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Mark your calendars for yEFIS 1st symposium: 10-11 Nov 2022, MDC Berlin!
The yEFIS 1st Symposium: Shaping the Future of Immunology in Europe is happening in-person and will be held on November 10-11, 2022 at the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) in Berlin, Germany. We invite early career researchers (ECRs) including junior PIs, postdocs and graduate students to participate in the first immunology meeting in Europe organised by and for ECRs.
This first edition will bring together young researchers for:
- Oral presentations and posters on basic, translational and clinical research related to immunology
- Keynote lectures from invited speakers
- And finally, workshops and panel discussions allowing exchange and networking.
Prepare to present your original research in-person! Registration and abstract submission are open! Click HERE.
Stay tuned for more info!
yEFIS Task Force
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Pride is not just Gay Pride & a Rainbow
‘’Each time a person in a discriminating minority stands up for themselves, without knowing it possibly, without claiming it, they stand up for all other members in that community.’’ (Adapted by Maya Angelou).
June is LGBTQI+ Month- Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ or LGBTQI+ adds "intersex" to the definition). Pride month is presently celebrated each year in the month of June to honor the 1969 Stonewall uprising in Manhattan. The Stonewall uprising was a tipping point for the gay liberation movement in the United States. In the United States the last Sunday in June was initially celebrated as gay pride day, but the actual day was flexible. In major cities across the nation the day soon grew to encompass a month-long series of events. Today, celebrations include pride parades, picnics, parties, workshops, symposiums, concerts and LGBTQI+ pride month events attract millions of participants around the world. Memorials are held during this month for those members of the community who have been lost to hate crimes or HIV/AIDS. The purpose of the commemorative month is to recognize the impact that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals have had on history locally, nationally and internationally.
June is Pride Month, and for some companies the annual exercise in rainbow-washing switching gear in order to monetize the LGBTQI+ community, in order to indicate progressive support for LGBTQI+ equality (and earn consumer credibility)—but with a minimum of effort or pragmatic result. An article by the BBC (“Business: The Economy: The Pink Pound”) suggested that “upwards of 90% of gay people support businesses which target pink money, while actively boycotting anti-gay companies” . Ironically, often the same corporations that change their logos to rainbow-themed ones are the same corporations that are financing groups and politicians who are actively pushing for the setback of trans and queer rights.
Why Is Rainbow Washing Damaging?
The commodification and monetization of the Pride flag (a flag that represents the Queer community’s long history of resilience against oppression and strife) has had a watering down effect on Pride as an event. In some people’s minds, Pride has become more about brand deals, sponsorships and celebrity appearances, rather than amplifying queer voices and raising awareness for LGBTQI+ issues. It’s also damaging because it misleads well-intentioned people into thinking they’re supporting the LGBTQI+ community, when in reality they are lining the pockets of multi-billion dollar corporations.
An organization’s support should be year-round and uplift queer employees year-round. Their support should be transparent (clear mission statement). Their support should be measurable (has outcomes), and their policies should align with some (e.g., UN) standards of conduct. They should address community issues (take feedback) and also offer paid opportunities for queer folk. Last but not least, the organizations/companies should speak up to impact anti-LGBTQI+ policy and legislation. Hence, today more than ever, it is of vital importance to be reminded of the purpose of this commemorative month beyond commercialization back to its origin` the recognition of the impact that lesbian gay bisexual and transgender individuals have had and have been having to date in all parts of EU and the world. We should apply concrete initiatives or steps instead of just posting rainbows, such as:
- Rally and advocate on behalf of LGBTQI+ rights and protections, in every country our companies/organizations operate in.
- Invest in greater resources, financial, community, and mental health support, and infrastructure for LGBTQ+ communities where our offices are located.
- Amplify the voices of our LGBTQI+ employees, customers, users, and local communities.
- Establish workplace cultures that do not alienate, patronize, or attempt to monetize queer experiences.
Today, more EU countries are pushing forward for equality by giving due recognition and protection for people’s lived realities. Unfortunately, it’s not all good news: The Rainbow Map and Index presents a picture of what the policy landscape is like currently, click here for more details: Rainbow Europe 2022.
There is an increase in companies/organisations and even EU research grants claiming they advance a culture of Inclusion and Diversity to drive innovative solutions as well as that they embrace and encourage employees’ & researchers’ unique identities often tagged along with some rainbow. We, as young immunologists, should be critical similar to our research and dare to challenge these words and ask to actually see the actions of those promises or guidelines. To ask how exactly these are applied in a working environment, in a research institute in the industry or academia. To dare to see what has failed so far but also what can we learn and improve. Equity and equality should not be just fancy words in a grant nor a company website. Discrimination is the act of making unjustified distinctions between people based on the groups, classes, or other categories to which they belong or are perceived to belong. Pride eventually one way or another affects us all.
Visibility matters: The article A conversation with the co-founder of 500 Queer Scientists published in Science elaborated on why & how visibility matters. It is hard to see yourself in a career where you do not see other people who are like you. Like in any discriminating minority, for individuals, it may feel easier or safer to keep their head down and not speak up. Nevertheless, it helps the community to have role models who create visibility and raise issues into public discussion. The 500 Queer Scientists is an initiative helping with such conflicts.
LGBTQ+ STEM Berlin is another great example of active groups of people promoting queer visibility in science, technology, engineering & math. Studies have reported and published that there is 20% less representation of LGBTQI+ professionals in STEM fields while 40% of LGBTQ+ STEM community remains closeted at work. Feel free to join them and follow @lgbtqstemberlin on Twitter.
