The immune system plays a central role not only in fighting infections, but also in many other diseases and medical conditions including cancer, AIDC and organ transplantation. In addition, the immune system is a key player in etiology and pathogenesis of hypersensitive illnesses, such as asthma, dermatitis and other allergies, as well as systemic and organ-specific autoimmune disorders, such as multiple sclerosis, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and diabetes.
The study of the immune system has lead to significant findings in many fields of medicine and biology and resulted in the discovery of novel and unique substances and reagents that are now widely used for diagnosis, evaluation and therapy of a variety of different diseases.
The development of prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines against many infectious agents, as well as innovative immunotherapeutic approaches for patients with cancer, allergy or immunodeficiency, has substantially decreased mortality and morbidity and improved the life style, life expectancy, and well being of the millions of patients with immune-mediated and immune-associated diseases.
Thus, the field of immune-mediated diseases (IMD) is of continuously escalating significance, as well as scientifically, economically and socially important. IMD Congresses allow scientists, clinicians, medical practitioners and specialists, students, R&D experts and patients to meet together every other year and discuss the latest therapeutic, preventive and diagnostic developments in the field.
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