I recently had a chance to ask Dr. Guandalini some questions about the upcoming International Celiac Disease Symposium 2013 event.
What research are you most excited to share with the consumer market?
The new research on infant feeding practices and gluten sensitivity are quite compelling. The big news will be both about the current possibility of preventing celiac disease, the reality of alternative treatments (including a cure at the horizon!) for celiac disease and, for those suffering from the much less understood non-celiac gluten sensitivity, much more about this condition will be clarified.
What is the biggest myth you hope to bust in the Debunking Myths session?
That wheat/gluten is bad for everyone. We will have the world’s best minds front and center to discuss the issues.
What is ICDS the place to be for a newly diagnosed celiac?
ICDS is the only place to get the latest and best information, in most cases directly from the source!
What about someone who has been a celiac for years, why is ICDS a “must attend” event for them?
This is a once-in-a-life-time opportunity for most people with celiac disease in the United States to interact and learn with the world’s leading experts. With so much “background noise” and inaccurate information out there, this would be a unique chance to have all one’s questions answered in a satisfactory, fully reliable way.
Seriously, don’t miss this!
Here are some highlighted research presentations:
- Luisa Mearin from Leiden, the Netherlands will present the preliminary results of the multinational Prevent CD study, a large international study that follows almost 1,000 children from high risk families in 7 European countries and Israel to study the influence of different practices of early nutrition in the development and/or prevention of celiac disease.
- Renata Auricchio from the University Federico II in Naples, Italy, will present results from a longitudinal study following 210 children who are predisposed to celiac disease to explore the genetic and environmental risk factors associated with the development of gluten-induced damage to the intestine.
- Edwin Liu from Children’s Hospital Colorado will present findings from The Environmental Determinants of Diabetes in the Young (TEDDY) study assessing the risk for early development of celiac disease in children with selected genetic backgrounds.
- Daniel Adelman from Alvine Pharmaceuticals will discuss the status of clinical trials for the development of a novel investigational drug as a potential treatment for celiac disease.
- Clifford Kiat from University Hospital Galway in Ireland will present his findings on using stem cell transplantation as a treatment for refractory celiac disease.
Highlighted discussion sessions:
- Donald Kasarda from the United States Department of Agriculture on the impact of changes in wheat varieties grown in the U.S. on celiac disease incidence.
- Joe Murray and colleagues from the Mayo Clinic on new treatments for celiac disease that have now reached clinical trials and could complement the gluten free diet.
- Evan Newnham from Melbourne, Australia on the controversial area of non-celiac gluten sensitivity, in a case-based discussion aiming to demystify this area.
Other fun facts:
- Number of attendees: 845 registered to date, including the speakers
- Countries represented: 38
Major sponsors:
o General Mills (Silver)
o AbbVie (Silver)
o ImmusanT (Bronze)
o Quest Diagnostics (Bronze)
o ANI Biotech (Patron)
o Biocodex (Patron)
o BioLineRx (Patron)
o Dow (Patron)
o Enjoy Life (Patron)
o Fria Brod (Patron)
o Inova (Patron)
o Crunchmaster (Patron)
Don’t these vendors seem awesome. Well, if you’re in Chicago, you can check out these vendors FOR FREE! Come to the Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers from 3-5pm on Sunday and check out the vendors! I will be there – so if you come, make sure you message me and maybe we can meet up!
Following the Chicago-based event, ICDS is not likely to be held in the U.S. for at least 10 years.
Seriously, BE THERE OR BE SQUARE FOR 10 YEARS!
WOW! I had no clue there was such a symposium! I am putting this on my Next Year To Go List!