The President's Message

Dear Members of the Association,

Esteemed Colleagues,

I am deeply honored and delighted to have been elected as the President of the Turkish Society of Immunology for the 2025–2028 term, an association that has made significant contributions to the advancement of immunology in Turkey, has a rich history, and celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2024. Taking on this responsibility is both a great honor and a significant privilege, as it offers an opportunity to further the field of immunology and contribute to the preservation of immune system health. I sincerely thank each of you for your trust and support.

The progress our society has achieved today is due to the dedicated work of our past presidents and board members. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to all our previous leaders. In the new term, together with our young and dynamic Board, we aim to undertake initiatives that will propel our society even further.

Immunology plays a critical role in a wide range of fields, from understanding the evolutionary process of living organisms to diagnosing and treating immune-related diseases. The increasing importance of translational immunology once again demonstrates how basic science and clinical applications complement each other. In this term, we will steadfastly continue our efforts to support fundamental scientific research and strengthen the role of immunology in clinical practice.

Our society will continue to be a platform where participants from various disciplines, including researchers, clinicians, students, and scientists, can come together to share knowledge, develop new projects, and foster collaborations. We plan to develop various projects to further highlight the vital role of immunology in healthcare, particularly in vaccine research. Additionally, we will continue to organize scientific meetings and educational programs to strengthen interdisciplinary interaction and increase collaboration among immunologists in our country.

We place great importance on international collaborations. In this regard, we will work on deepening our relationships with international stakeholders, particularly with the European Federation of Immunological Societies (EFIS) and the International Union of Immunological Societies (IUIS). We aim to expand our collaborations with other clinical immunology associations to create a greater impact both scientifically and clinically.

We also believe that immunology should have a stronger presence in medical education. In the new term, we will take strategic steps to open new departments in addition to existing ones, and to ensure that basic immunology knowledge is more effectively integrated into medical education. At the same time, we will take an active approach in addressing the challenges faced in the context of current healthcare practices and legal regulations.

As always, supporting young researchers and fostering the development of qualified scientists will remain among our top priorities. I firmly believe that, with your contributions and ideas, we will build a stronger future.

In the new term, our doors will always be open to you. By sharing our knowledge and experiences, we will contribute together to the advancement of science and health. This is a relay race, and we are responsible for passing on the baton to the next generation in a stronger position. I would like to reiterate that your support is invaluable to us in this journey.

I wish you all a productive, inspiring, and fulfilling new term.

With my respectful regards.

L. Arzu ARAL
President, Turkish Society of Immunology