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EFI 2010: 25 years of success
Reflections of the new President
Here is my first report as the new President of EFI. It is breathtaking to realize that for the next two years I will be the chair of this magnificent Society. Before starting my report I would like to thank all members who participated in the elections for the Presidency. It is a very important part of our democracy. We will have to make this procedure easier in the future by allowing voting via the EFI site. For this a change in the Articles of Association is needed (see the respective part in this issue). I took over the chair of the Society during the joint meeting of the 24th Immunogenetics and Histocompatibility Conference and the 17th Annual Meeting of the Italian Society for Immunogenetics and Transplantation Biology in Florence, Italy. The Conference was visited by more than 1,100 participants from almost all European countries and many from outside Europe including Australia, Brazil, Mexico, and the USA. It is amazing how our Society has grown and how well accepted EFI is in the Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics (H&I) world. Florence saw the 25th anniversary of EFI, and thus one could argue that we are now grown-up. The scientific sessions, including the abstract sessions, were well visited, better than anticipated, having this wonderful city of Florence on the back yard. The quality of both the plenary and the abstract sessions was excellent. Many thanks, also in the name of the membership, to the program committee and the EFI scientific committee chaired by Ronald Bontrop. It will be a challenge to top it.
The first of the many, interesting plenary sessions was dedicated to our memorable anniversary. Eric Thorsby gave a short introduction on EFI, which was followed by the founder of our society Jon J. van Rood, who presented the past “His” story of HLA and EFI finishing with his favorite topic the Non Inherited Maternal Antigens (NIMA). Peter Parham, in his talk on the “present”, showed the importance of Natural Killer (NK) cells and finally Dominique Charron illuminated the possible way EFI and our community will go in the future.
After these few introductory words on the Conference, back to the Presidency. Twelve outstanding presidents preceded. Being the thirteenth, I do not dare to mention being superstitious, which is a ‘contradiction in termini’ since I was born at the shore of the Mediterranean Sea.
My deep thanks to the now Past-President Steve Marsh and his Executive Committee, for leading our Society for the past two years. One of the questions I received throughout the meeting was: Is anything going to change? The answer is Yes and No. NO, because both Steve and myself are gadget fanatics, and YES, at least one thing will be changing, namely the use of the English language. It will become a bit more mainland-Europe English rather than British English. However, I am confident that with help of our EFI Secretary Ann-Margaret Little, heavy mistakes and other unusual use of the language will be removed. Over all, the Presidency will be under the motto of realistic optimism.
Because of the fact that EFI and H&I are moving into an era with many challenges the Executive Committee must look at the changes with a realistic but also optimistic view point.
Our H&I world is indeed moving dramatically:
1. A new improved Nomenclature for HLA has been introduced. The implementation of this nomenclature will cost a lot of efforts to the members and the Society. It is a necessity because of the description of so many new alleles which have to be named. The optimistic way of looking at this challenge is to predict that we will succeed in having the changes done in a shorter period of time than expected. I am very confident about it. Some of the abstracts submitted to the Conference already used the new nomenclature successfully. This is a good step in the right direction.
2. New diagnostic methodologies invade the laboratories creating immense data sets, but also problems. Using for example, new screening techniques for the definition of HLA specific antibodies, a prerequisite for transplantation, can create misunderstandings between laboratories. This can be seen as an example for future revolutionary changes. In a way both, EFI and ASHI, were probably too quick in implementing this type of technology in their Standards before having analysed/defined if the results of these methods are relevant for patient care and, if yes, to what extent. We will have to take the initiative to make such definitions together with the appropriate partners. Besides screening, also typing methodologies have to be seen with an open eye and an optimistic feeling. We all have to realize that many of the new diagnostic tools have been made possible by means of our expertise and work.
3. It is to be expected that the array technology will find the entry to the laboratories for patient care. EFI as a Society will observe this part and will act accordingly in case of need.
4. New (old) cell types enter the scene. Besides the in extenso discussed T and B cells the NK cells struggle to find their way in the patient care. The earlier the membership is aware of the NK cell and the way to define their polymorphism in terms of receptors the better it will be. These cells bridge the Innate Immunity to the Adaptive making the dichotomy seen in the “old” books obsolete.
5. Education possibilities offered to the membership are important tools to achieve the goal of an outstanding Society. EFI is neither a pure scientific Society nor a Society of members working on the diagnostic field only, but is a Society of Immunogenetics aficionado. WE all like what we do and at the end of the day a patient will profit from the work of all of us. It might take years until a method leaves the bench to reach the bed side but the goal will be reached. The new chair of the Education Committee, Jannis Mytilineos, will do his utmost to fulfill the requirements formulated by the Executive Committee. A close cooperation with other Societies will help us to reach that goal.
6. The third pillar of EFI after Science and Education is Accreditation. Here, the involved Committees with their respective Chairs have performed excellently. Kay Poulton (Standards), Gottfried Fischer (Accreditation) and Jon Vaage (Proficiency Testing) do their utmost to achieve the goal of reliability of the laboratories. One should not forget here the numerous members of the Committees and the Inspectors who spend their free time to help achieve this goal. Looking at the continuously increasing number of laboratories asking and receiving accreditation, and at the results of External Proficiency Testing throughout Europe, one realizes how effective this task was fulfilled. This is one of the strong parts of EFI and also one which is threatened by the European Legislation. The directive of the EU requests member states to have one national Accreditation Body. It will be up to the concerted efforts of all Committees, including the Executive Committee, to find a solution to this challenge
7. Science, Education and Accreditation are the heart and the soul of our Society but without a functioning Office many of the achieved goals would not have been reached. Here, my many thanks to Sonja Geelhoed for her input in the past and the wish of good cooperation in the future. Welcome to Ingrid Abelman, who recently joined Sonja at our EFI office.
But, what is the role of the President in all this? Well, the role of the President or my role is to lead this ship named EFI through any troubled waters and allow the membership to feast when appropriate. Please give us the first credits allowing us to find our way. The Executive Committee and all other Committees will do their utmost to bring EFI into clear waters. For now, thank you for your patience, cooperation and understanding. Have a nice summer holiday and see you soon.
Ilias Doxiadis
President
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