A conference was held by UK Complement last week, and as it was held in the same location ( Newcastle Centre for Life) as ,and coincided with, the RDG aHUS Meeting( see previous news item) ,aHUSUK was able to attend.
The two day conference was attended by leading Emeritis Professors, Professors, Doctors and Researchers brought together to form a collaborative research network into Complement and Complement mediated illnesses. The first day was a teaching day for post graduates and doctoral researchers ,who will become the next generation with a special interest in Complement. The second day provided an opportunity for researchers to show the results so far on what they have found and done.
The complement system is complex and much is still needed to be learned about it; and ,as it is increasingly being be found to be connected to other biological processes,for example the coagulation system, so the scope for discovery and understanding becomes immense.
Complement is responsible for a large number of common and rare diseases of which aHUS is but one; but such research, as shown at the Complement UK Conference, gives hope to millions of patients, who suffer because of too little or too much complement activation, because a therapy might come about from “bench to bedside” to give them the balanced and effective complement system that other people unknowingly experience naturally.
Complement UK is working on creating a website to which aHUSUK will provide a link when it is done.