I have more science!
It’s an almost universally acknowledged truth among human health researchers that immunology is complicated. Crazy complicated.
I took an introductory immunology course in undergrad, and I was absolutely AMAZED by how elegant the immune system is. It’s the epitome of a well-oiled machine. Every component exists for a reason. Everything that could go wrong is well-managed (except in disease states, obviously). It’s truly remarkable.
But it also goes without saying that translating complicated, abbreviation-dense immunology into a language even I could understand was a challenge.
I very much enjoyed the challenge, though! I was allowed to work with this article all the way from the first draft to the last copy, and I learned quite a bit from it. It was also pretty interesting!
Want to learn more about how the immune system stays vigilant against the flu while not destroying healthy lung tissue? Read the news brief here!
Calley Jones, Author 