Great success of immunologists at World Congress in Beijing

Team of MedUni Vienna brings Congress of the International Union of Immunological Societies to Vienna

At the 17^th International Congress of Immunology in Beijing with more than 6000 participants from 89 countries, the team Rudolf Valenta, Barbara Bohle and Wilfried Ellmeier applied in the name of the Austrian Society for Allergology and Immunology (ÖGAI) for the organization of the 19^th World Congress in 2025 in Vienna. In a two-stage evaluation process lasting over a year, the Austrian team prevailed over the short-listed competitors – Paris and Toronto – after a brilliant presentation followed by three top-placed ballots.

Furthermore, Ursula Wiedermann was re-appointed as chair of the vaccination committee of the International Union of Immunological Societies (IUIS) and additionally elected to the Council of the IUIS. In addition, Hannes Stockinger was appointed chairman of the gender and equal treatment committee of IUIS. The long-time Council member Winfried Pickl resigned from the Council due to the re-election restriction stipulated in the statutes, but remains a member of the vaccination committee.

All actors are members of the Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, the largest organizational unit for translational research of the Medical University of Vienna.

The IUIS is the umbrella organization for all regional and national immunological societies around the world. There are currently 83 national member associations, which are subdivided into four continental regional associations: Europe, Latin America, Africa and Asia-Oceania. Direct members are the USA and Canada. Overall, IUIS represents more than 60,000 immunologists worldwide. The goals are the organization of international cooperation in immunology, the promotion of communication between the various branches of immunology and the advancement of immunology in all its aspects.

The next International Congress, held every 3 years, will take place in Cape Town from 15 to 20 August 2022.

_{Winfried Pickl, Ursula Wiedermann, Wilfried Ellmeier, Barbara Bohle, Rudolf Valenta, Hannes Stockinger}