TITLE:
Agent-Based Model: A Surging Tool to Simulate Infectious Diseases in the Immune System
AUTHORS:
Zhen Z. Shi, Chih-Hang Wu, David Ben-Arieh
KEYWORDS:
Agent-Based Model; Complex Biological Processes; Progression of Infectious Disease
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Modelling and Simulation,
Vol.2 No.1,
January
24,
2014
ABSTRACT:
Agent-based models (ABMs) are capable of constructing
individual system components at different levels of representation to describe
non-linear relationships between those components. Compared to a traditional
mathematical modeling approach, agent-based models have an inherent spatial
component with which they can
easily describe local interactions and environmental heterogeneity.
Furthermore, agent-based model maps interactions among agents inherently to the
biological phenomenon by embedding the stochastic nature and dynamics transitions,
thereby demonstrating suitability for the development of complex biological
processes. Recently, an abundance of literature has presented application of
agent-based modeling in the biological system. This review focuses on application of agent-based modeling to progression in simulation of infectious disease in the
human immune system and discusses advantages and
disadvantages of agent-based modeling application. Finally, potential
implementation of agent-based modeling in relation to infectious disease
modeling in future research is explored.