Friday, March 20, 2015 (3:00 p.m. in Yost 306)

Title: Using Mathematical Modeling to Understand Kinetics of Lymphocyte Migration in the Whole Organism

Speaker: Vitaly V. Ganusov (Assistant Professor, University of Tennessee)

Abstract: The kinetics of recirculation of naive lymphocytes in the body has important implications for the speed at which local infections are detected and controlled by immune responses. While molecules involved in migration of lymphocytes to secondary lymphoid tissues such as spleen and lymph nodes have been identified, the time it takes for lymphocytes to migrate via such tissues remains only approximately known. In this talk I will demonstrate how wealth of experimental data from various immunological experiments can be used to estimate rates of lymphocyte migration via major secondary lymphoid tissues such as spleen and lymph nodes in rats and sheep. I will also illustrate difficulties associated with modeling lymphocyte migration when several alternative models can equally well describe experimental data.

Dr. Ganusov will also be speaking at the WHIG seminar at the Center for Global Health and Diseases in the Biomedical Research Building, room 433, at 9:00 a.m.  Information on this talk can be found here.