organized by The Department of Immunology of the Institute of Biomedical Sciences of the University of São Paulo for Latin American graduate students.
Organizers: Dr Lourdes Isaac and local committee

The “IInd São Paulo Latin American Course” and Symposium “Research Advance and Progress in Immunology” were held in the Department of Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, Brazil. The main goal of this course was to promote the study of Advanced Topics in Immunology to young graduate students in Brazil and other Latin America through the participation and interaction with renowned immunologists from Brazil and around the world. A total of 35 students chosen from 150 applicants, participated in all lectures and discussion of selected papers. Two students were from Peru, 1 from Uruguay, 1 from Mozambique studying in Sao Paulo, and several from other states of Brazil, including 2 from Bahia, 1 from Pernambuco, 1 from Parana, 2 from Minas Gerais, 2 from Rio and 5 from the State of São Paulo, and 18 from the city of São Paulo. Nearly 130 participants attended the Symposium, including the students enrolled in the course. The symposium was also broadcasted live through the site www.iptv.usp.br so that other students and immunologists could attend the seminars from a distance.

The course had the participation of 6 invited immunologists: three from overseas – Dr. Mohamed R. Daha, Dr. Gordon Brown and Dr. Yvette van Kooyk – and three from Brazil – Dr. Veral Lucia Garcia Calich, Dr. Claudia Brodskyn and Dr. João Santana da Silva. Each professor gave a 90 minute Master-Class followed by intensive study sessions where important papers were discussed. Of equal importance was the unique opportunity for the students to interact with the lecturers. The main lectures were on : Innate Immune Response to Fungi; TLRs and Immunity to Fungi; Innate Recognition Receptors; Complement System: Linking Innate to Acquired Immune Response; Innate and Acquired Immunity to Protozoan.

The Symposium had the following lectures: The innate recognition of fungal pathogens and susceptibility to disease; Dendritic Cells in Resistance and Susceptibility to Paracoccidioides brasiliensis infection; Dendritic cells and C-type lectin receptors: coupling innate to adaptive immune responses; Pathogenic role of auto-antibodies against complement components in systemic lupus erythematosus; Innate immunity to Trypanosoma cruzi infection; Challenges and perspectives in vaccination against leishmaniasis.