This book develops methods using mathematical kinetic theory to describe the evolution of several socio-biological systems. Specifically, the authors deal with modeling and simulations of biological systems constituted by large populations of interacting cells, whose dynamics follow the rules of mechanics as well as their own ability to organize movement and biological functions. It proposes a new biological model focused on the analysis of competition between cells of an aggressive host and cells of the immune system. Modeling in kinetic theory may represent a way to understand phenomena of non equilibrium statistical mechanics that is not described by the traditional macroscopic approach. The authors of this work focus on models that refer to the Boltzmann equation (generalized Boltzmann models) with the dynamics of populations of several interacting individuals (kinetic population models). The book follows the classical research line applied to modeling real systems, linking the phenomenological observation of systems to modeling and simulations. used to identify the prediction ability of specific models. The book will be a valuable resource for applied mathematicians as well as researchers in the field of biological sciences. It may also be used for advanced graduate courses in biological systems modeling with applications to collective social behavior, immunology, and epidemiology.

This monograph aims to lay the groundwork for the design of a unified mathematical approach to the modeling and analysis of large, complex systems composed of interacting living things. Drawing on twenty years of research in various scientific fields, it explores how mathematical kinetic theory and evolutionary game theory can be used to understand the complex interplay between mathematical sciences and the dynamics of living systems. The authors hope this will contribute to the development of new tools and strategies, if not a new mathematical theory. The first chapter discusses the main features of living systems and outlines a strategy for their modeling. The following chapters then explore some of the methods needed to potentially achieve this in practice. Chapter Two provides a brief introduction to the mathematical kinetic theory of classical particles, with special emphasis on the Boltzmann equation; the Enskog equation, mean field models, and Monte Carlo methods are also briefly covered. Chapter Three uses concepts from evolutionary game theory to derive mathematical structures that are able to capture the complexity features of interactions within living systems. The book then shifts to exploring the relevant applications of these methods that can potentially be used to derive specific, usable models. The modeling of social systems in various contexts is the subject of Chapter Five, and an overview of modeling crowd dynamics is given in Chapter Six, demonstrating how this approach can be used to model the dynamics of multicellular systems. The final chapter considers some additional applications before presenting an overview of open problems. The authors then offer their own speculations on the conceptual paths that may lead to a mathematical theory of living systems hoping to motivate future research activity in the field. A truly unique contribution to the existing literature, A Quest Toward a Mathematical Theory of Living Systems is an important book that will no doubt have a significant influence on the future directions of the field. It will be of interest to mathematical biologists, systems biologists, biophysicists, and other researchers working on understanding the complexities of living systems.