C. Jessica E. Metcalf, “Evolving immunity: responding, learning, forgetting “

Abstract: 
The adaptive immune system must meet the challenge of a constantly changing pool of both dangerous and friendly microbes. Evolution has favored a system that can learn what responses work, and forget responses that are unlikely to be needed again, and can seem both remarkably intelligent and remarkably stupid. I will introduce the concepts evolutionary biologists might use to frame thinking about the evolution of immunity, considering the pace of change in the environment, and patterns of exposure over age