Professor Asghar Aghamohammadi (1951-2020)

Professor Asghar Aghamohammadi, the founder of the Immunology and Genetics Journal, passed away on November 14th, 2020, at the age of 69. We were terribly shocked by his death due to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), while he had been working continuously and actively until late October, before his admission to the hospital because of an infection by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Professor Aghamohammadi was born in 1951 in Khouzestan Province, Iran. After completing his primary education in Ahvaz, he studied medicine in Mashad University of Medical Sciences and Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences. After graduating in 1978, he joined the Red Crescent Organization in Iran. Afterwards, he continued his education in pediatrics in 1984, followed by a fellowship in clinical immunology and allergy in 1988. Consequently, he became the faculty member in the Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Medical Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, where he dedicated all his life researching on the Primary Immunodeficiency Diseases (PIDs), by making the infrastructure for increasing the general awareness about PIDs, conducting fundamental research on PIDs, and facilitating the diagnosis and treatment of patients with PIDs. Professor Aghamohammadi established the “Iranian Association for PID Patients Support”, the “Iranian Primary Immunodeficiency Diseases Registry (IPIDR)”, “Research Center for Immunodeficiencies”, “Iranian PID Network”, and the “Immunology and Genetics Journal”. His international collaborations and hard works, along with his honesty, are some of his landmarks, which made him one of the world’s scientists top 1%. This is what the young generation should learn from him. The international PIDs communities, including the European Society for Immunodeficiencies (ESID), the Clinical Immunology Society (CIS), the International Patient Organization for Primary Immunodeficiencies (IPOPI), the Jeffrey Modell Foundation (JMF), and the J Project respect him a lot and cannot forget his amazing efforts in the field of PIDs for all these years. We all at the Research Center for Immunodeficiencies (RCID) and the Immunology and Genetics Journal (IGJ), are still in shock and cannot imagine continuing without him. We will not forget that the father of the PIDs in Iran was a remarkable scientist. He will remain in the minds and hearts of all those who were close to him. May his name be always remembered with respect and love.

Lessons Learned in Allergy and Immunology Training: A Survey Analysis

Background: There is currently little Canadian data to assess how well traditional time-based residency training programs have prepared residents for careers in Clinical Immunology and Allergy (CIA). This study aims to identify the perceived preparedness of residents in various areas of practice upon the completion of a Canadian CIA residency training program. Methods: In the summer of 2020, an electronic survey was sent to 2018 and 2019 graduates of Canadian CIA training programs by the Canadian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (CSACI). Results: Former residents felt well prepared in most Medical Expert areas. Residents felt less prepared for the intrinsic roles of Leader, Communicator, Collaborator, Health Advocate, Scholar, and Professional. The majority of the intrinsic competencies were learned through mentorship and on the job after finishing training. Conclusions: Upon completion of training, Canadian CIA residents felt well prepared for many competencies, particularly in Medical Expert areas. Training programs may wish to focus on various intrinsic competencies in order to better prepare residents for transition to practice. Academic half-day was not identified as a primary learning centre for intrinsic competencies, suggesting that new teaching strategies may be required.

RAACI’s position paper: vaccination of patients with allergic disease PID and HAE against COVID-19.

One of the key tasks of the last year is to stop the spread of COVID-19 infection (an abbreviation of the English COronaVIrus Disease 2019), which caused a pandemic that led to the deaths of more than 4 million people around the world, and caused more than 140 thousand deaths in Russia. COVID-19 is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 (2019-nCoV) virus of the coronavirus family. Vaccination plays a leading role in ending the pandemic. Currently, 5 vaccines against COVID-19 have been registered in Russia: Sputnik V, Sputnik light, EpiVacCorona, EpiVacCorona-Н, СoviVak. The short follow-up period and the absence of randomized placebo-controlled trials of COVID-19 vaccines in certain groups of patients with chronic diseases cause a large number of questions about the effectiveness/safety of vaccination in these groups of patients. Taking into account the wide spread of allergic diseases and the heterogeneity of patients with allergopathology, experts of the Russian Association of Allergology and Clinical Immunology have developed and approved a position document on vaccination of patients with allergopathology.

History of the Collegium Internationale Allergologicum: A Very Special Society Devoted to Allergy and Immunology

The Collegium Internationale Allergologicum (CIA) was founded on 15 October 1954 in London by a group of 48 international allergists and immunologists from 18 countries of all continents, among them such distinguished scientists as Carl Prausnitz-Giles, Sir Henry Dale, Paul Kallos, and many others. Contrary to other international associations in the field, this Collegium limited the number of members in order to allow more intense and open discussions in “the humble spirit of scientific enquiry, friendly cooperation, good fellowship and professional relationships in the field of allergy” as stated in the statutes. It is not possible to apply for membership, and one has to be proposed by at least 2 CIA members and invited to present at least once at a symposium. Over the decades, a rhythm of biannual symposia developed, the 32nd held in Palma de Mallorca in October 2018. These symposia went around the world from London, Rome, Copenhagen, New Orleans, Puerto Vallarta, Nantucket, Hakone, Konstanz, Goeteborg, and Sorrento, just to name a few places. Preferably they were held on islands such as Capri, Corfu, Martinique, Curacao, Bornholm, Malta, and Ischia in order to make it more difficult for people to arrive late or leave early. It is expected that participants stay over the whole length of the 5-day symposium. On these symposia, it is good custom to also present unpublished data, so participants get the latest news. The most important developments in the field of Allergy and Clinical Immunology have been discussed at early stage and sometimes by speakers who later won the Nobel Prize. While all presentations are equal, be it oral communications or posters, there are 3 special lectures, namely the Carl Prausnitz lecture, the Paul Kallos lecture, and a “Relaxing from Immunology” lecture which can be devoted to any interesting topic not necessarily related to medicine or allergy. Since many years, the contents of the symposium are published in a proceedings volume, over a longtime printed within the “International Archives of Allergy and Immunology” which until now is the official journal of the Collegium. Participants agree that in the flood of more and more scientific congresses and larger events, the CIA Symposia are unique in their openness and friendly scientific interchange.