Episode 6 – The Immune System

8.30pm, RTÉ One, Monday 18th December 2023

The human immune system is amazing, consisting of a variety of cells all working together to identify and destroy invading cells and protect our bodies from infection. Unfortunately, in some cases, the immune system is unable to distinguish one from the other and begins to attack healthy cells.

One such condition is multiple sclerosis – an illness which can affect the brain and spinal cord and cause a wide range of symptoms including problems with vision, movement, sensation or balance. In this episode, Jonathan meets Stephen Comiskey who is one of approximately 9,000 people in Ireland who are living with MS. We also meet the researchers collaborating across the island of Ireland to advance understanding of tissue regeneration in MS and develop new biomaterials and treatments using immunotherapy.

And with upwards of 40,000 people in Ireland living with Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Kathriona meets the scientists who are creating replicas of the human gut in the lab to improve understanding of immune cell signalling pathways that could lead to new and more effective treatments for people with IBD.

How might we harness the power of the immune system to tackle conditions like MS? Check out on Monday’s @10Things_ToKnow About #TheImmuneSystem – 📺Mon 18th Dec 8.30pm @RTEOne @hea_irl @IrishResearch @EPAIreland @iCRAGcentre @teagasc @MetEireann @NewDecadeFilms @jonathan_mccrea… pic.twitter.com/190mvSQv2d

— 10ThingstoKnowAbout (@10Things_ToKnow) December 14, 2023