History

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Following a number of informal consultations, the International Union of Immunological Societies was officially founded at a meeting in Brugge (Belgium) on May 5, 1969 by the representatives of 10 Societies (American Association of Immunologists, British Society for Immunology, Canadian Society for Immunology, Dutch Society for Immunology, Gesellschaft für Immunologie, Israel Immunological Society, Polish Society of Immunology, Scandinavian Society for Immunology, Société Française d’immunologie, Yugoslav Immunological Society). The representatives of the Australian Society for Immunology and the Swiss Society of Allergy and Immunology were unable to attend but expressed support, and their societies were later accepted as founding members of the International Union of Immunological Societies (IUIS).

The IUIS Constitution prepared by the Council was formally approved by the First General Assembly of the IUIS, which was held in Washington on July 30, 1971. This General Assembly also elected the IUIS officers and a new Council for the period 1971-74, according to the rules of the IUIS Constitution. New Officers and Council Members were elected for 3-year periods in Brighton (July 1974), Sydney (July 1977), Paris (July 1980), Kyoto (August 1983), Toronto (July 1986), Berlin (July 1988), Budapest (August 1992), San Francisco (July 1995), New Delhi (November 1998), Stockholm (July 2001), Montreal (July 2004), Rio de Janeiro (August 2007), Kobe (2010), Milan (2013), Melbourne (2016), Beijing (2019), online in 2022, and Cape Town (2023).

In 1976 the IUIS was accepted as a member of the International Council of Scientific Unions (now the International Council for Science) (ICSU), which is the highest international organization for interaction between scientific unions.

Officers

President: Bernard Cinader (1971-74), John Humphrey (1974-77), Michael Sela (1977-80), Baruj Benacerraf (1980-83), Alain L. de Weck (1983-86), Gustav J.V.Nossal (1986-89), Jacob B. Natvig (1989-92), Henry Metzger (1992-95), Tomio Tada (1995-98), Fritz Melchers (1998-2001), Philippa Marrack (2001-04), Rolf Zinkernagel (2004-07), Peter Doherty (2007-10), Stefan Kaufmann (2010-2013), Jorge Kalil (2013-2016), Alberto Mantovani (2016-2019), Faith Osier (2019-2022), Miriam Merad (2022-2025).

Vice-President: John Humphrey (1971-74), Michael Sela (1974-77), Baruj Benacerraf (1977-80), Alain L. de Weck (1980-83), Gustav J.V. Nossal (1983-86), Jacob B. Natvig (1986-89), Henry Metzger (1989-92), Tomio Tada (1992-95), Fritz Melchers (1995-98), Philippa Marrack (1998-2001), Rolf Zinkernagel(2001-04), Peter Doherty (2004-07), Stefan Kaufmann (2007-10), Jorge Kalil (2010-2013), Alberto Mantovani (2013-2016), Faith Osier (2016-2019), Miriam Merad (2019-2022), Rita Carsetti (2022-2025).

Secretary-General: Alain L. de Weck (1971-77), Jacob B. Natvig (1977-83), Henry Metzger (1983-89), Ruth Arnon (1989-92), Keith James (1992-98), Anne Kelso (1998-2001), Mohamed Daha (2001-10), Seppo Meri (2010-2016), Roslyn Kemp (2016-2022), João P. B. Viola (2022-2025).

Treasurer: Peter A. Miescher (1971-77), Alain L. de Weck (1977-80), Henry Isliker (1980-83), Jacob B. Natvig (1983-86), J. Douglas Naysmith (1986-92), Paul Nieuwenhuis (1992-98), Josef Smolen (1998-2001), Marianna Newkirk (2001-10), Nick King (2010-2016), Michael J.H. Ratcliffe (2016-2025).

Councillors

1971 – 1974 H. Ambrosius, G.L. Asherson, A. Bussard, G.N. Cooper, S. Dray, B.D. Jankovic, H. Metzger, I. Moraru, J.B. Natvig, K.W. Pondman, H.G. Schwick, M. Sela, M. Simonsen, S. Slopek, Y. Yamamura.

1974 – 1977 H. Ambrosius, J-C. Cerottini, G.N. Cooper, S. Dubiski, M. Feldman, J. Gergely, B.D. Jankovic, J. Lisowski, H. Metzger, I. Moraru, J.B. Natvig, D.M.V. Parrot, K.W. Pondman, G. Voisin, O. Westphal, Y. Yamamura.

1977 – 1980 N. Allegretti, R. Arnon, J-C. Cerottini, J. Dausset, S. Dubiski, T.E.W. Feltkamp, J. Gergely, L. Jager, I. Lepow, O. Makela, J. MacLennon, J.F.A.P. Miller, D.M.V. Parrot, K. Rother, T. Tada, M. Zembala

1980 – 1983 R. Arnon, A. Capron, E. Clerici, T.E.W. Feltkamp, B.D. Jankovic, J.F.A.P. Miller, J.D. Naysmith, F. Ortiz, K. Rother, A.R. Sanderson, C. Steffen, A. Sulica, T.Tada, G.P. Talwar, J.W. Uhr, M. Zembala.

