A statistical mechanics perspective on immune networks
by
Elena Agliari(University of Parma)
→
Europe/Stockholm
Description
We present some recent investigations on systemic features of the immune
system, based on a statistical mechanics approach.
After a streamlined introduction on the immune system, we introduce a
spin-glass model for the interaction between T lymphocytes and B
lymphocytes; such a model is able to mimic, as emerging properties,
several collective phenomena shown by real systems (e.g. the self/non-self
distrimination, the breakdown of immunosurveillance by lymphocyte
unbalance, the capability of fighting several pathogens simultaneously).
We also show that this system can be mapped into a (multitasking)
associative neural network, where T cells directly interact with each
other and are able to orchestrate an immune response retrieving (several)
"strategies" previously learnt.
