Dr. Lavery presents: “Exploring Environmental Risk Factors for Pediatric Autoimmune Disease”. Candidate for Assistant Professor of Epidemiology, Department of Biostatistics & Epidemiology, School of Public Health
Autoimmune diseases afflict an estimated 23.5 million Americans. While both genetic and environmental causes are suspected, the exact biological mechanism behind why people develop these disorders is unknown. Although rare, many of these diseases develop during childhood. Studying risk factors within a pediatric population allows for a better understanding of temporal and additive risk factors for autoimmune disease that may occur during the formative years of development. This presentation will describe how environmental factors, specifically indoor and outdoor air quality, have been associated with the development of pediatric multiple sclerosis (MS), a localized autoimmune disease of the central nervous system. I will further discuss how air quality may interact with genetic components to increase the odds for developing pediatric MS. This presentation concludes with a discussion of short- and long-term research goals which include (1) assessing for interactions between air quality exposures and other potential risk factors for pediatric MS, (2) exploring biomarkers that are indicative of air exposures and potential biological pathways, (3) expanding this research to include other pediatric autoimmune disease such as Type 1 Diabetes, Crohn’s Disease, and Lupus, and (4) developing a more comprehensive method of environmental exposure classification for children with autoimmune disease. Potential collaborators and funding opportunities for this research will also be discussed.
Amy M. Lavery, PhD, MSPH
Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA