Journal of IiME Volume 9 Issue 1 tenacity has already produced some tantalizing results. I will outline some of the ways we are approaching the very subtle ways that B cells may be functioning differently in patients and also between patients which will hopefully complement the other research in ME/CFS which we are hearing about at the BRMEC5 Colloquium and IIMEC10 conference. Dr Neil Harrison Immune-Brain Communication and Relationship to Inflammation Dr Neil Harrison is Honorary Consultant Neuropsychiatrist, Brighton & Sussex Medical School, UK Dr Harrison's' work in the laboratory focuses on understanding how infection or inflammation in the body interacts with the brain. For most these symptoms are usually short lived and relatively mild. However, when the immune system is activated for long periods, such as in people suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, they can become extremely debilitating or even life-threatening. Understanding how the immune system interacts with the brain is a crucial first step that will form the foundations for future development of novel therapies targeting these common and disabling symptoms. Most of his studies utilise a combination of functional brain imaging (e.g. fMRI, FDG-PET, EEG, polysomnography), experimental models of inflammation, custom cognitive tasks and diverse measures of peripheral immune status. Abstract: Immune-Brain Communication and Relationship to Inflammation Until recently the brain was considered an Œimmune-privileged¹ site, isolated from changes in immune activity. However, recent evidence has challenged this and demonstrated clear bi-directional communication between the brain and immune system. Interestingly, activation of one of these pathways has been shown to predict the amount of fatigue experienced after experimental inflammation. In this talk I will review the mechanisms through which inflammation in the body can be communicated to the brain and discuss our current understanding of how this relates to changes in mood, motivation and fatigue. Professor Sonya MarshallGradisnik Immunological Biomarkers in ME Professor MarshallGradisnik is one of Australia's foremost researchers in the area of neuroimmunology and was instrumental in establishing the Public Health and Neuroimmunology Unit PHANU) at Bond University. (Much of her work relates specifically to autoimmunity in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome sufferers and she is regularly asked to speak to community groups on behalf of Queensland Health and NSW Health. Invest in ME (Charity Nr. 1114035) www.investinme.org Page 49 of 57 May 2015
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