The IUIS is keeping abreast of the ongoing and unprecedented Covid-19 pandemic. I would like to express my personal gratitude and that of members of the Executive Committee to all colleagues and researchers working round the clock to find solutions. We stand shoulder to should with all frontline personnel, governmental and non-governmental agencies and all persons contributing to the control of Covid-19. Our hearts go out to all who have lost loved ones.
International scientific collaboration will enable us to share knowledge, resources, reagents and technologies to facilitate and accelerate the development of the range of tools that are needed to control the pandemic; these include diagnostics, treatment and prevention guidelines, therapeutics and vaccines.
We are also partnering with our official journal, Frontiers in Immunology, to create an open-access platform for the exchange of scientific knowledge. IUIS is therefore collaborating onExpert Commentaries Video Seriesin Frontiers Coronavirus Knowledge Hub, and hosting live and open Webinars on IUIS website, looking for more insights and exchange with the scientific community participating online.
Our first webinar will be on April 6, 3 pm CEST. Rino Rappuoli, Chief Scientist and Head of Research and Development at GlaxoSmithKline, will be speaking about COVDI-19 Vaccines. You can register for the webinar here.
We invite research scientists working on different aspects of Covid-19 to participate by submitting your abstract here.
Finally, we would like to share with you the Executive Report on Covid-19 that has been recently approved by The Health Commission of the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei.
On February 25, the International Science Council published the article "COVID-19: Rapidly Evolving Situation Calls for International Scientific Collaboration" and IUIS has participated in it by making the following statements:
“International scientific collaboration is vital for the sharing of knowledge, resources, reagents and technologies that will facilitate and accelerate the development of vaccines and therapeutics. In the immediate to short-term, we have an important role in promoting awareness and providing the community with accurate, updated information through leading trusted organizations such as theWHO and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)", stated Roslyn Kemp, IUIS Secretary-General.
IUIS is monitoring the situation and recommends visiting the WHO Websitefor up-to-date information on the Coronavirus disease.
Dear Presidents of Immunological Societies, Presidents of Federations of Immunological Societies, Colleagues and Friends,
I am truly honored for the opportunity to serve as Vice President of the International Union of Immunology Societies (IUIS). I am especially excited to be working with, and learning from, IUIS President Faith Osier, my good friend and colleague, Past IUIS President Alberto Mantovani, and the members of the Executive Committee and Member Council.
I have lived, studied, and worked on three continents. I was raised in Algiers, Algeria, where I attended Algiers University Medical School. I moved to France, for a residency in Hematology/Oncology and subsequently to the United States to complete a PhD. and post-doctoral fellowship in Immunology at Stanford University. I have spent the past 15 years at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York, where since 2016, I have led the Mount Sinai Precision Immunology Institute.
My interest in IUIS, and in promoting the highest possible level of international collaboration among immunologists, is motivated by my realization that the disparity of knowledge between the three continents where I have lived never ceases to grow. Yet, the need for incisive knowledge of immunology has never been more vital. The current COVID-19 outbreak as well as the success of recent immunotherapy interventions in major human diseases highlight the urgent need to strengthen our understanding of immunological processes on a global scale, above all in developing countries.
I hope to engage, through IUIS, with colleagues worldwide to advance diversity in the scientific community; promote and champion the efforts of women scientists, and enhance access to novel immunological tools and technologies in developing regions. Through concerted, collaborative efforts, I believe that we can achieve these goals.
As a passionate immunologist, an Algerian-French-American, and a woman scientist, it is my honor to contribute to and serve the IUIS mission.
Yours Sincerely,
IUIS Vice-President
Miriam Merad
IUIS Committees
Inborn Errors of Immunity Committee (IEI)
Happy 2020 to all. We are facing huge challenges and changes throughout the world - from my hemisphere, over the past few months, we have experienced catastrophic bush fires right across the many parts of Australia. These have claimed many lives, destroyed thousands of properties, killed more than one billion animals and have left communities and cities devastated. We, along with the rest of the planet, are rolling out strategies to manage the inevitable COVID-19 pandemic. Managing emerging diseases highlights vital roles that the IUIS Committee for Inborn Errors of Immunity can have in the fields of infectious diseases, immune dysregulation and genetics of human disease.
