2024 Formosa Translational Immunology Symposium

- Purpose of the Conference -

The consensus among the organizing committee, which includes both domestic and international members, regarding this immunology conference is to serve as a bridge for the exchange of front-line immunology research between domestic and international communities. It aims to solidify the connection and cooperation between the local immunology community and international leading scholars, and to encourage young medical professionals and students to engage in the rapidly developing field of immunology. Additionally, it focuses on research directions of interest within the domestic industry, hoping to encourage the local academic and industry sectors to engage in popular areas of research. Therefore, the conference emphasizes several important areas of development in immunology, both internationally and domestically, in recent years. Through extensive exchange, it hopes to promote interaction among participants, further increasing attention and research quality on important research topics, and enhance Taiwan's reputation in the international immunology community.

The conference will focus on several key areas of immune research:

Autoantibodies Against Cytokines:
In recent years, the importance of research on autoantibodies against cytokines has become increasingly prominent, directly related to certain diseases such as SARS-COVID-2 infection and treatment, or the high prevalence of anti-gamma interferon in severe adult mycobacterial infections in Taiwan. These diseases are considered to have significant pathogenicity in many infectious diseases and autoimmune diseases. The expansion of these important and cutting-edge research areas will change the treatment and diagnosis of many diseases. Our conference has invited internationally renowned scholars such as Dr. Jean-Laurent Casanova, Dr. Anne Puel, Dr. Bruce Trapnell, among others, to share the importance of this emerging topic with the public and further strengthen research exchange and cooperation in this field.

Cancer Immunology:

Cancer immunology represents one of the biggest breakthroughs in clinical medicine in recent years and is an important direction for industrial development. We have invited Professor Hiroyoshi Nishikawa from Nagoya University, Japan, and Professor Yang Mu-Hua, Vice Chancellor of National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, to share their latest research findings with us.

Regulatory and Metabolic Immunology:

This area of research has become a highlight of basic immunological research in recent years, with profound implications for human health and disease treatment. We have invited Dr. Huang Huang-Yu, Professor Li Fan from UCSD, Professor Ho Bing-Ji from the University of Lausanne, and Distinguished Professor Shih Shi-Liang from the National Health Research Institutes, among other top Taiwanese scholars. We hope to establish mutual understanding and rapport, strengthen Taiwan's research capabilities in these fields, and inspire related translational medical research through exchanges with clinical doctors. Professor Qi Hai, Director of the Institute of Immunology at Tsinghua University, Beijing, and also an HHMI professor, is among the invitees.

Immune Cell Therapy: As a hot topic in the clinical application of immunology, cell therapy has shown tremendous potential in treating cancer and has also proven valuable in the treatment of other diseases, such as autoimmune diseases. Through this conference, we look forward to further interactions with international scholars like Professor Hao-PengWang from Shanghai Tech University and Dr. Megan Levings.

In conclusion, we hope this conference will be a journey of enlightenment, encouraging more basic and clinical researchers to engage in immunological research, especially in these fields with translational medical value. We aspire to work closely with top international scholars in the future, making a greater contribution to global immunological research.

- Expected Benefits -

1. Gain firsthand understanding of the latest advancements in immunology from world-class scholars across various fields of immunology.
2. Increase international scholars' deep understanding of Taiwan and enhance our country's visibility and international stature in both basic and clinical immunology research.
3. Invite internationally renowned scholars friendly to Taiwan to visit and actively establish exchanges and cooperation opportunities between Taiwan and these international scholars and their institutions.
4. Stimulate attention to immunology among domestic basic and clinical biomedical disciplines, attracting industrial interest in immunology.
5. Facilitate exchanges and connections between domestic scholars and clinical physicians.
6. Enhance the general public's understanding of immunology research.
7. Showcase the recent developmental achievements of immunology in Taiwan, improving Taiwan's international fame and visibility in immunology research.
8. Provide opportunities for international scholar exchanges, fostering acquaintance between domestic scholars, physicians, and international scholars, and further promoting actual international cooperation.
   

-Organizaton Committee-

Oragnizers:

Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou

Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Keelung

Center for Molecular and Clinical Immunology, Chang Gung University

Taiwan College of Rheumatology

Honorary Chairman of the Organizing Committee:

Dr. Chang-Fu Kuo, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou

Chairman of the Organizing Committee:

Dr. Huang-Yu Yang, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou

Dr. Cheng-Lung Ku, Chang Gung University

Committee     

Dr. Ming-Ling Kuo, Chang Gung University

Dr. Chia-Rui Shen, Chang Gung University

Dr. Wen-Yi Tseng, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Keelung

Dr. Chun-Chi Lu, Tri-Service General Hospital

Academic Committee   

Dr. Jean-Laurent Casanova, Rockefeller University, USA

Dr. Lifan Lu, UCSD, USA

Dr. Ping-Chi Ho, Lausanne University, Switzerland

Dr. Stanly Huang, The Ohio State University, USA

Dr. Cheng-Lung Ku, Chang Gung Univeristy