Meeting Report

SIRCON 2017: A brief report

A report on the inaugural conference of the Society of Inflammation Research- SIRCON 2017 held at Karnataka Medical Council, Bengaluru, on 29^th October 2017

IJIR. 2017;1(1):MR1 DOI: 10.15305/ijir/v1i1/247

Submitted: 2 November 2017, Published: 2 November 2017

© IJIR

The inaugural conference, attended by eminent speakers, had turned out to be an excellent platform to explore novel research ideas and practical discussions. The high-level lectures and specific panel discussions have helped in reducing the gaps in scientific evidence in the field of inflammation. The society was conceptualized in 2015 with the main objective to facilitate the interaction between clinicians and basic scientists, thereby to accentuate the biomedical research for developing newer treatment, interventions and diagnostic modalities.

The conference started with the inauguration ceremony and launching of the Society’s official journal, Indian Journal of Inflammation Research. The president of the society Dr. Jyotirmay Biswas, Director of Uveitis & Ocular Pathology Department, Sankara Nethralaya, Chennai, briefed about the goals and vision of the society, and the need of collaborating with other medical societies to conduct training programs/meetings. This was followed by the oration given by the guest of honor Dr. Srinivas Kaveri, Director, National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) office in India (Embassy of France), New Delhi. He has given a brief summary of his career milestones, immune system functioning and the therapeutic benefits of intravenous immunoglobulin. He has also emphasized the need of a society in the field of inflammation to organize the meetings on inflammation and formulate guideline on research. The society members have invited Dr. Srinivas Kaveri to join as an honorary member for guiding the society through his knowledge and experience.

The session 1: basics of inflammation, started with the lecture by Dr. Girdhari Lal (Scientist, National Centre for Cell Science, Pune) on ‘Non-chemotactic function of chemokine receptor in inflammation and autoimmunity’. He has reported the increased expression of CCR6 in the CD4 T cells of ulcerative colitis patients. He has also highlighted the role of CCR6 in differentiating Th17 and Treg cells.

Dr. Chandrashekara, Director of ChanRe Rheumatology & Immunology Center & Research, Bengaluru, has detailed about the different perspectives of inflammation, classification of inflammation, and its spillover effect. He has also underscored the need of customizing the management strategy based on the type of inflammation involved.

In session 2: inflammation and metabolism, Dr. Balasubramanyam (Dean of Research Studies, Madras Diabetes Research Foundation) gave an overview on ‘Inflammation Highway in Diabetes’ and briefed about the central role of inflammation in the molecular pathogenesis of diabetes, impairment of miR-146a signaling, telomere shortening, role of HDAC3 epigenetic signature in diabetes, and the significance of microbiome-accessible carbohydrate diet. Subsequent oration by Dr. Anil Pareek, Scientific Advisor, IPCA Laboratories, was focused on the efficacy of HCQ, the 1st anti-inflammatory agent to be approved as an anti-diabetic, in treating diabetes. He has elaborated on the role of inflammation in contributing insulin resistance and insufficiency, and the salutary effects of HCQ on various glycemic and lipid parameters in diabetes. The lecture has emphasized the potential of HCQ to emerge as a ‘Disease Modifying Anti-Diabetic Drug’ to reduce progression of T2DM and associated complications.

The session 3 had an oral paper presentation by Dr. Namita Dave. She has presented her work on the potential use of CD4+/CD8+ lymphocyte ratio as an adjunct diagnostic tool in sarcoid uveitis. The 4th session, inflammation and autoimmunity, began with the lecture by Dr. Jyotirmay Biswas. The lecture has highlighted the use of biologics as a new weapon in the armamentarium of management of non-infectious uveitis. He further emphasized their usefulness in Bechet’s and JIA-associated uveitis. The second lecture in session 4 was given by Dr. Swaminathan Sethu, Scientist, GROW Research Laboratory, Narayana Nethralaya, Bengaluru, on the topic ‘Immune cell trafficking in eye diseases’. He has briefed about ocular immune balance and defense system, role of different immune cells in retinal pathology, and resolution of eye inflammation.

The conference was concluded by a panel discussion on various therapeutic challenges in the management of inflammation. The panel discussion was attended by specialists and researchers from various medical fields including, rheumatology, inflammatory diseases, ophthalmology and metabolic diseases. Each participant has shared his/her own perception of inflammation and the strategies adopted for its management in the respective field. The moderator of the panel discussion, Dr. Chandrashekara, has underscored the need of clear consensus on managing inflammation.