How the simulator is built, what it simplifies, and where to deepen your knowledge.
Educational disclaimer
This platform is for educational purposes only. It is not intended for diagnosis, treatment, clinical decision-making, patient monitoring or prediction of real patient outcomes. All simulations are simplified models for learning immunology.
ImmuneGuard is a simplified educational agent-based model designed to teach the relationships between immune cells, pathogens, antibodies, cytokines, tissue damage and immune memory. Each agent (macrophage, neutrophil, virus, etc.) represents a cell class and follows biological rules inspired by the immunology literature.
The goal is for the student to see, in real time, how different defenses interact — and what happens when one of them fails. It is not a predictive model and should not be used for clinical inference.
Pathogen load, antibody, cytokine and tissue damage values are relative and do not correspond to real laboratory values.
Biological time is accelerated for teaching purposes. Primary adaptive responses generally develop over several days; in the simulator, this dynamic is compressed into seconds.
The number of immune cells shown is symbolic. In reality, billions of cells interact simultaneously.
Genetic variability between individuals is not modeled. Real immune responses vary widely between people.
Cell subtype differentiation (e.g. Th1, Th2, Th17, Treg) is simplified to the main functions (CD4+, CD8+).
The complement system, interferons and other signaling molecules are implicit in the model, but not individually visualized.
Cellular and Molecular Immunology · 2025
Abbas, A.K., Lichtman, A.H., Pillai, S., Henrickson, S.E. · Elsevier · 11th ed.
Classic reference in cellular and molecular immunology, widely used in undergraduate and graduate courses. Updated edition published in 2025.
Explaining How Vaccines Work · 2024
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) · cdc.gov
Current CDC educational guide on how vaccines engage natural defenses and generate immune protection.
Open sourceVaccines and immunization · 2024
World Health Organization (WHO) · who.int
WHO educational resources on vaccines, immune response and immunization. Includes guides for professionals and students.
Open sourceJaneway's Immunobiology · 2022
Murphy, K., Weaver, C., Berg, L. · W.W. Norton · 10th ed.
Foundational text for understanding innate and adaptive immunity, antigen presentation and immune memory. Tenth edition.
The cytokine storm in COVID-19: an overview of the involvement of the chemokine/chemokine-receptor system · 2020
Ragab, D. et al. · Cytokine · Vol. 133:155170
Review on the cytokine storm — inflammatory hyperactivation that can cause severe tissue damage. Relevant to the hyperinflammation outcome in the simulator.
Immunological memory · 2004
Crotty, S., Ahmed, R. · Seminars in Immunology · Vol. 16(3):197-205
Seminal review on the formation and maintenance of immunological memory in T and B lymphocytes. Foundation for the concept of accelerated secondary response.
Note: the references above are widely recognized works in the field of immunology. External links are provided for public resources and do not imply endorsement or affiliation.