Ternopil State Medical University scientist participated in the 2017 meeting of the European Society for Immunodeficiencies
Head of TSMU Department of Children’s Diseases and Pediatric Surgery Professor Oksana Boyarchuk took part in the 2017 meeting of the European Society for Immunodeficiencies (ESID). The conference, which had the theme of Autoimmunity & Inflammation in PID; Beyond the Paradox took place on September 11-14, 2017 in Edinburgh, United Kingdom. Dr. Boyarchuk’s participation in the conference was made possible through funding from the Jeffrey Modell Foundation.
In total, over 1,600 participants from more than 50 countries attended the conference. Besides Dr. Boyarchuk, Ukrainian delegation at the forum included professor, head of P. Shupyk NMAPE Department of Children’s Infectious Diseases and Pediatric Immunology Alla Volokha; professors of Pediatric Infectious Diseases and Pediatric Immunology of P. Shupyk NMAPE Liudmyla Chernyshova and Anastasia Bondarenko; and professor of Lviv National Medical University Larysa Kostiuchenko.
Ukrainian delegation: Anastasia Bondarenko, Liudmyla Chernyshova, Larysa Kostiuchenko, Alla Volokha and Oksana Boyarchuk.
Scientists of our university presented an e-poster “Ataxia-telangiectasia and juvenile idiopathic arthritis: treatment challenges (clinical case)” (authors: Oksana Boyarchuk, Liuba Volianska, Maria Kinash, Liuba Dmytrash, and Tetiana Kovalchuk).
Conference participants shared results of recent studies in the fields of immunology, in particular immune deficiencies, and innovative approaches in experimental and clinical research. The scientific program brought together leading international experts to discuss the achievements in the field of immune deficiencies.
The first day of the forum was traditionally dedicated to an educational session with reports presented on immune dysregulation, pathophysiology and management of lymphoproliferative syndrome, neutrophil disorder and the current outlook on autoinflammatory diseases.
Following the opening ceremony Alain Fischer (France), presented keynote lecture Overview of Autoinflammatory Genes.
The rest of the forum was filled with extremely interesting lectures and presentations; often the sectional meetings halls could not accommodate all those wishing to attend.
Of particular importance for our delegation was the latest research on the management of patients with primary immunodeficiencies (PID) and their manifestations, especially autoimmune and auto-inflammatory diseases. Studies presented at the meeting outlined the possibilities of gene therapy and biological therapy in the treatment of PID.
Other issues discussed during the forum were new possibilities of using immunoglobulin preparations for intravenous or subcutaneous administration in secondary immunodeficiencies and regulatory documents needed for such treatments.
A meeting of the steering committee of the scientific and educational Central-Eastern European project on primary immunodeficiencies J-project took place during the conference. The partied agreed to create an official J-project community and set the main directions of further cooperation within the framework of the project. The aim of the project is to improve education and research in the area of congenital immunodeficiency in children.
Formal and informal meetings of international experts in the field of immunology took place during the meeting. The participants shared their experience on cutting-edge diagnostic approaches and advanced treatment technologies of congenital immune disorders. During the conference prof. Oksana Boyarchuk met with Vicki Modell, founder of the Jeffrey Modell Foundation. This foundation is one of the most recognized non-governmental organizations supporting research on primary immunodeficiencies. Last year, our researchers had been awarded a grant from Jeffrey Modell Foundation for study of PID in Ternopil Region.
Oksana Boyarchuk with Vicki Modell
Dr. Oksana Boyarchuk would like to thank Jeffrey Modell Foundation for their support of her medical work and research of PID in Ternopil region.