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In silico models for cellular and molecular immunology: successes, promises and challenges

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Although most immunologists do not routinely combine experiments with theoretical and mathematical modeling, new insights can be gained from this interdisciplinary approach. But what makes a good theoretical model?

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Figure 1: Hierarchical models for studying the immune system.

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Acknowledgements

We thank T.A. Springer and D. Leja for images in Figure 1, and M.M. Davis, S.Y. Qi, A.R. Dinner, R.N. Germain, S. Raychaudhuri, Y. Hori, J.T. Groves and S.J. Lee for discussions on the involvement of modeling in cellular immunology. Supported by the National Institutes of Health.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, 94720, California, USA

    Arup K Chakraborty

  2. Physical Biosciences and Materials Sciences Divisions, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, 94720, California, USA

    Arup K Chakraborty

  3. Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine and Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, 10016, New York, USA

    Michael L Dustin

  4. Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, Box 8118, 660 South Euclid, Saint Louis, 63110, Missouri, USA

    Andrey S Shaw

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  1. Arup K Chakraborty
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  2. Michael L Dustin
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Chakraborty, A., Dustin, M. & Shaw, A. In silico models for cellular and molecular immunology: successes, promises and challenges. Nat Immunol 4, 933–936 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1038/ni1003-933

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