The expectations of the National Research Platform for Zoonoses, which together with the research association ZooMAP and the International Graduate School of Infection Research of the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, conducted the international workshop "Intestinal mucosal homeostasis and disease", were far exceeded.
Almost 140 participants from a wide range of research institutions met from 23-24 March 2011 at the Leibnizhaus in Hanover for an international exchange of experience. The workshop focused on the latest scientific findings on the mechanisms involved in chronic inflammatory bowel disease. This event again demonstrated the added value of interdisciplinary cooperation and confirmed the central motto of the National Research Platform for Zoonoses "Research in the Network - Understanding Zoonoses".
On the first day of the event, Erik-Oliver Glocker - who recently moved to the University Hospital in Freiburg - impressively demonstrated the advantages of the intensive exchange of experience between human and veterinary medicine and infection biology in the treatment of patients. By investigating interleukin10 (IL10) mutations and the IL10 receptor, it was possible to successfully treat children with severe chronic inflammatory bowel diseases in a relatively short time. On the second day of the event, the participants discussed, among other things, the role of the intestinal epithelium in host-pathogen interaction and model systems for genetic studies of intestinal homeostasis.
Seventeen international experts in the field of chronic inflammatory bowel diseases from human and veterinary medicine gave an up-to-date overview of their respective fields of research. Particularly gratifying for the National Research Platform for Zoonoses: members of various graduate schools were prominently represented at the event. Thus, the added value of interdisciplinary cooperation became apparent to the young scientists from the graduate schools at an early stage of their scientific career.
Renowned guest speakers from the USA, Canada, Sweden, France, Great Britain, Germany and Switzerland meet for an interdisciplinary exchange of experience on chronic inflammatory bowel diseases.
