Intersections of the Adaptive Immune Response and Statistical Physics

Explore a fascinating lecture by Professor Mehran Kardar from MIT examining the intersection between statistical physics and the adaptive immune system. Delve into how the body's defense mechanisms, particularly T cells and B cells, utilize receptor diversity to combat pathogens. Learn about critical processes like Affinity Maturation, which enables B cells to generate potent antibodies, and Thymic Selection, which prevents autoimmune responses by ensuring T cells maintain self-tolerance. Discover how statistical physics principles can model and explain these complex biological processes, with specific examples demonstrating the practical applications of this interdisciplinary approach. Part of the "New statistical physics in living matter: non equilibrium states under adaptive control" series, this hour-long presentation bridges the gap between mathematical physics and immunology, offering valuable insights into how our immune system adapts and evolves to protect against foreign microorganisms.