What is autoimmunity? What makes my immune system react against my own body? Are autoimmune diseases on the increase? Do external factors influence the development of these autoimmune diseases? These were some of the issues that were discussed at the first Science Café organized by the Catalan Society of Immunology in collaboration with Esteve Foundation.
Although its main function is to protect us from pathogens and external aggressions, sometimes our immune system attacks our bodies’ own cells, resulting in autoimmune diseases. This Café discussed what autoimmunity actually is, the causes of autoimmune diseases and the external factors (environmental, nutritional, etc.) that may play a role in their development.
This first Scientific Café on autoimmunity included the following experts:
Ricard Pujol
Professor of Immunology at the Autonomous University of Barcelona and Head of Immunology at the Hospital Vall d’Hebron
Dolores Jaraquemada
Professor of Immunology at the Autonomous University of Barcelona and president of the Spanish Association of Immunology
Pilar Lucas
President of the Catalan Lupus Association
The Science Café on Autoimmunity was held on December 1st, 2011 at 19h in the Jujol Room of La Pedrera in Barcelona (Paseo de Gracia, 92). Attendees received a copy of the book Els misteris immunitari system. Com nostre protegeix the cos (The mysteries of the immune system. How our body protects us).
