Betty Diamond

What happens when the immune system goes rogue?

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About Betty Diamond

Autoimmune disease investigator Betty Diamond is pioneering research on the linkages between antibodies and brain diseases, such as autism and PTSD, in individuals with autoimmune diseases. Her lab also examines DNA-reactive B cells in lupus in order to find new strategies for protecting against autoimmune disease. Beyond her work in the lab, Betty has helped developed clinical care programs while at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and has opened rheumatology clinics in multiple underserved areas in New York City. Betty is currently head of the Center for Autoimmune and Musculoskeletal Diseases at The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research. She is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and a member of the National Academy of Medicine.

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About This Talk

When the immune functions well, it activates a variety of processes to protect us against deadly threats, such as invading microbes and cellular disease. But what happens when the immune system goes rogue and attacks the body it’s meant to defend? That's the essence of autoimmune disease—a person's immune system mistakenly attacks healthy cells in their body.

Immune systems go off course more often than one might think. In fact, approximately 10% of the population suffers from some form of autoimmune disorder. Betty Diamond is an immunologist who's working to uncover a deeper mechanistic understanding of autoimmune disorders in an effort to improve the lives of people suffering from these diseases. Tune in to Betty’s 2017 TEDMED Talk to learn more about how her patient-centered studies are not only revealing valuable new insights, but also empowering patients to play a leading role in the research into autoimmune diseases.

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