Primary Immune Deficiency Consortium Conference

Clinical Immunology Society, Milwaukee WI

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

This grant is for fellows' and faculty travel and expenses related to holding Clinical Immunology Society (CIS) Primary Immune Deficiency Consortium Conferences, 2006, 2007, and 2008. The first NIH supported Primary Immune Deficiency Consortium Conference was held May 2005 in Boston, and was highly successful. This current grant request will provide the funding to support travel for the participants and assist with program development for a further 3 years. Additional funding will be solicited from pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. The mission of the CIS Primary Immune Deficiency Consortium Conferences are to capitalize upon a mentoring program already in place to train young investigators in the diagnosis and treatment of primary immunodeficiency diseases in intensive meetings in a setting that encourages interactive participation. The CIS, in collaboration with the USIDNet Consortium funded by the National Institutes of Health, will develop another intensive one day course to be held in June 2006 in San Francisco, California. Two subsequent meetings will be held in 2 other continental US major cities to coincide with the first day of the highly successful FOCIS meetings to amplify participation by a wide audience. The topic of these conferences will be Primary Immunodeficiency, and will include geared towards more senior fellows in training, junior faculty, as well as noted experts in the field. The primary goal is to continue to advance education on the diagnosis, molecular defects, complications, and treatment of these complex immune deficiency diseases. The secondary goals are to develop the careers of new scientists in this area of academic medicine; and to enhance awareness of Clinical Immunology and its importance in scientific discoveries and clinical applications. The third set of goals is to stimulate future collaborations between young investigators in different medical centers and countries, and between new investigators and experienced physician/scientists in the field. These conferences will include formal presentations, case and panel discussions with new investigators and experienced faculty. Participants at each conference will include twenty (20) faculty and sixty (60) young investigators. Principle topics will focus on: Diagnosis of Immunodeficiency; Genetics, Immune Reconstruction, and the Use of Standard and Novel Therapies.