications. This book helps people learn about a key area of mathematics.

Sample Research Papers

Dr. de Pillis has published many important research papers. These papers share her findings with other scientists. Her work helps advance our understanding of diseases and treatments.

• One paper from 2020 looked at using stem cells to carry a virus. This virus helps fight cancer.
• A 2019 paper explored a mathematical model. It showed how a special vaccine might treat Type 1 diabetes.
• In 2015, she published work on how blood clots form. This model included how a medicine called Warfarin affects clotting.
• Another paper from 2015 studied how HIV (the virus that causes AIDS) can escape the body's immune response.
• In 2014, she wrote about modeling how cancer and the immune system react to therapy.
• A 2005 paper presented a mathematical model. It showed how the immune system fights tumor growth.