Further information

 

For any other questions regarding ASI, please read our FAQ page, or contact the ASI Secretariat.

 

 

 

 

Website queries:

For questions relating to this Website, please contact Judith Greer.

 

 

 

Forthcoming speakers:

 

 

In October, 2008:

 

 

A/Prof. Steve Reiner
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, USA

 

Abstract:

 

Dr Reiner studies various aspects of T cell immunity with a particular focus on molecular mechanisms of T cell function including how expression of specific transcription factors can determine lineage specific function. He has published over 80 papers with a large proportion appearing in high-ranking journals such as Science, Nature Immunology, Immunity and the Journal of Experimental Medicine. More recently he described a potential mechanism, termed asymmetric division, for how a single naďve T cell can generate both memory and effector cells. This paper, published in Science last year, resulted in a complete re-evaluation of how T cell memory is established. Importantly, the mechanisms controlling immune cell lineage commitment and function are broadly applicable to many areas of immunological research.

 

Itinerary:

 

Date City
5-7 October Wellington
7-9 October Brisbane
10-14 October Melbourne
14-17 October Sydney

 

Visit Host: Dr Stephen Turner, University of Melbourne.

 

 

 

In October/November, 2008:

 

 

Professor Wayne M. Yokoyama
Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis
and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, USA

 

Abstract:

 

Prof. Yokoyama is a leading scientist in the field of NK research, in particular the role of NK in viral infections and autoimmune diseases. His contributions include over 200 publications on NK mediated lysis in tumour and viral models investigating the role of NK ligands and receptors responsible for tolerance to self-antigens.

 

Itinerary:

 

Date City
20-21 October Canberra
21-22 October Adelaide
23 October - 2 November Perth
4-5 November Sydney

 

Visit Host: Dr Guna Karupiah, ANU.

 

 

 

In November, 2008:

 

 

Prof Hans-Georg Rammensee
Department of Immunology at the University of Tübingen
Germany

 

Abstract:

 

Prof. Rammensee is arguably the most influential immunologist in the development of our current understanding of the MHC- peptide complex formation. His contributions in the early 90’s paved the way to the field of epitope prediction and vaccine design currently applied to all fields of immunology. His research established the motifs required for binding to MHC class I and II which were to become the key instrument in epitope prediction and subunit vaccine development, available from the SYFPEITHI database.

With support from the Australian Centre for Vaccine Development (ACVD, Brisbane) we have now secured the visit of Professor Rammensee to Australia in November.


Professor Rammensee's current research interest continues to dissect the properties of epitopes presented by MHC class I and II molecules with a specific emphasis on clinical applications. With over 300 papers published his seminal papers on epitope prediction count amongst those more often cited in immunology. Here is a selection of the publications of his group since 2000.

Selected Publications since 2005 Rock, F., K. P. Hadeler, H. G. Rammensee, and P. Overath. 2007. Quantitative analysis of mouse urine volatiles: in search of MHC-dependent differences. PLoS ONE 2:e429. Rammensee, H. G. 2006. Some considerations on the use of peptides and mRNA for therapeutic vaccination against cancer. Immunol Cell Biol 84:290. Rammensee, H. G. 2006. Peptides made to order. Immunity 25:693. Pascolo, S., F. Ginhoux, N. Laham, S. Walter, O. Schoor, J. Probst, P. Rohrlich, F. Obermayr, P. Fisch, O. Danos, R. Ehrlich, F. A. Lemonnier, and H. G. Rammensee. 2005. The non-classical HLA class I molecule HFE does not influence the NK-like activity contained in fresh human PBMCs and does not interact with NK cells. Int Immunol 17:117-122. Dengjel, J., O. Schoor, R. Fischer, M. Reich, M. Kraus, M. Muller, K. Kreymborg, F. Altenberend, J. Brandenburg, H. Kalbacher, R. Brock, C. Driessen, H. G. Rammensee, and S. Stevanovic. 2005. Autophagy promotes MHC class II presentation of peptides from intracellular source proteins. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 102:7922.

 

Itinerary:

 

Date City
19-21 November Brisbane
24 November Wellington
25-26 November Melbourne
27 November Adelaide

 

Visit Host: J Alejandro López, Queensland Institute of Medical Research

 

 

 

 

 

 

Purpose of the visiting speaker program

 

ASI will sponsor the visit of international speakers (Immunologists working overseas who are world-recognised authorities in their field of research) under two categories: a) ASI Visiting Speaker, coming from overseas and b) ASI Sponsored Speaker, already in Australia/New Zealand. The selection of the candidates will be made twice a year by the ASI Council and number of sponsored visitors will be decided according to the yearly budget. It is suggested that there would be two in category a) and two in category b) per year. The information about this program will be widely advertised in the ASI newsletter and website.

 

 

Coordination

 

The program will be coordinated by the ASI-VSP coordinator, a state councillor elected for two years by council and announced in the website. He/she will interact with the hosting member/branch, which will be responsible for the organisation of the visit.

 

The coordinator will circulate the information about the nominated visitors amongst the State councillors and will gather the interest expressed by the Branches to be presented in the Council, twice a year.

 

The coordinator will authorise the payment by the treasurer to the host member upon receiving original tax invoices for the transactions. He/she will also be responsible to produce and deliver the corresponding certificate and thanking letter to be signed by the ASI president.

 

 

ASI Visiting Speaker Program (VSP) coordinator 2008/9:

 

A/Prof J. Alejandro Lopez
Queensland Institute for Medical Research
300 Herston Rd
Brisbane QLD
E-mail: alejL@qimr.edu.au

 

 

Guidelines for applying for funds for visiting speakers

 

  1. Member who wants a speaker chooses person, makes brief argument. A half- page description of the contribution of person to the field, a list of recent major publications and a time frame of the visit.
  2. Member approaches Visiting Speakers coordinator, who finds two (in the case of sponsored), or three (in the case of Invited) other branches in different cities who sign on as hosts in those cities.
  3. Visiting Speakers coordinator submits application to Executive, with details of speaker and other hosts.
  4. Executive, approves (or not) applications as they come in (this is done by e-mail).
  5. Member gets OK and invites speaker – including a cover letter with the details of the offer.
  6. Member provides list of cities that have agreed (which speaker encouraged to present at) + list of other venues should speaker choose additional cities (they can swap if they want, as long as they do the requisite number)
  7. Speaker must take up offer with one year of approval.

 

 

Terms of offer

 

The ASI will cover a maximum of A$5,000 for the category a) (below) and A$2,000 for category b) to cover refundable economy airfares, transportation within the home country and appropriate travel insurance. In addition, every hosting branch will receive A$150/night, to a maximal of 3 nights required for the ASI visit. The hosting member (Branch) will be responsible of procuring funding to cover any additional expenses.

 

 

Specific descriptors

 

a) ASI Visiting Speaker

  1. Nominations can be made by any ASI member willing to host and coordinate the visit.
  2. Nominations are made by email to the coordinator at any time and should include a brief justification (short CV/ major publications)and a time frame of the visit
  3. Speaker must be visiting 4 or more cities, including two of Perth, Adelaide, Hobart, Brisbane, any NZ city
  4. Speaker must not have been supported in past 3 years as an ASI visitor

 

 

a) ASI Sponsored Speaker

  1. Nominations can be made by any ASI member willing to host and coordinate the visit.
  2. Nominations will be addressed to the ASI Visiting speaker coordinator at any time. He/she will seek interest in the proposed speaker from the branches and will present the information to the ASI executive who will make decisions depending on budgetary constraints
  3. Preference will be given to speakers visiting 3 or more cities/centres