Speaker: Robert Striker, Medical Microbiology & Immunology
Description: This talk will cover what we know about a “healthy immune system” as well as signs that an immune system is “strained” and perhaps no longer able to do its job. Lessons from both the HIV pandemic as well as the Covid pandemic as well as healthy aging studies will all be discussed. Also discussed is why in many situations “vaccine mediated protection” from disease is better than natural immunity, and the trade-offs involved in getting natural immunity to at least some infections. While we traditionally think of the immune system as something that protects us against infections, as we age a weak or poorly functioning immune system is often a risk factor for cancer which will also be discussed.
Bio: Robert Striker graduated from Purdue University with a degree in Chemistry, and then did an MD/PhD at Washington University in St Louis. He did his residency in San Francisco from 1995-1998 in Internal Medicine and experienced both the tail end of the “bad old days” of HIV as a death sentence, as well as the turn of the tide as literally new antivirals allowed the “walking dead” to live again. Robert was inspired to do a fellowship in Infectious Diseases at Stanford studying the “new enemy” Hepatitis C. He currently see viral hepatitis and HIV patients at UW Hospital and clinics as well as Vivent health. While it is very gratifying for him to assist patients with HIV in recovering their immune system, it is now clear that recovery is incomplete and new ways of thinking are needed to allow the immune system to stay vigorous and healthy not only for people living with HIV, but also for others, particularly the elderly to better assess their immune system and cancer risk.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzIuLF9MiSc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bD-sQLZgHBY&t=13s