What is Pride truly to its core?
Pride is not a marketing ploy nor a brand holiday. Pride is not a rainbow-themed party. Pride is a call to remembrance. Pride is for intersectional inclusivity. Pride is here because of trans* BIPOCs. Pride is a riot, and it affects all people and sexualities. Pride is a symbol to respect those parents back in 1973
but also today marching in support of their LGBTQI+ kids. To me Pride is being humble for the privileges it has given us today and hopefully tomorrow.
To all young and old immunologists out there
Christos Nikolaou
YI-DGFI Board member & yEFIS Task Force Member
On behalf of yEFIS equity & diversity working group
LINK to download the article
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Let's celebrate the International Day of Immunology 2022 !!
Your Coronavirus Vaccine Questions Answered!!
Watch HERE (English version)
Other languages:
Dutch
French
German
Greek
Italian
Spanish
Turkish
The first question comes from Shakya from Italy and she asks how vaccines can protect us from getting sick with COVID19 - watch HERE for our short explainer!
Next up is Samuel from France who is asking about side effects of the COVID19 vaccines in kids - watch HERE what we answered!
Salomé from France is wondering if cats can get vaccinated against COVID19 - WATCH the video to learn more.
Last but not least, not about vaccines but nevertheless a very important question at the beginning of summer in the northern hemisphere: Algi from Turkey wanted to know why we get red bumps after mosquito bites! Watch HERE!
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2022 Day of Immunology: Immunopaedia early career researchers.
The International Day of Immunology (DoI) is celebrated every April 29 as a way of bringing immunology out of the labs and into the hearts and minds of the general public.
For the 2021 and 2022 #DayofImmunology, the International Union of Immunological Societies (IUIS), the European Federation of Immunological Societies (EFIS), young EFIS (yEFIS), and Immunopaedia have collaborated to produce short videos celebrating immunology using the #ThankYouImmunology.
The aim of the project is to celebrate the monumental achievements of immunologists the world over. Thanks to everyone who participated and helped to make such great projects.
We hope that you enjoy watching and #ThankYouImmunology!
(202) 2022 #ThankYouImmunology project introduction - YouTube
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Happy Women's Day to all Women in Science!!
Proud to have these great scientists as yEFIS members!
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2022 International Women's Day - yEFIS highlights outstanding women vaccine researchers
Click HERE to read the full article!
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Dear yEFIS members,
the yEFIS will celebrate the international women’s day on March 8th.
Did you receive any recent prize? Grant? Or maybe published a paper? Got a new position? Please share with us! Contact us via email hidden; JavaScript is required so we can celebrate this day with you, by highlighting your success on social media and yEFIS website.
All we need is your picture, the name of your lab, and a small text summarizing your awarded project/paper/new position.
Don't hesitate to add a link related to your article, grant, or new position!
Deadline: February 25, 2022.
We look forward to hearing about your achievements!
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Letter to editor from the young Dutch Society of immunology (yNVVI Career development WG) about PhD careers published on Nature.com: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-021-03695-w
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Open call for young immunologists in Europe: yEFIS is planning its first conference by and for ECR in 2022. Do you have experience in organising scientific events or want to learn how to? Contact us @ email hidden; JavaScript is required and join us to make yEFIS festival 2022 a big success!
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ACTERIA Prizes awarded by EFIS - Singling out Europe’s young talents in Immunology & Allergology
The call for applications for the 2022 ACTERIA Doctoral Thesis Prizes in immunology and allergology is now open!
Deadline for submission of applications: December 31st, 2021!
LINK
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On 21st Oct 2021 we had our first yEFIS General Assembly!
If you missed it, please click here:
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Read all about yEFIS in the new issue of EJI: "Joining forces to support ECRs in career and life".
LINK
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yEFIS at ECI2021
The yEFIS is excited to host a panel discussion at the ECI in September 2021.
We will hear from the Research Programme Officer at the European Research Council about funding opportunities for young researchers, followed by a panel discussion about career options outside of academia. You can find more information here and on the ECI website.
We look forward to an interactive session!
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Let's celebrate the EJI's 50th Anniversary in the new EJI issue!
LINK
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DGFI YI Elections 2021
Welcome to the new DGFI YI board 2021-2023!!
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yEFIS Elections 2021
Congratulations to the new yEFIS spokespeople Rami Bechara and Nathaniel Saidu and to the new yEFIS treasurer Myriam Nabhan
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Read all about yEFIS in the new issue of EJI: "One year of Young EFIS: achievements and future directions".
LINK
Let’s celebrate the International Day of Immunology 2021!!-
Let's kick off this year's #DayofImmunology taking place on April 29! We joint forces with EFIS, IUIS & Immunopeaedia to create the #ThankYouImmunology video campaign.
Tune in on April 29 to hear what yEFIS members had to say! LINK
British Society for Immunology (BSI)
Croatian Society for Immunology (HID)
French Society for Immunology (SFI)
- Your Coronavirus Vaccine Questions answered-
SHIZUO AKIRA
BRIGITTE ASKONAS
WILLIAM COLEY
PAUL EHRLICH
KATALIN KARIKO
ELIE METCHNIKOFF
FAITH OSIER
LOUIS PASTEUR
SHIMON SAKAGUCHI
OZLEM TURECI