We recently published two peer-reviewed scientific papers in the Journal of Clinical Immunology which provides updates to the monogenic causes of diseases of the immune system. The first of these (Tangye et al.) reports of novel genetic causes of inborn errors of immunity. In essence, conditions can manifest clinically as increased susceptibility to infectious disease, autoimmunity, autoinflammation, allergic and even cancer.
Quality Assessment and Standardization Committee (QAS)
International Consensus on ANA Patterns (ICAP): Available Online in 13 Languages
ICAP website – online multifunctional and interactive tool available in 13 languages
Autoantibodies are valuable biomarkers for the diagnosis of autoimmune diseases and the indirect immunofluorescence assay on HEp-2 cells (HEp-2 IFA), commonly known as antinuclear antibody (ANA) test, is used worldwide in the screening for autoantibodies.
ICAP is an initiative of the Autoantibody Standardization Committee(ASC), a subcommittee of the IUIS Quality Assessment and Standardization Committee. Since 2014, ICAP has held five itinerant workshops in different continents with the participation of international specialists on autoantibody testing.
The American Association of Immunologists (AAI), together with the IUIS EDU Committee, jointly sponsor four travel awards to each of AAI’s summer immunology courses. The IUIS Gender Equality and Career Development Committee(GEC) co-sponsors one of the four awardees for each course. We are pleased to announce the 2020 recipients of this Travel Award:
For the AAI Introductory Course in Immunologytaking place on July 7-12, 2020 at the UCLA Luskin Conference Center in Los Angeles, California:Jacqueline Bragato (Brazil), Chiamah Ogochukwu (Nigeria), Jaoquin Merlo (Argentina) and John Mose (Kenya).
For the AAI Advanced Course in Immunology taking place on July 26-31, 2020 at the Westin Copley Place in Boston: Camila Fuentes Villegas (Chile), Faez Mohamed (Algeria), James Nyariki (Kenya) and Ximena Volpini (Argentina).
Congratulations to all the awardees!
*At the time of publication, no cancellations were announced.
2020 Edition: International Day of Immunology (DoI)
Reserve April 29, 2020 as the International Day of Immunology (DoI) to discuss immunology with everyone you know! Your participation is shaping an international community of immunologists dedicated to improving health for people around the world.
The suggested theme for 2020 is Autoimmunity and Autoinflammation. Awards totalling €5,000 will be given once every three years for thefour best public relations campaigns of the Day of Immunology for the years 2020 to 2022. If you are looking for some inspiration, take a look at the creative initiatives organized last year.
Ann Ager is chair of its Forum and a trustee for the British Society for Immunology, and council member of the International Union of Immunological Societies. She discusses her role as an advocate for immunology to governments and other policymakers.
When I look back over my career in academic immunology, I recall working to deadlines most of the time, what with a PhD thesis to produce, then papers and grant proposals to write, and (when my research became known) reviews to write. So why would I put myself forward to represent the interests of immunology and immunologists to governments and other policymakers?
Latin American and Caribbean Association of Immunology (ALACI)
Institutional News
The Latin American Association of Immunology (ALAI) has decided to change its name to Latin American and Caribbean Association of Immunology (ALACI) in order to expand its action to the Caribbean. As a consequence, the meeting that will take place in Varadero, Cuba, on May 24-28, 2021, has replaced its logo. Stay tuned for more information.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Due to the evolving situation related to COVID-19, most events of the first semester have been cancelled. Check out the Event Section on IUIS Website for updated information.
IUIS Course Material - Providing online immunology education
Immunopaedia.orgis the official educational provider of online pre-course material for IUIS immunology courses in the developing world and other countries. Supported and working closely with the IUIS Education Committee, Immunopaedia delivers relevant and current educational content to provide frameworks of knowledge to IUIS course participants before they embark on face-to-face courses.
