Mathematical Biology Seminar Amber Smith, University of Tennessee, Wednesday, November 19, 2025 12:30 pm in LCB 222 Modeling Immune Dynamics and Variability in Influenza Infection Abstract: Outcomes of respiratory infections vary widely across individuals, with some recovering quickly and experiencing mild symptoms while others develop severe illness. Influenza is one example of this variability, showing differences in viral shedding patterns and immune responses that are not always correlated with clinical outcomes. I will introduce an integrative framework that combines experimental and human data with mechanistic mathematical models to examine how variations in host-pathogen interactions shape infection dynamics and disease progression. This approach reveals immune dynamics that are tightly regulated alongside others that remain relatively insensitive, and highlights when differing levels of basal immunity can influence disease outcomes.