Group Conference
Organizers:
Uri Hershberg (Drexel University)
Gur Yaari (Bar-Ilan University)
Nir Friedman (Weizmann Institiute)
Sol Efroni (Bar-Ilan University)
Tomer Hertz (Ben Gurion University)
Immuno-biology research is at a turning point. Novel experimental methods make possible high-throughput imaging and molecular measurements at the single cell and single molecule level. Along with the great promise these technologies bring, they also call for new theoretical and computational approaches to catalyze our assimilation of this overwhelming wealth of data. The new data are revolutionizing our picture of the variability and control in biology in general and, in particular, the adaptive immune system. The adaptive immune system provides robust defense against evolving pathogenic threats. Underlying this ability is the dynamics of immune repertoires, which are a fascinating example for the symbiotic relationship between stochasticity and control in a biological system. We will discuss how the adaptive immune system is organized to take advantage of stochastic processes at the genetic, molecular, and cellular levels combined, to generate robust immune responses. This is a cross-disciplinary topic and our goal is to combine perspectives from systems biology, mathematical modeling and experimental immunology into a coherent whole. With the help of world leaders and promising young researchers in immunology we will exchange ideas about stochasticity and control in the adaptive immune system and attempt to put immunology on a new theoretical footing based on the most recent high throughput experimental results.
