Kelley Library

An elegant defense, the extraordinary new science of the immune system : a tale in four lives, Matt Richtel

eng

illustrations

index present

non fiction

An elegant defense

Matt Richtel

the extraordinary new science of the immune system : a tale in four lives

The immune system is our body?s essential defense network, a guardian vigilantly fighting illness, healing wounds, maintaining order and balance, and keeping us alive. Its legion of microscopic foot soldiers?from T cells to “natural killers”?patrols our body, linked by a nearly instantaneous communications grid. It has been honed by evolution over millennia to face an almost infinite array of threats. For all its astonishing complexity, however, the immune system can be easily compromised by fatigue, stress, toxins, advanced age, and poor nutrition?hallmarks of modern life?and even by excessive hygiene. Paradoxically, it is a fragile wonder weapon that can turn on our own bodies with startling results, leading today to epidemic levels of autoimmune disorders. Richtel effortlessly guides readers on a scientific detective tale winding from the Black Plague to twentieth-century breakthroughs in vaccination and antibiotics, to the cutting-edge laboratories that are revolutionizing immunology?perhaps the most extraordinary and consequential medical story of our time. The foundation that Richtel builds makes accessible revelations about cancer immunotherapy, the microbiome, and autoimmune treatments that are changing millions of lives. An Elegant Defense also captures in vivid detail how these powerful therapies, along with our behavior and environment, interact with the immune system, often for the good but always on a razor?s edge that can throw this remarkable system out of balance. Drawing on his groundbreaking reporting for the New York Times and based on extensive new interviews with dozens of world-renowned scientists, Matt Richtel has produced a landmark book, equally an investigation into the deepest riddles of survival and a profoundly human tale that is movingly brought to life through the eyes of his four main characters, each of whom illuminates an essential facet of our “elegant defense.”

The ties that bind -- Jason -- Bob -- Linda and Merredith -- The bird, dog, starfish, and magic bullet -- The festival -- Festival crashers -- The mystery organ -- The B-word -- T cells and b cells -- Vaccines -- The infinity machine -- Transplant -- The immune system's fingerprint -- Inflammation -- Fever -- Flash Gordon -- The harmonious way -- Three wise men and a monoclonal antibody -- A second immune system -- Sex machine -- GRID -- The phone call -- CD4 and CD8 -- Magic -- The prime -- Linda -- The wolf -- Invisible evidence -- Best of both worlds (sort of) -- Merredith -- Should you pick your nose? -- Microbiome -- Stress -- Sleep -- A word about cancer -- Laughter and tears -- The Lazarus mouse -- Wound healing -- Programmed death -- The breakthrough -- Jason races time -- Shepherd of death -- Trials, personal and clinical -- The other shoe -- Bob -- Linda -- Jan and Ron -- Jason down the white tunnel -- Jason rises -- Apollo 11 -- Home -- Jason's way -- The meanings of life -- The meaning of Jason