Episode 57: AIP Community Update — Events, Advocacy & Research

Living with autoimmune disease is deeply personal—but the forces that shape diagnosis, care, and long-term outcomes extend far beyond any one individual. Research priorities, advocacy efforts, and community education all influence who gets seen, supported, and served within the autoimmune landscape.

In this first Quarterly Community Update episode of the Autoimmune Wellness Podcast, Mickey Trescott steps back to look at what’s happening across the broader autoimmune community right now. These quarterly episodes are designed to help listeners stay informed and oriented—without overwhelm, fear, or chasing headlines.

This episode introduces a new recurring structure focused on three areas that directly shape autoimmune care: advocacy, research, and community education. Mickey is joined by three regular contributors who bring both professional expertise and lived experience to these conversations.

First, Jamie-Nicole Martin, chronic illness advocate and founder of the AIP BIPOC Network, joins Mickey to discuss autoimmune awareness, systems-level advocacy, and community-based initiatives designed to improve equity, access, and representation in autoimmune care.

Next, Sybil Cooper, PhD, immunologist and AIP Certified Coach, breaks down recent research shaping the autoimmune landscape, including a major Mayo Clinic study on autoimmune disease prevalence and the significance of the 2025 Nobel Prize recognition of regulatory T cells (Tregs).

Finally, Jaime Hartman, National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach, host of the AIP Summit, and co-teacher of the AIP Certified Coach Program, shares updates from across the AIP community, including emerging education trends, Summit highlights, and professional training opportunities.

Together, these conversations highlight why systemic change matters, what the latest science is actually telling us, and how community-centered education continues to evolve to support people living with autoimmune disease.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

1. Why autoimmune care is shaped by advocacy, research, and education—not just individual choices
2. How Jamie-Nicole Martin and the AIP BIPOC Network support both personal healing and systems-level change
3. Upcoming advocacy events, including the ROCK Summit and ROCK Community Expo
4. How monthly AIP BIPOC Roundtables create safer spaces for dialogue and collective insight
5. Key findings from a large Mayo Clinic study explained by Sybil Cooper, PhD
6. The difference between prevalence and incidence—and why that distinction matters
7. Which autoimmune conditions are most common and how patterns differ by sex
8. Why having multiple autoimmune diagnoses is more common than most people realize
9. What the Nobel Prize recognition of regulatory T cells (Tregs) signals for the future of autoimmune research
10. How Jaime Hartman sees AIP education expanding beyond food into lifestyle, hormones, athletics, and life-stage support
11. How to access ongoing AIP education, community connection, and trained practitioner support

Resources:

1. AIP BIPOC Network – Advocacy initiatives, community events, and monthly roundtables
2. ROCK Wellness Weekend – ROCK Summit & ROCK Community Expo (Houston, TX)
3. AIP BIPOC Network Donation Link - Help fund their programs for the autoimmune community
4. Mayo Clinic Autoimmune Disease Prevalence Study
5. Nobel Prize 2025 Press Release - Team discovering T-regulatory cells
6. AIP Summit – Annual event, replays, and ongoing community access
7. AIP Certified Coach Program & Practitioner Directory – Professional training and global directory of AIP-trained support

Episode Timeline:

00:00 – Introduction to the Quarterly Community Update series

01:21 – Overview of advocacy, research, and community education

02:29 – Autoimmune awareness & advocacy with Jamie-Nicole Martin

04:41 – ROCK Summit & ROCK Community Expo

06:32 – AIP BIPOC Roundtables and global community support

08:45 – How to support advocacy work

11:15 – Research update with Sybil Cooper, PhD

15:48 – Most common autoimmune conditions and diagnostic patterns

17:45 – Sex differences and multiple autoimmune diagnoses

20:20 – Nobel Prize recognition of regulatory T cells (Tregs)

23:32 – AIP community updates with Jaime Hartman

24:31 – AIP Summit recap and emerging trends

26:35 – Lifestyle, hormones, and life-stage support in AIP

31:23 – AIP Certified Coach Program overview

35:13 – Wrap-up and closing reflections