Professor Receives Grant to Study Virus and Immune Response Networks

Professor Cameron Browne of our department was recently awarded a three year NSF grant with total funding of $219,641. The grant title is Dynamics and Evolution of Virus and Immune Response Networks. The brief description below is extracted from the grant abstract. For more details please visit the award page at this link.

This research develops new mathematical and computational methods to understand the competition between evolving viruses (like HIV) and the immune system, which seeks to eradicate them. The dynamics of virus and immune response within an infected host can be viewed as a complex ecosystem. During HIV infection, an extensive repertoire of immune cells target the virus, while HIV can rapidly evolve resistance to multiple immune responses. The ensuing battle precipitates a dynamic network of interacting viral strains and immune response variants. Understanding the main factors shaping viral resistance pathways and immune dynamics is crucial for designing effective vaccines and immunotherapies. Mathematical modeling can help elucidate patterns of viral escape from immune attack, however overall system complexity challenges the analysis of such models.