title: Computational modelling approaches to vaccinology.
abstract: Excepting the Peripheral and Central Nervous Systems, the Immune System is the most complex of somatic systems in higher animals. This complexity manifests itself at many levels from the molecular to that of the whole organism. Much insight into this confounding complexity can be gained through computational simulation. Such simulations range in application from epitope prediction through to the modelling of vaccination strategies. In this review, we evaluate selectively various key applications relevant to computational vaccinology: these include technique that operates at different scale that is, from molecular to organisms and even to population level.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze del Farmaco, University of Catania, Catania, Italy. Electronic address: francesco.pappalardo@unict.it.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pappalardo
authors.affiliation: School of Life and Health Sciences Aston University, Aston Triangle, Birmingham, UK.
authors.forename: Darren
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Flower
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze del Farmaco, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Giulia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Matematica e Informatica, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Marzio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pennisi
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Matematica e Informatica, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Santo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Motta
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000939:Epitopes / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007114:Immunization; D008954:Models, Biological; D000069452:Pathogen-Associated Molecular Pattern Molecules / Q000276:immunology; D014612:Vaccines
chemical_list: D000939:Epitopes; D000069452:Pathogen-Associated Molecular Pattern Molecules; D014612:Vaccines
keywords: Computational vaccinology; Epitopes; Immune system; Modelling; Simulations; Vaccine research