1983 – 1986 P.J.A. Capel, A. Capron, B. Cinader, E. Clerici, M. de Sousa, J. Gergely, W.J. Halliday, M.W. Hess, J.D. Naysmith, F. Ortiz, P. Perlmann, W. Ptak, A. Sulica, J.W. Uhr, J. Wybran, Y. Yagi.

1986 – 1989 G.L. Asherson, R. Ashman, S.X. Chen, B. Cinader, M.D. Cooper, M. de Sousa, J. Gergely, M.W. Hess, T. Kishimoto, L. Moretta, P. Nieuwenhuis, C.D. Pasqualini, P. Perlmann, M. Seligmann, G.P. Talwar, I. Witz.

1989 – 1992 G.L. Asherson, J. Bienenstock, S.X. Chen, M.D. Cooper, A. Coutinho, M. Fougereau, C. Geczy, R.H. Gisler, H. Kirchner, T. Kishimoto, L. Moretta, P. Nieuwenhuis, C. Pasqualini, R. Petrov, J. Thorbecke, A.S. Tillkalnen.

1992 – 1995 R. Arnon, P.A. Cazenave, W.F. Chen, M. de Sousa, G. Doria, R.H. Gisler, J. Ivanyi, J.R. Kalden, K.L. Knight, N.K. Mehra, R. Miller, G.G. Petranyi, R.V. Petrov, T. Sasazuki, G.R. Shellam, J.Sterzl.

1995 – 1998 R. Arnon, J.-C. Cerottini, W.F. Chen, M. de Sousa, G. Doria, A. Ferreira, C.M. Hawrylowicz, J.R. Kalden, R. Miller, I. Nath, R. Petrov, T. Sasazuki, G.R. Shellam, J. Sprent, E. Shephard, J. Sterzl.

1998 – 2001 M.C. Béné, M. Miyasaka, M. Daha, M. Moore, L. Dent, M. Newkirk, A. Ferreira, A. Örn, E. García-Latorre, M. Röllinghoff, P. Kincade, E. Shephard, R. Leke, H. Tlaskalová, J.-C. Cerottini, S. Sirisinha

2001 – 2004 M.C. Béné, L. Dent, E. Garcia-Latorre, P. Kincade, R. Leke, N. Mehra, C.J.M. Melief, M. Miyasaka, M. Moore, M. Newkirk, A. Nieto, A. Orn, M. Roellinghoff, S. Ress, S. Sirisinha, X. Xu.

2004 – 2007 E. Bell, G.C. Faure, O. Finn, G. Gavilondo, J. Kalil, S.H.E. Kaufmann, M. Letarte, N. Mehra, C.J.M. Melief, S. Meri, C. Parish, S. Ress, S. Romagnani, E. Sibanda, K. Takatsu, D. Zheng

2007 – 2010 S. Romagnani, C. R. Parish, D. Zheng, K. Takatsu, G. C.A. Faure, A. Dieye, E. N. Sibanda, A. Erdei, O. Finn, R. A.W. van Lier, S. Meri, C. E. Rudd, J. Kalil, C. M. Riera, M. Letarte, R. E. Schmidt .

2010 – 2013 O. Boyer, A. El-Gohary, A. Erdei, A. Mantovani, M.J.H. Ratcliffe, C.M. Riera, F. Ronchese, R. Schmidt, X. Cao, M. Carneiro, A. Dieye, J.A. Frelinger, S. Koyasu, D. Lopes, C. Rudd, R.A.W. van Lier

2013 – 2016 A. G. Bexter, O. Boyer, P. Castagnoli, A. El-Gohary, J. A. Frelinger, D. Gray, W. Hanekom, W. He, D. Kabelitz, S. Koyasu, R. Mebius, N. Mehra, W. F. Pickl, M. J. H. Ratcliffe, J. Santana da Silva, L. Santos-Argumedo

2016 – 2019 G. Bishop, A. Cooke (’16-’18)/G. Entrican (’18-’19), N. Das, L. F. García, R. Josien, D. Kabelitz, J. A. López Ramírez, R. Mebius, L. Ochola, H. Ostergaard, W. F. Pickl, M. R. Barbouche, J. Santana da Silva, A. Santoni, Y. Takahama, Z. Tian

2019 – 2022 A. Ager, M.R. Barbouche, M. Barral Netto, S. Baruah, G. Bishop, T. Chikovani, J. de Vries, L. F. Garcia, J. A. López Ramírez, L. Ochola, H. Ostergaard, A. Santoni, L. Santos Argumedo, T. Sparwasser, Z. Tian, U. Widermann-Schmidt.

