How do effective antibody responses develop, and how can the spread of infectious diseases be modeled? Two recent publications involving CAIMed-Mentor and Director Prof. Dr. Michael Meyer-Hermanndemonstrate the breadth of mathematical modeling: from fundamental processes of the immune system to preparing for future outbreaks of infectious diseases.

In the journal “Immunity”, Meyer-Hermann and his team used mathematical models to a study that shows that the remodeling of the lymphatic system regulates the size of germinal centers and the quality of antibodies. The study illustrates how enlarged germinal centers can impair clonal selection and how viruses may exploit this mechanism to evade immune responses.

In „Scientific Reports“ (Nature Portfolio) , the team introduces "MEmilio“ a modular, high-performance framework for epidemiological simulations. The software enables the comparison and application of various models of infectious diseases across different spatial scales, thereby supporting more targeted forecasts and evidence-based decision-making during outbreaks.

Taken together, these publications demonstrate how mathematical and computer-based modeling can bridge the gap between basic research in immunology and practical pandemic preparedness.