Selected Topics on Mathematical Models in Immunology and Medicine

In 1988 the new IIASA project on System Immunology was inaugurated. The new activity focuses theoretical and experimental research in immunology and system mathematics to experimental planning and prediction for relevant disease applications and systematic understanding of immunology. IIASA analysis and simulation should lead to an effective plan of successive experiments to identify and to quantify particularly sensitive parameters in this most complex system of information processing, decision and control. The integration of such diverse disciplines is extremely difficult but some basis has already been established. For several years IIASA has sponsored international workshops dealing with dynamical systems and their applications to biology. These include: (1) The conference on "Dynamics of Macrosystems"; (2) The Working Conference on "Theoretical Immunology"; (3) The Workshop on "Selected Topics in Biomathematics"; The present volume contains the proceedings of the latest Workshop "Mathematical Modelling in Immunology and Medicine", Part 1 deals with the mathematical models of autoimmune, infectious diseases and AIDS. The models are studied with the intent to establish a basis for more effective treatment. In Part 2, questions of computer simulation and data analysis in cancer research are analyzed. Part 3 is devoted to the models for antibody binding, immunoassay dynamics and immunogenetic systems. The problems of system analysis and medical decision making are discussed in Part 4