Title:  Limit and potential of adaptive immunity

Abstract: The adaptive immune system is able to learn from past experiences to better fit an
unforeseen future. This is made possible by a diverse and dynamic repertoire of cells
expressing unique antigen receptors and capable of rapid Darwinian evolution within an
individual. However, naturally occurring immune responses exhibit limits in efficacy,
speed and capacity to adapt to novel challenges. In this talk, I will discuss theoretical
frameworks we developed to (1) explore functional impacts of non-equilibrium antigen
recognition, and (2) identify conditions under which natural selection acting local in time
can find adaptable solutions favorable in the long run, through exploiting environmental
variations and functional constraints.