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Mission Statement
The
mandate of the Canadian Society for Immunology is to foster and support
Immunology research and education throughout Canada.
About
Us
The Canadian
Society for Immunology (CSI) is an organization that fosters and
supports Immunology research throughout Canada. Founded in 1966, the
society provides a focal point for Canadian Immunology by organizing an
annual
spring meeting that alternates between the west and the east
of the country. One of the highlights of the annual meeting is the
Cinader Award lecture, named in honor of Hardi Cinader, a founding
member of CSI and its first president. The Cinader
award is given to a Canadian scientist who
exemplifies distinguished scientific leadership and accomplishments in
Immunology. The CSI also recognizes scientific excellence via a number
of other awards
including the CSI investigator awards, poster awards, and travel awards
that allow graduate students, post-doctoral fellows and new
investigators to attend the annual CSI meetings as well as
international immunology meetings. The CSI lobbies for Immunology
research funding in Canada, in part through its membership in the Research
Canada. The CSI also acts as a liaison for
communication between its membership and national funding agencies such
as the CIHR Institute for Infection and Immunity. CSI was one of the
founding members of the International
Union of Immunological Societies (IUIS) and
participates in international events through this umbrella
organization. Canada hosted the 6th and the 12th IUIS International
Congress of Immunology meetings in Toronto in 1986 and in Montreal in
2004. The CSI also collaborates with the American Association of
Immunologists and sponsors a symposium at
their annual meetings. The Canadian Society for Immunology is managed
by a council
consisting of a President, past president, vice president,
treasurer/secretary, six councilors, and a member responsible for
outreach. CSI currently has more than 250 members representing
universities, hospitals, and research institutes across
Canada.
What is Immunology
Immunology is the study of the immune system, a
physiological system that protects an organism from infection. Research
in immunology is important in understanding both human and veterinary
diseases. The immune system protects individuals from infection and is
the reason vaccines work. The immune system can also contribute to
diseases, such as allergy, hypersensitivities and autoimmunity. For
example, Type I diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis are major autoimmune
diseases. Genetic defects as well as diseases such as AIDS and cancer
can lead to immunodeficiencies. The immune system is a barrier to organ
transplantation, but can help in the fight against cancer. Immunology
research encompasses both discovery of fundamental mechanisms
underlying healthy and unhealthy immune responses and application of
this knowledge to improve prevention and treatment of disease.
Immunology as a discipline has provided many broadly important research
tools, such as monoclonal antibodies and flow cytometry that are used
in diagnostics and treatment of many diseases.
Members of the CSI Council
The
CSI Executive and Council members are elected by full CSI members and
serve a two year term. The CSI Executive consists of the President,
Vice-President, Treasurer-Secretary and Past President. The CSI Council
consists of six members. The current CSI Executive and Council Members
are as follows:
CSI Executive and
Council Members 2011 - 2013
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