Allergies and Inflammation Key Topics at Nestlé International Nutrition Symposium

During this symposium, the invited speakers and audience discussed the challenging topic of the increasing incidence of chronic inflammatory disorders and allergy/asthma.

Oct 25 2011 --- Over 150 scientists and key opinion leaders gathered at the Nestlé Research Centre on 20-21 October 2011 for the 8th Nestlé International Nutrition Symposium.

During this symposium, the invited speakers and audience discussed the challenging topic of the increasing incidence of chronic inflammatory disorders and allergy/asthma.

These disorders are widely recognised as the result of a combination of environmental and individual risk factors, constituting a very significant health burden worldwide. Leading experts and key opinion leaders from around the world will gather to discuss advances in systemic and mucosal immunity, allergy, inflammation, and the role of specific nutrients in circumstances of immune suppression and inflammation.

The symposium sessions included “Systemic Immunity”, “Mucosal Immunity/Inflammation”, “Allergy” and “Dietary Modulation of the Immune System”.

On the first day the speakers were Rolf Zinkernagel, University of Zurich; Alexander Rudensky, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York; Antonio Lanzavecchia, Institute for Biomedical Research; Bellinzona; Ruslan M. Medzhitov, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New Haven; Shimon Sakaguchi, Kyoto University; and Vijay Kuchroo, Harvard Medical School.

On the second day, the speakers were Erika von Mutius, Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich; Per Brandtzaeg, University of Oslo; Raif S. Geha, Children's Hospital, Boston; Juan B. Ochoa, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center; and Gökhan Hotamisigl, Harvard School of Public Health.

Nestlé speakers at the symposium were Werner Bauer, CTO, Nestlé SA and Luis Cantarell, CEO of Nestlé Health Science SA.