Activities and Public Relations
Our interest is offering our members a platform to realize their initiatives, for the advancement of research and education in immunology. The following is a short overview of our main activities. We strongly encourage everyone to get involved and to present additional ideas to the board.
It is our aim to promote awareness of immunology among decision makers from science and education as well as among the public.
Day of Immunology
As an example, EFIS brought the annual Day of Immunology (DOI, April 29th) into being, which is now celebrated worldwide. Click here to read reports on our previous DOI activities.
Your Amazing Immune System - How It Protects Your Body
EFIS translated and distributed a book targeting children and lay people for the DoI 2009: “Your amazing Immune System - How it protects your body” from Japanese to English. It is available for free download at www.immunology-info.org.
Anyone interested in translating and publishing the book in further languages has to go through this call to qualify for the EFIS support, and must accept all included terms and conditions that were negotiated between EFIS and Yodosha.
To ensure a good quality of translation, each applicant will have to find an adequate translator and must select at least 3 professional immunologists who agree to supervise the translation and to approve the final version.EFIS will cover the copyright costs, but unfortunately cannot fund the costs of translation and publication. We suggest that National Societies seek sponsors from the private sector to cover these costs.
Short Cuts for Immunology
With the competition Short cuts for Immunology, we sought an audience that is not exclusively science-oriented. We offered an award to the best short film concept featuring the importance of immunology. The movie "The Immunology Knight" was introduced to the public at the opening ceremony of ECI 2009. EFIS is now inviting everyone to watch, download and distribute it widely! Please access it via www.immunology-info.org .
European Newswire
We have recently subscribed to the European newswire Alphagalileo to be able to distribute your input directly to the European press.
Focus on young talent
Young scientists may apply for our travel grants and fellowships. Participation in scientific congresses as well as lab exchanges allows junior scientists to tap the full educational potential of the European immunology environment. EFIS encourages immunologists to bring their knowledge to the classroom. We award the most original and innovative ideas and support their realization. Developing a sense of curiosity for immunological topics among children today will likely impact research in the field of immunology in the future. In this regard, EFIS has published an educating and entertaining book on immunology, which is suitable for children. You can download a pdf of the book here: www.immunology-info.org. The Japanese Society of Immunology has published the original for the Day of Immunology in 2008.
If you have additional ideas for the website www.immunology-info.org, a page on immunology, intended for laypeople, please send us your proposal! We invite all EFIS members to share their teaching material with each other.