Worming your way to good health | Paul Giacomin | TEDxJCUCairns

Would you ever consider being infected with parasitic worms as a treatment for a chronic inflammatory disease? While it may seem like a far-fetched idea given that worms are typically associated with bad health, there is emerging evidence that some parasites may indeed be good for treating some diseases.

Dr. Paul Giacomin is currently an Advance Queensland Mid-Career Research Fellow in the Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine at James Cook University in Cairns. His research interests include understanding the immune mechanisms that control infections with parasitic helminths (worms), as well as exploring the potential beneficial effects that worm infection may have in alleviating inflammation associated with autoimmune diseases.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx