Keywords: optimal production level, public goods games, game theory, cancer research

“Public Goods Games on Networks and in Tumors”

Public goods games on networks allow the study of individuals’ choices in situations when production is costly, yet agents benefit from the production of players they are related to. If relations go both ways, and if each player moves towards the current optimal production level, equilibrium is reached. This holds even if one player is farsighted, but not if relations are one-sided. Public goods games also create a connection between game theory and cancer research. An example for a public good is cancer cells’ effort to suppress the patient’s immune system. This dissertation studies the theoretical implications on therapy.