Master Manipulators

Charles Darwin once said “survival of the fittest” – but sometimes being fit is simply not enough. Infectious agents and cancerous cells have mastered the art of deception, giving them the upper hand in a constant war for survival. Many people have failed to confront the disease head-on. However, in the face of overwhelming odds, experts managed to devise their own tactics to regain dominance on the battlefield. In the 2024 Infection & Immunity symposium, we will dive into this dance of deceit, exploring how diseases escape our immune system, and how scientists develop new defenses to protect the host. Perhaps at the end of the day, survival favors those willing to do whatever it takes.