Immunology Transformations
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IDecembermmunology 2018 | ISSN 1356-5559 (print) News Immunology transformations: An interview with our President, Peter Openshaw Immunology Policy talk: China at 60: Immunology goes conversations: Celebrate our journal’s to Parliament Building collaborations continued success www.immunology.org 2 ADVERTISEMENTS the life science company with a difference Nobel Prize-winner Recommendation! Bio X Cell offer a reagent portfolio specialized towards antibodies which are widely used for in vivo and in vitro antigen neutralisation and pathway blockade as well as cell specific depletion. BioXcell CTLA-A antibodies are highly recommended by James P. 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Firstly, we’re incredibly excited of Immunology News. The last few to welcome our new Chief Executive, months have been an incredibly busy Doug Brown, to the organisation. Doug time for the BSI, with a number of new has now been with us for a couple of initiatives starting. We attended the months and you can read more about European Congress of Immunology his first impressions and his plans for in Amsterdam, celebrated the 60th the future on page 4. At the end of the anniversary of our official journal, year, we also bid a fond farewell to our Immunology, and ran our first ever current President, Peter Openshaw, who parliamentary event! You can read more has led the organisation with vision and about all of these activities in this issue. drive for the last five years. You can read We recently conducted a membership an interview with Peter on his reflections survey to find out more about your of his time in office with us on page 14. thoughts on our work. We would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who took Best wishes, the time to send us their views – you can read more about our findings on page 17. Jennie Evans We also have a number of changes of [email protected] The Team Contents Editorial Advisory Board: FEATURES: Edd James (Southampton) 14 Louisa James (London) Interview with Donald Palmer (London) Peter Openshaw Mihil Patel (Cardiff) Ushani Srenathan (London) BSI goes to Parliament Managing Editor: 20 Jennie Evans Sub Editor: Rebecca Ramsden Design: Qube Design Associates British Society for Immunology 34 Red Lion Square London WC1R 4SG Tel: +44(0)203 019 5901 Immunology at 60 4 Society news Email: [email protected] 22 www.immunology.org 25 Congratulations Enquiries and correspondence: 26 Future Focus Jennie Evans: [email protected] 29 Around the BSI groups Advertising queries: 30 Journal news Sarah Green: [email protected] Follow us: Registered charity 1043255 in England and Wales/SCD047367 in Scotland. britsocimm Registered in England and Wales as company 3009533. 26 China conversations britsocimm © 2018 British Society for Immunology britsocimm The views expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the britsocimm Society, nor can claims of advertisers be guarenteed. The Society, Editorial britishsocietyforimm Board and authors cannot accept liability for any errors or omissions. british-society-for-immunology Immunology News | December 2018 4 SOCIETY NEWS out about why you value membership changes to our Trustee team. Our VIEW FROM … and what the BSI can do to support you, President, Peter Openshaw, will step THE CHIEF and also to engage with some of our down at our AGM after 5 years in the most important stakeholders across role. Peter is the first clinician to lead the EXECUTIVE the UK and Europe. You can read more BSI and we owe him an enormous debt about the BSI’s time at ECI on page 6. of gratitude for his energy, vision and Later that week I was back in the office leadership (read Peter’s reflections on I’m delighted to and the hard work started in earnest. page 14). The AGM also sees two other be writing my The BSI is at the important halfway Trustees finish their terms of office – Anne first column for juncture in our current strategic plan Cooke, our Chair of Forum and Sheena Immunology News. and we felt that this was an appropriate Cruickshank, our Public Engagement Let me start off by time to review our activities, evaluate our Secretary. Our thanks go to both of them saying hello to you successes and where we could do better, for dedication, hard work and vision which all and thank you as well as checking that the organisation has allowed the BSI to hugely expand to everyone who is still on the right track for the future. its activities during their time in office. has made me feel In addition to conducting a membership We will also look forward to welcoming so welcome so survey (read the results on page 17), the our new appointees. Arne Akbar will join quickly. As we all know it’s such an exciting Trustees have been hard at work on this as our new President and, having spent time for immunology. From decades of review, which culminated in an away quite a bit of time with Arne in my first hard work we are now beginning to see day, with a particular focus on how our couple of months, I am incredibly excited the recognition that immunology deserves strategic plan holds up in the current about his vision for BSI and thoroughly through the recent Nobel prizes and external environment. You’ll be pleased looking forward to working with him. We the development of new immune-based to hear that our consensus was that we will also welcome Ann Ager as Chair of therapies, which are transforming the are on the right course, with our focus Forum, Divya Shah as Trustee, Emma treatment landscape and, quite literally, on membership, supporting careers Chambers as Early Careers Trustee and saving lives. As a previous immunology and driving change on multiple fronts Donald Davidson as Public Engagement researcher myself, I couldn’t be more including the public, science bodies and Secretary – again, I am looking forward excited about joining the BSI – immunology Government (including Brexit!). We will to working with all our new faces. is my first love! The role that BSI plays is bring you more news on these discussions Finally, we are holding our AGM at a vital one. Working with the Board and in the next issue of Immunology News. 13:00, Tuesday 11 December in London. the staff, it’s an honour to play my part I’ve been impressed with the number This is an important opportunity for all in creating the best scientific, political of ongoing projects delivered by the members to find out more about our and public environment for immunology team. An undoubted highlight is the work and a chance for you to ask us research to thrive, and for ensuring the BSI’s first ever parliamentary event (see questions about the Society’s activities. outputs of research are translated into page 20). The reception aimed to raise I hope to see many of you there. human and animal health benefits as awareness among parliamentarians of quickly as possible. I look forward to the importance of supporting immunology With best wishes working with you all to deliver our vision. research and its clinical application. I couldn’t have asked for a better start Increasing our profile in this way is key Doug Brown to the BSI than having my first day at the to the success of our future work and we Chief Executive, European Congress of Immunology in hope will be one area (of many!) that will British Society for Immunology Amsterdam! It was a fantastic opportunity make you proud to be a BSI member. Email: [email protected] to meet with so many members, finding The upcoming months see some BSI Inflammation and Edinburgh Immunology Groups present Inflammation: from initiation to restoration 24 – 26 April 2019 | Edinburgh, UK www.immunology.org/inflammation-meeting Immunology News | December 2018 SOCIETY NEWS 5 SOCIETY NEWS We wish you all our readers a very Merry Christmas and happy new year! Trustees update The end of this year sees a number of changes to our Board of Trustees. At our upcoming AGM, BSI President Peter Openshaw will step down after five years in the role – you can read more about his reflections on his time in office with us on page 14. Anne Cooke, our Vice- President and current Chair of Forum, and Sheena Cruickshank, our Public Engagement Secretary, will also finish their terms of office at our AGM in December. The BSI owes an enormous debt of gratitude to all three for the time, energy and care they have put Anne Cooke Sheena Cruickshank into bringing their expertise to bear to develop our strategy, guide our activities position of Chair of Forum.