ABSTRACT
The field of basic and clinical immunology has made rapid progress in many areas over the past year and one area of highlight is the interaction between environmental factors including human behavior and immunity. Recognition that genetic makeup, while vital, is no longer considered solely deterministic in evolution of many immune mediated immunoinflammatory diseases has opened new corridors of research and have introduced new preventive strategies. Accordingly many IMIDS, now recognized as beginning their evolution in genetically predisposed individual’s years to decades before the onset of clinical disease are now considered as targets of not only for treatment but prevention. This presentation will focus on one example of an important IMID, namely rheumatoid arthritis, and briefly review data on diet, exercise and stress as co-factors and as potential behavioral interventions for prevention. Finally it will focus on recent advances in basic immunology by discussing potential tolerogenic strategies for disease modification and prevention.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES