European Conference on Mathematical and Theoretical Biology (ECMTB 2026)

KIRs and T cell dynamics

MS31-09

14 Jul 2026, 15:00

20m

02.21 - HS (University of Graz)

Minisymposium Talk Immunobiology & Infection Progresses in Mathematical and Computational Immunobiology and Infections

Speaker

Becca Asquith (Imperial College London)

Description

Studying immunology in humans is extremely challenging, for obvious ethical reasons. Mathematics, combined with experiment, can provide a unique and valuable insight. We will focus on a family of immune receptors called KIRs (killer immunoglobulin like receptors). We combine analysis of genetic data from large patient cohorts with mechanistic mathematical modelling and assays of in vitro and in vivo T cell dynamics to gain insight into the relationship between iKIRs, T cell dynamics and human health. We suggest that KIRs enhance T cell survival and that this in turn impacts on clinical outcome in viral infection (HCV, HTLV-1, HIV-1) and autoimmunity (type I diabetes).