Prof Sunil Arora of PGIMER elected President of an International Organization
Prof Sunil K Arora, Professor in the Dept. of Immunopathology and Head Department of Translational & Regenerative Medicine PGIMER, Chandigarh has been elected as President of the Federation of Immunological Societies of Asia-Oceania (FIMSA) for the next three years. FIMSA is an umbrella organization founded in 1992 to advance the science of Immunology in the Asia-Pacific region. All immunological Societies and Associations within the Asia-Pacific region who are members of the International Union of Immunological Societies (IUIS) are eligible to become members of FIMSA. Current members include Australia & New Zealand, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, India, Iran, Japan, Korea, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, Thailand, and Sri Lanka. Societies and Associations not eligible for membership can become Observers. Current observer societies within FIMSA include Bangladesh, CIS, and Russia.
FIMSA aims to promote close contact and interaction between immunological societies of the Asian and Oceania regions and facilitate the exchange of scientific information and personnel by Promoting communication and collaboration between immunologists in the region by Organizing workshops and conferences in the field of immunology. Conducting educational programs, training courses and promoting the exchange of scientists in the overall interest of the advancement of immunology in the region. Facilitate the exchange of technologies and reagents within the region. Supporting the publication of journals, monographs, etc.
It is the first time that any Immunology scientist from India has been elected as the President of this organization, which was earlier headed by Immunologists from Australia, Japan, and China. Prof Arora, who is also currently the President of Indian Immunology Society, plans to overhaul the functioning of FIMSA and facilitate the conductance of academic programs in those countries of the region also, which have been less represented. He has the vision to promote the science of Immunology at the grass-roots level among school and college students and teachers. Immunology subject has recently become very important as the scientists working in this field are the ones instrumental in designing and making vaccines against many emerging infectious diseases including coronavirus.
