The Modern World is Confusing our Immune System

The industrialization of humanity has lead to remarkable progress in medicine and hygiene practices, such as the creation of antibiotics to advancements in water and food sanitation. Infections and diseases that would have once been a death sentence can now be easily combatted with prescription drugs. While this benefit to humanity is undisputed, an alarming relationship has emerged between the level of a nation's industrialization and the rising incidence of autoimmune and allergic diseases. In this talk, we delve into why growing up in a 'clean world' is having such a profound impact on our immune system's development and what this means for the future landscape of healthcare.

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Thomas Worthington was born and raised in the UK and completed his undergraduate degree in Medical Sciences from the University of Exeter. He is currently a second year PhD student in the department of Microbiology and Immunology, under the supervision of Dr Marc Horwitz. Thomas's research aims to further our understanding of how viral infections contribute to the onset of autoimmune diseases, including Multiple Sclerosis.

 

 

 

 

 

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