• B cells in autoimmunity
• Autoantibodies in human diseases
• T cell costimulation
• Complement activation and regulation
• Cytokines in immunopathology and therapy
• Imaging of immune cell function
• Immunology of bacterial infections

Speakers

• Miodrag Lukic, Kragujevac         
• Seppo Meri, Helsinki
• Annette Gospos, Luebeck
• Moncef Zouali, Paris
• Bernhard Fleischer, Hamburg     
• Hannes Stockinger, Vienna
• Gerald Stanek, Vienna
• H. Joachim Seitz, Hamburg,
• Narinder K. Mehra, New Delhi    
• Hans-Willi Mittruecker, Hamburg

Concept of the School

The primary aim of this summer school is to teach immunology to young investigators in immunology from South-East Europe, i.e. Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia, Montenegro, Kosovo, Albania, Macedonia, Bulgaria and Romania. This region needs help to establish a state-of-the-art immunology. Infrastructure and equipment of most of the institutes of immunology in the South of this region are still underdeveloped, but immunological societies in these countries have been or are being formed.
Another aim of the school is to foster contact of these young investigators with other immunological societies. They will meet foreign speakers both from abroad and from other countries in the region, and also young investigators from the region. The region also urgently needs a network of immunologists between the different countries. The common interest in immunology will be a bridge for mutual communication.

The topic of the school is "Concepts in Immunology". Lectures will deal with current concepts in immunology that are of special importance for basic but also for clinical immunology. The last school has shown that many participants have a medical background. Also controversially discussed topics will be presented. To provide an optimal discussion the participants will form small working groups according to their knowledge and interests that will be guided by the speakers. Methodological aspects will also be discussed, and a practical microscopy course will be organized by Euroimmun. Presentation of the work of the young investigators themselves in a special workshop is an important part of the school.

Three previous EJI-EFIS immunology schools were held in Ohrid, FYR of Macedonia, Dubrovnik, Croatia and Kragujevac, Serbia. They got a very positive feedback from the participants. One reason to hold the fourth school in Sarajevo, in the Middle of South Eastern Europe, is that we hope that this location will also allow other young investigators from other countries of the South to participate (Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro, Macedonia and Greece) that were less represented in the last schools. But the school is of course open to all young immunologists from the entire region.

Further information: www.bnitm.de/SEEIS2012