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SUMMARY:Mathematical modelling of the immune response to influenza - Ada Y
 an\, University of Melbourne
DTSTART:20161012T150000Z
DTEND:20161012T160000Z
UID:TALK68164@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Prof. Julia Gog
DESCRIPTION:The immune response plays an important role in the resolution 
 of primary influenza infection and prevention of subsequent infection in a
 n individual. However\, the relative roles of each component of the immune
  response in clearing infection\, and the effects of interaction between c
 omponents\,are not well quantified.\n \nWe have constructed a model of the
  immune response to influenza based on data from viral interference experi
 ments\, where ferrets were exposed to two influenza strains within a short
  time period. The changes in viral kinetics of the second virus due to the
  first virus depend on the strains used as well as the interval between ex
 posures\, enabling inference of the timing of innate and adaptive immune r
 esponse components and the role of cross-reactivity in resolving infection
 . Our model provides a mechanistic explanation for the observed variation 
 in viruses’ abilities to protect against subsequent infection at short i
 nter-exposure intervals\, either by delaying the second infection or induc
 ing stochastic extinction of the second virus. It also explains the decrea
 se in recovery time for the second infection when the two strains elicit c
 ross-reactive cellular adaptive immune responses. To account for inter-sub
 ject as well as inter-virus variation\, the model is formulated using a hi
 erarchical framework. We will fit the model to experimental data using Mar
 kov Chain Monte Carlo methods\; quantification of the model will enable a 
 deeper understanding of the effects of potential new treatments.
LOCATION:Meeting room 5\, Centre for Mathematical Sciences
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