Organizers:
Veronika I. Zarnitsyna (Emory University), Esteban Hernandez Vargas, University of Idaho
Description:
The immune response to vaccination arises from complex and dynamic interactions between host factors, antigen exposure, and the immune system. This mini-symposium brings together researchers leveraging mathematical modeling, data-driven analyses, and experimental immunology to quantify heterogeneity in vaccine responses and inform immunization strategies. Topics will include the impact of HLA diversity on CD8+ T cell responses, challenges in predicting immune protection in immunocompromised individuals, and the role of T cell cross-reactivity in shaping immune memory. Discussions will also address sex-based differences in lung immunity and how computational models can provide insights into immune function under varying physiological conditions. Additionally, we will explore parameter estimation techniques to optimize vaccine strategies and investigate nonlinear immune system dynamics, including stability and bifurcation behaviors in B cell responses. By integrating diverse approaches, this session aims to advance our understanding of immune variability across diverse populations and improve vaccine design.
Macauley Locke
Los Alamos National Laboratory"Quantification of Type I Interferon Inhibition by Viral Proteins: Ebola Virus as a Case Study"
Jane Marie Heffernan
York University"COVID-19 Vaccination in HIV+ Individuals"
Jason E. Shoemaker
University of Pittsburgh"A More Severe Influenza Infection in Female Mice Relative to Male is Characterized by Early Viral Production and Increased Innate Immune Activity"
Veronika I. Zarnitsyna
Emory University School of Medicien"Challenges in Evaluating Vaccine-Induced Protection Against Severe Disease"
