Annual Congress Vienna 2003

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Gene transfer interventions - a bridge between innate and adaptative immunity?

Assembly Symposium
Chairs: P. Hiemstra (Leiden, The Netherlands), J-M. Sallenave (Edinburgh, United Kingdom)
Aims: The traditional boundaries between innate and adaptive functions of the immune system are becoming less and less distinct, and many studies are now showing that the initiation and regulation of the adaptive response is dependent on the innate immune system. The present symposium will provide a state-of-the-art review of the link between innate and acquired immunity. In addition, gene transfer and gene therapy strategies, aimed at restoring compromised antimicrobial host responses (against intracellular and extracellular pathogens), will be presented. The future potential clinical benefit of such interventions in pneumonia, cystic fibrosis, tuberculosis and AIDS will be discussed.

Dendritic cells - a link between innate and acquired immunity L. P. Nicod (Bern, Switzerland)
Gene transfer modulation of type-1 cytokines in immunity against intracellular infections Z. Xing (Hamilton, Canada)