Killer Cell Dynamics: Mathematical and Computational Approaches to Immunology (Interdisciplinary Applied Mathematics, 32) - Hardcover

Wodarz, Dominik

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0387308938 ISBN 13: 9780387308937

Publisher: Springer, 2006

Synopsis

This book reviews how mathematical and computational approaches can be useful to help us understand how killer T-cell responses work to fight viral infections. It also demonstrates, in a writing style that exemplifies the point, that such mathematical and computational approaches are most valuable when coupled with experimental work through interdisciplinary collaborations. Designed to be useful to immunoligists and viroligists without extensive computational background, the book covers a broad variety of topics, including both basic immunological questions and the application of these insights to the understanding and treatment of pathogenic human diseases.

About this title

From the Back Cover

This book reviews how mathematics can be used in combination with biological data in order to improve understanding of how the immune system works. This is illustrated largely in the context of viral infections. Mathematical models allow scientists to capture complex biological interactions in a clear mathematical language and to follow them to their precise logical conclusions. This can give rise to counter-intuitive insights which would not be attained by experiments alone, and can be used for the design of further experiments in order to address the mathematical results.

This book provides both an introduction to the field of mathematical immunology, and an overview of many topics which are the subject of current research, covering a broad variety of immunological topics. It starts with basic principles of immunology and covers the dynamical interactions between the immune system and specific viral infections, including important human pathogens such as HIV. General biological and mathematical background material to both virus infection and immune system dynamics is provided, and each chapter begins with a simple introduction to the biological questions examined.

This book is intended for an interdisciplinary audience. It explains the concept of mathematical modeling in immunology and shows how modeling has been used to address specific questions. It is intended both for the mathematical biologists who are interested in immunology, and for the biological readership that is interested in the use of mathematical models in immunology. Dominik Wodarz is an Associate Professor at the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of California, Irvine.

Review

From the reviews:

"This book concentrates on a particular branch of the immune system: killer T cells ... . the book provides an introduction to the field of mathematical immunology and an overview together a broad variety of immunological topics. ... intended for an interdisciplinary audience, and it is written in a way such that experimental immunologists and virologists should be able to understand the arguments and to see the biological implications of the theory. An interesting text which might be a good complement to this book ... ." (Eva Sanchez, Zentralblatt MATH, Vol. 1125 (2), 2008)

Edition details

• Publisher: Springer
• Publication date: 2006
• ISBN 10: 0387308938
• ISBN 13: 9780387308937
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 233