Systems Biology of Infection.
Abstract
Infectious diseases are unique in their potential for explosive global outbreaks as well as for chronic impact on their human targets. Fungal infection rates have risen dramatically over recent years and are a cause of increased morbidity and mortality, especially in patients with weakened immune systems. The excessive use of antibiotics contributes to the increased susceptibility of humans to pathogenic fungi, of which the ubiquitous fungus Aspergillus fumigatus and the opportunistic yeast Candida albicans are the most common types. Combining experimental and theoretical studies, systems biology of infection represents an interdisciplinary approach to describing and predicting in a quantitative manner the dynamic immune response to invading pathogens.