We are excited to report that the First CIS North American Primary Immune Deficiency National Conference was a tremendous success! The Conference was held from May 20 - 23 at the Sheraton Society Hill in Philadelphia, PA. We expected about 300 meeting delegates to attend this Conference and over 400 came to attend! This speaks volumes to the need and interest of a primary immune deficiency focused meeting here in the U.S.
We also anticipated receiving about 70 abstract submissions and we received over 145 abstracts. Of these abstracts, 44 were programmed as oral abstracts and 55 were invited to present a poster. In addition to the abstract presentations, 43 speakers were invited to give talks in their respective fields.
This year's exhibit hall accommodated 11 exhibiting companies which included: Baxter, Binding Site, BioRx, CSL Behring, Grifols, Immune Deficiency Foundation, Octapharma, Patient Services, Inc., Talecris, US BioServices, and ViraCor - IBT Laboratories.
The success of this meeting could not have been accomplished with out the efforts of Drs. Charlotte Cunningham-Rundles and Kate Sullivan. The two chairs worked tirelessly to promote the meeting and work with our supporters to gain their interest.
We also want to thank the Organizing Committee for their efforts. The members of the Organizing Committee included: Mark Ballow, MD; Jack Bleesing, MD PhD; Jean-Laurent Casanova, MD PhD; Javier Chinen, MD PhD; Mary Ellen Conley, MD; Maite de la Morena, MD; Dewton de Moraes Vasconcelos, MD PhD; Thomas Fleisher, MD; Ramsay Fuleihan, MD; Steve Holland, MD; Kari Nadeau, MD PhD; Luigi Notarangelo, MD; Hans Ochs, MD; Joao Bosco Oliveira, MD; Jordan Orange, MD PhD; Elena Perez, MD PhD; Jason Raasch, MD; Nick Rider, DO; Kimberly Risma, MD PhD; Elizabeth Secord, MD; Ralph Shapiro, MD; Daniel Suez, MD; Troy Torgerson, MD PhD; Stuart Turvey, MD PhD; and Gulbu Uzel, MD.
In addition, we would like to extend our sincerest gratitude to all the supporters who helped make this Conference possible. Our supporters included:
- Platinum supporters: Baxter, CSL Behring, and Talecris Biotherapeutics
- Silver supporters: Grifols and Octapharma
- Bronze supporter: Jeffery Modell Foundation
- Collaborating Partners: The Binding Site, Immune Deficiency Foundation, NIAID/NIH, NICHD/NIH, and the Robert A. Good Immunology Society
Scientific highlights from the meeting included the keynote talk by Dr Alain Fischer, who has identified mutations in new genes necessary for lymphocyte survival and normal functions. This meeting also provided for the first frank discussion of transplantation for various immune deficiencies including DOCK8 deficiency. There was also vigorous debate about the role of transplantation for high-risk patients with common variable immune deficiency. This meeting was also notable for multiple presentations on the technology, the success, and the limitations of gene therapy. One last area which was well represented at the meeting was the role of new technologies and the changing face of clinical immunology. It is clear that newborn screening, gene therapy, whole transcriptome sequencing, and improved transplantation strategies will transform the day to day practice of clinical immunology. This meeting provided the first consolidated discussion of these transformative technologies.
Building on the success of the first Conference we have planned the 2nd CIS North American Primary Immune Deficiency National Conference for May 17 - 20, 2012 in Chicago.
Mark your calendars as we hope to see you in Chicago in 2012!