Duke University launches multiscale immune systems modeling center to link molecular dynamics with population-level disease outcomes

[Duke University](https://app.allsci.com/organization/ASC-OH-0000000000033-1.0-1764853177) has received a [USD 4.8 million NIAID U54 award](https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11354022) to establish a Center for Multiscale Immune Systems Modeling, reflecting sustained federal investment in computational frameworks capable of linking molecular-level immune dynamics to population-scale infectious disease outcomes. The center integrates three research projects spanning biological scales. One project applies molecular dynamics simulations to antibody-antigen interactions to understand constraints on immune repertoire evolution. A second uses agent-based models of lymphoid tissue to examine how immune cells respond to viral infection at the cellular level, informing host-pathogen dynamics in individual hosts. A third bridges individual-level host-pathogen models to stochastic epidemic models across heterogeneous populations. Target pathogens include HIV-1, SARS-CoV-2, and Epstein-Barr virus — a selection that spans chronic infection, pandemic respiratory disease, and oncogenic herpesvirus biology. A dedicated informatics core will develop shared data and model repositories, with generative deep learning integrated across projects to improve predictive accuracy. The U54 cooperative center mechanism, administered through NIAID's modeling program, is designed explicitly for outbreak responsiveness — the administrative core includes an Opportunities Fund to support rapid-response modeling proposals across NIAID-sponsored groups. This positions the center as infrastructure for the broader infectious disease modeling community, not solely a single-institution research program. Principal investigators [Roger Keith Reeves](https://app.allsci.com/researcher/ASC-PR-0000105229111-1.0-1743098515) and [Cliburn C Chan](https://app.allsci.com/researcher/ASC-PR-0000102895990-1.0-1743098515) lead the effort, which runs through May 2030. Multiscale infectious disease modeling has gained policy relevance since the COVID-19 pandemic exposed gaps between molecular virology and epidemiological forecasting. Competing centers funded under the same NIAID initiative address overlapping questions, but the Duke center's explicit integration of deep learning with mechanistic modeling across four biological scales — molecule, cell, individual, population — represents a structurally comprehensive approach within this funding cohort. *** This article was generated with AI assistance and reviewed and edited by the AllSci editorial team Explore more at AllSci News: [https://allsci.com/news/](https://allsci.com/news/) --- Spot something wrong? [Report an issue with this article](https://newsgen-prod.reframedata.com/feedback/immune-systems-modeling-duke-university-launches)