Greetings
Dear Colleagues,
It is our great pleasure to announce that the annual meeting of the Japanese Society of Molecular Cell Biology of Macrophages (MMCB) will be held in Wakayama on May 25th and 26th, 2023 as a joint meeting co-organized with the Japanese Society of Interferon and Cytokine Research (JSICR). I would like to welcome your attendance at this joint meeting. Because of the close relationship between MMCB and JSICR in terms of mutual personnel exchange and research interests, we had the first joint meeting between the two societies, organized by Prof. Kouji Matsushima held in Kanazawa in 2017. Then we also had the second joint meeting, which was also held successfully in Tokyo in 2022. Based on these achievements, the two societies will co-organize the annual meeting again in 2023 to aim for further fruitful collaboration.
In the past decades basic immune systems, including cytokine networks and innate immune sensors, have been revealed. Dysregulation of immune systems was found to be closely related to or cause various pathological states including not only autoimmunity but also other diseases such as inflammation, metabolic disorders, or neurodegeneration. However, we recognize how the current understandings are immature and should pave “the path towards understanding immunopathology”, which is the main theme of this meeting.
Only two paths have so far been registered as world heritages and one of them, Kumano Kodo, “Sacred sites and pilgrimage routes in the Kii Mountain range”, stretches through this year’s meeting place, Wakayama. We will invite distinguished speakers from Japan and abroad and are looking forward to hosting a fruitful meeting.
We hope that we can control the COVID-19 pandemic in May 2023 and sincerely encourage your participation and discussion on site in Wakayama.
Sincerely yours,
Tsuneyasu Kaisho, MD., PhD
Chair, The 29th International Symposium on Molecular Cell Biology of Macrophages (MMCB2023)
Department of Immunology, Institute of Advance Medicine, Wakayama Medical University
Dear Colleagues,
It is with great pleasure that we invite you to the 87th Annual meeting of the Japanese Society of Interferon and Cytokine Research (JSICR) to be held in Wakayama on May 25 and 26, 2023, as a joint meeting with the 29th International Symposium on Molecular Cell Biology of Macrophages (MMCB).
JSICR and its predecessors, the Society for Viral Inhibition Factors (founded in 1961) and the Society for Interferon Research, have been leading interferon and cytokine research in Japan for a long time. Our interest is not only cytokines and interferons, but also related immune research, such as allergy, autoimmunity, anti-cancer immunity, host–pathogen interactions, cellular signaling, immunometabolism, and immune cell development, to advance our knowledge of immune mechanisms for novel diagnostics and disease treatments.
The main theme of this year’s meeting is “The path towards understanding immunopathology”. The meeting provides outstanding symposiums held as the JSICR/MMCB 2023 joint symposium by invited international speakers who present their recent findings on immunopathology and the development of novel therapeutic interventions for diseases including COVID-19.
Wakayama is a beautiful bayside city close to many historical and spiritual places in Japan, such as the UNESCO World Heritage Sites Kumano Kodo, Koyasan, and Nachi Shrine. The venue, Wakayama-Jo Hall, is next to the beautiful Wakayama castle and close to downtown Wakayama-city.
The organizing committee is looking forward to hosting an exciting, fruitful, and enjoyable meeting in Wakayama and encourage your participation. We hope that in May 2023, the COVID-19 pandemic will be under control and look forward to welcoming you in person at Wakayama.
Sincerely yours,
Hiromitsu Hara, PhD.
Chair, The 87th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Interferon & Cytokine Research (JSICR2023)
Department of Immunology, Kagoshima University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences