Leading experts in immunology will converge on City of Hope from as far away as Dublin, Ireland, to discuss their latest findings at the 18th annual Beckman Symposium on Nov. 7 in Cooper Auditorium.

Titled “Innate Immunity: Our First Line of Defense,” the day-long event will feature nationally and internationally recognized researchers discussing the body’s first and most rapid response to disease.

The human immune system is composed of two major parts: innate immunity, also called nonspecific immunity, and adaptive, or specific, immunity.

Innate immunity is always at the ready, and the body relies on it to react quickly to invading organisms, like bacteria. Adaptive immunity is slower, but its effects last much longer. It acts as a sort of disease registry, allowing the body to “remember” an invading organism and react more quickly the next time it encounters that organism.

Researchers are interested in innate immunity because it may be at the root of many autoimmune diseases and it may be important in the development of cancer and other diseases.

Organized annually by City of Hope’s Research Staff Organization, Beckman symposia are supported by funds from the Beckman Endowment.

Registration is available online at www.cityofhope.org/beckmansymposium.

For more information, contact Steve Novak, Ph.D., director of professional education, at ext. 68775, or via e-mail at beckmansymposium@coh.org.