2022 – 2025 A. Ager, A. Badou, P. N. Boyaka, S. Costa Oliveira, G. Deniz, J. de Vries, S. Jallow, R. A. Kemp, M. Maccioni, M. Mesdaghi, K. Moro, J. H. Reed, L. Santos Argumedo, T. Sparwasser, U. Wiedermann-Schmidt, JC Zúñiga-Pflücker.

Committee Chairs

  • Clinical Immunology: J.B. Natvig (1973-77), M. Seligmann (1976-86), R. Thompson (1986-89), Z.H. Bentwich (1989-92), J.L. Fahey (1992-98), J. Kalil (2001-04), S. Romagnani (2004-10), R. Schmidt (2010-2021), P. Miossec (2021-current)
  • Education: E. Haber (1971-74), R. Hamers (1974-80), M. Fougereau (1980-86), F. Celada (1986-92), A. Örn (1992-98), G. Milon (1998-2004), M. Letarte (2004-2018), D. Kabelitz (2018-2023), C. Gray (2023-current)
  • Nomenclature: S. Dray (1971-74), Z. Trnka (1974-80), B. Cinader (1980-83), K.F. Austen (1986-89), M.D. Kazatchkine (1989-95), M.W. Turner (1995-2004), L. Boumsell (2004-10), P. Engel (2010-2016) M. van Zelm (2016-2022), Jamie Scott and Rick Goodman (2022-2023), J. Scott and C. Kemper (2023-current)
  • Publications: G. Möller (1981-86), E. Liew (2017-18), R. Carsetti (2019-current)
  • Quality Assessment and Standardization: M. Raynaud (1971-74), R.E. Ritts (1974-86), J.R. Kalden (1986-92), W. Knapp (1992-95), J. Smolen (1995-98), R. Valenta (1998-2016), L. Andrade (2016-current)
  • Veterinary Immunology: W.J. Herbert (1980-86), B.N. Wilkie (1986-92), B. Charley (1992-98), J. Lunney (1998-2004), J. Naessens (2004-07), W. Hein (2007-2013), G. Entrican (2013-2019), C. Rogel-Gaillard (2019-2023), A. Capozzo (2023- current)
  • Inborn Errors of Immunity (previously Primary Immune Deficiency): B. Gaspar (2013-2015), K. Sullivan (2015-2018), S. Tangye (2017-2023), I. Meyts (2023-current)
  • Gender Equality: O. Finn (2010-19), P. Ricciardi-Castagnoli (2019-2023), S. Knapp and R. Kemp (2023- current)
  • Immunotherapy: C. Rudd (2015-2018), M. Teixeira (2018-2023), J. Martin (2023- current)
  • Vaccine: U. Wiedermann (2017-current)
  • Symposia: B. Askonas (1971-74), K. Rajewsky (1974-77), M. Raff (1977-80), H. Metzger (1980-83), F. Melchers (1983-86), H. von Boehmer (1986-89), D.B. Wilson (1989-92)

Regional Federation Presidents

  • EFIS: A. Bussard (1974-77), C. Steffen (1977-80), J. Gergely (1980-83),R. Arnon (1983-86), M.W. Hess (1986-89), A. Capron (1989-92),K. Eichmann (1992-95), I. Pecht (1995-98), W. Knapp (1998-2000), S. Romagnani (2000-2003), F.Y. Liew (2003-2006), S. Kaufmann (2006-2009), C. Sautes-Fridman (2009-2012), L. Moretta (2012-2015), R. A.W. van Lier (2016-2018), A. Radbruch (2019-2021), F. Sallusto (2022-current)
  • ALACI: L.C. Giraudo Conesa (1984-87), N. Mendez (1987-90), A. Ferreira (1990-92), E. Garcia-Latorre (1992-96), A. Nieto (1996-1999), Jorge V. Gavilondo (1999-2002), C.M. Riera (2002-2004), J.D. Lopes (2004-2007), J.L. Aguilar Olano (2007-2012), L.F. Garcia (2012-2015), L. Santos-Argumdo (2016-2019), O. Perez (2019-2022), E. L. Malchiodi (2022-current)
  • FAIS: A.G. Tumbo-Oeri (1992-94), C.E. Anyiwo (1994-97), R.G.F. Leke (1997-2000), E. Sibanda (2000-2003), A. Dieye (2003-2006), M. El-Gohary (2006-2009), W. Hanekom (2009-2013), T. M. Kariuki (2013-2014), H. Masmoudi (2014-current), H. Mwandumba (2017-2021), P. T. Ngom (2021-current)
  • FIMSA: G.P. Talwar (1992-95), R. Scollay (1995-96), T. Sasazuki (1996-2000), Sirisinha (2000-2004), K. Takatsu (2004-2007), N. King (2007-2012), X. Cao (2012-2015), S. Koyasu (2016-2018), L. Mackay (2018-2021), S. Arora (2021-current)