Ireland Showcases Innovation Advances In Gastroenterology & Immunology With Symposium At Digestive Disease Week (DDW) 2009

Main Category: GastroIntestinal / Gastroenterology
Also Included In: Immune System / Vaccines;  Conferences
Article Date: 15 Apr 2009 - 1:00 PDT

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In a comprehensive demonstration of Ireland's emergence as a leading center in gastroenterology and immunology research and innovation, Enterprise Ireland, the Irish government trade agency, has gathered key Irish opinion leaders from the global medical and research communities to present a symposium on "The Host Microbe Interface - Translating Science To Real And Emerging Therapeutic Opportunities" at Digestive Disease Week 2009 in Chicago on June 2nd. This will be the first instance where a country has been permitted to present a symposium and this fact is seen as a further recognition of Ireland's contribution to the science of gastroenterology and immunology.

Digestive Disease Week is the world's largest gathering of physicians and researchers in the field of gastroenterology, hepatology, endoscopy and gastrointestinal surgery, and showcases a series of papers, symposiums and exhibits to review innovations, research and techniques. This year's Ireland-hosted symposium will feature presentations and remarks from recognized world leaders in their fields including Program Co-Chair Dr. Joseph A. Murray, M.D., Program Co-Chair Ciaran P. Kelly, M.D., M.B., Professor Luke O'Neill, Dr. Laurence Egan, M.D., Professor Dermot Kelleher, Dr. Eamonn M.M. Quigley, M.D., and Dr. Fergus Shanahan, M.D.

Opening remarks will be provided by Dr. Joseph A. Murray, M.D., Professor of Medicine, Consultant, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at the Mayo Clinic. A graduate of the National University of Ireland, Galway, Dr. Murray is a widely published specialist in the area of esophageal disease, achalasia and celiac disease.

"Ireland's ascendancy in gastroenterology and immunology is the product of world class research, comprehensive government support and innovative, progressive thinking on the part of the Irish clinician community in Ireland, here in the United States and around the world," explained Dr. Murray. "Whereas the country's historical high incidence of celiac disease may explain how the medical community initially gravitated towards gastroenterology, today the gastroenterology and immunology research and innovations reach far beyond celiac disease into IBD, IBS and a host of other conditions."

Dr. Murray will be joined by Dr. Ciaran P. Kelly, M.D., M.B., Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School. Dr. Kelly is a graduate of Trinity College Dublin, and is a fellow of the American College of Gastroenterology. He has published a comprehensive body of work in the field of gastroenterology with specific focus on the development of gastrointestinal infections and inflammatory disorders.

Dr. Eamonn M.M. Quigley, M.D. FACG, Professor of Medicine and Human Physiology, University College Cork, President, American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) and President, World Gastroenterology Organization (WGO) will deliver a presentation, Beyond IBD: Host Microbe Interface In The Slightly Inflamed Bowel Syndrome (SIBS). Dr. Quigley is also a Principal Investigator at the University's Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre and is distinguished with being the first non-US President of the ACG, which represents 10,000 physicians from 75 countries.

Dr. Laurence Egan, M.D. is a Professor of Clinical Pharmacology and Head of the Department of Pharmacology & Therapeutics of the National University of Ireland, Galway. He will be presenting on Regulation of Radiation Enteritis by Intestinal Microbes. Dr. Egan has focused his studies on molecular characterization of signaling pathways involved in intestinal epithelial cell stress, death and malignant transformation.

Professor Luke O'Neill is an Associate Professor of Biochemistry at the Department of Biochemistry, Trinity College Dublin. Professor O'Neill's presentation is titled Toll-Like Receptors And NOD-Like Receptors- Key Drivers Of Inflammation In The Gut. Professor O'Neill is most recognized for contributing his discovery of a new class of inflammatory drugs, the COX-2 selective inhibitors, to better understand the inner workings of cells of the immune system. He has lectured on biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, immunology and molecular medicine.

Professor Dermot Kelleher is head of the School of Medicine at Trinity College Dublin. Professor Kelleher focuses his research on the gastrointestinal immune system. With his studies in this field, the patented H. pylori vaccine was successfully developed and licensed to Chiron Corporation. Professor Kelleher will speak on Cell Homing And Migration Targets For Therapy.

Dr. Fergus Shanahan, M.D. is Professor and Chairman of the Medical Department at University College Cork and Director of the University's Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre. Before taking this position, Dr. Shanahan served as director of the UCLA Inflammatory Bowel Disease Research and Clinical Program. At the DDW 2009 Symposium Dr. Shanahan will deliver a paper entitled Mining Bioactive Molecules From The Microbiota.

Commenting on the symposium, Elaine Brennan, Senior Vice President Life Sciences Markets, Enterprise Ireland, noted, "Ireland's contribution to the fields of gastroenterology and immunology is remarkable. That a country of our size would make such a significant impact is a compelling affirmation of what can be achieved when world-class research is coupled with progressive, highly focused government investment and the active participation of our medical and commercialization communities. For the first time ever a country has been accepted to hold a symposium at DDW, demonstrating Ireland's niche in this area."

At DDW, Enterprise Ireland's booth will feature research and publications from the Irish gastroenterological community, showcasing a compelling series of innovations in probiotics, immunology, drug delivery, endoscopy, therapy and other areas.

Alimentary Health has successfully commercialized innovations in probiotics and has licensed its technologies to Proctor & Gamble for its Align brand probiotic supplement. Opsona Therapeutics is a leading drug development company specializing in the human immune system, specifically the role of Toll-Like Receptors (TLRs) and Inflammasome signalling in human immunology.

AGI Therapeutics plc (AGI) is focused on the development of differentiated drug products for gastrointestinal diseases and is near completion of testing Rezular™, an orally-administered multiple mechanism intestinal regulator, a first-in-class mechanism for the treatment of diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D). Sigmoid Pharma develops a portfolio of drug delivery products for use in the treatment of gastrointestinal disease, transplantation and neuro-degeneration.

Pharmatrin specializes in developing small molecule New Chemical Entities (NCEs) with potential therapeutic application in the areas of inflammation and autoimmune diseases specifically for the treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). Vysera Biomedical has developed its own proprietary biomimetic material enabling minimally invasive treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Cellix has developed a groundbreaking microfluidics drug-screening tool currently being used by over a third of the top ten pharmaceutical companies worldwide.

"For any individual or organization wishing to build a gastroenterological business," Brennan continued, " Ireland is an excellent location not only because of the considerable knowledge base that exists here, but also because of the comprehensive structural support dedicated to gastroenterology and immunology research and commercialization. The Irish companies at DDW today are indicative of the depth and commitment of Ireland's gastroenterological business leadership."

Enterprise Ireland is the government agency responsible for the development and promotion of the indigenous business sector. Enterprise Ireland's mission is to accelerate the development of world-class Irish companies to achieve strong positions in global markets resulting in increased national and regional prosperity.

Juliana Wynohradnyk
Griffin Integrated Communications
260 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10001
(212) 481 - 3456 ext.17
jwynohradnyk@griffinpr.com

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