Inflammatory arthritis affects the quality of life of many sufferers of all ages. The conditions, which include rheumatoid arthritis, see the immune system cause inflammation which damages joints, making them painful and swollen.
Better understanding of the diseases could lead to better treatments, and information sharing is the aim of scientists meeting at the University of Aberdeen tomorrow (May 5).
Four internationally recognised speakers will discuss their research into the cellular and molecular mechanisms behind the inflammatory processes in arthritis at the symposium for scientists taking place at the Institute of Medical Sciences.
The event is organized by the British Society for Immunology and co-hosted by the University’s Immunology and Inflammation and Bone and Musculoskeletal Research Programmes.
University immunology researcher Professor Rob Barker, Chair in Medicine and Therapeutics, will open the event. He said: “Inflammatory arthritis can often occur for no obvious reason and can be seriously debilitating for suffers.
“However recent progress in our understanding of these diseases is already leading to better treatments for these conditions, which affects so many people in a variety of ways.
“Our seminar Limping or sprinting - progress in understanding and treating inflammatory arthritis will allow University scientists to hear about the latest research being conducted by our speakers who are highly respected in the field.”
The speakers are Professor Rikard Holmdahl from the Karolinska Institute, Sweden; Professor Hill Gaston, University of Cambridge, Professor Michael Ehrenstein, University College London and Professor Gerry Graham, University of Glasgow.