All in the same boat: A “situated” model of emergent immune response

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Description/Abstract

Immune systems provide a unique window on the evolution of individuality. Existing models of immune systems fail to consider them as situated within a biochemical context. We present a model that uses an NK landscape as an underlying metabolic substrate, represents organisms as having both internal and external structure, and provides a basis for studying the coevolution of pathogens and host immune responses. Early results from the model are discussed; we show that interaction between organisms drives a population to optima distinct from those found when adapting against an abiotic background.