International Conference on Nervous System Autoimmunity
Bangalore, India | January 27-30, 2012

http://immuneglobeconference.com/



Topics:
• Genetics and innate immunity in MS and MG
• Molecular anatomy of the neuromuscular endplate in MG
• Thymus and MG
• Pathogenesis of neuromyelitis optica
• MG caused by anti-MuSK antibodies
• Autoimmune mechanisms of peripheral neuropathy
• Leukocyte trafficking in immune-mediated polyneuropathies
• Antibody mediated CNS enchepalopathies
• The CNS involvement in SLE
• Th17 cells in autoimmune inflammation in MS
• Regulatory T cell development and susceptibility to autoimmunity and MS
• Defect in immuneregulation and specific immunosuppression of the autoimmune response in MG
• Complement siRNA gene therapy and complement inhibitor therapy for MG
• Neural stem cells in brain regeneration
• Mechanisms of action of intravenous immunoglobulins in neuroimmunological conditions
• Pathogenesis and therapies of chronic autoimmune neuropathies
• Pathogenesis and therapies of stiff person syndrome
• New therapeutic targets in Guillain Barre syndrome, MS and CIDPH
• Rituximab in the therapy for MG and neuro-Sjogren’s Syndrome

FIGHT-MG is a European consortium including 12 scientific teams from 7 different countries (France, Germany, Greece, Israel, Italy, Norway, Switzerland). This project focused on Myasthenia Gravis disease aims to shed light on the course, etiological and pathological mechanisms and to develop new diagnostic and therapy tools.

Myasthenia Gravis (MG) is a heterogeneous rare autoimmune neurological disease affecting the neuromuscular junction (NMJ). The molecular events causing and maintaining MG are still unknown and current treatments do not lead to remission and entail considerable side-effects stressing the need for improved therapies.

The FIGHT-MG project aims to:

1. Determine factors associated with disease onset and/or affecting the course of the disease.
2. Identify new genetic, epigenetic and environmental risk factors and investigate immunological key molecules associated with MG onset.
3. Study the pathogenic mechanisms at the neuromuscular junction (molecular and morphological changes)
4. Establish new diagnostic and monitoring assays, by identifying pathogenic and protective factors, improving the sensitivity of current assays and discovering new biomarkers
5. Establish novel therapies by targeting several levels of the pathogenic response.

This multidisciplinary project linking basic researchers with clinical neurologists, SMEs and several European patient associations should favor a translational approach for improved MG management.

The scientific coordination is under the responsibility of S. Berrih-Aknin, DSc (Institute of Myology) and the project is managed by Inserm-Transfert.