SMI President's Message

This time of year is often one of transitions – either welcoming in cooler temperatures as a reprieve from the heat of summer, or a promise of new growth to come. Similarly, the Society is welcoming our own transition as we open our 2022 Board of Councilors elections on March 31st. This year brought forward a significant number of dedicated members, and we encourage you to take time to review all candidate profiles on the SMI website prior to casting your ballot. All elected board councilors are voting members of the board, tasked with the full responsibility of developing the strategic direction of the Society, along with monitoring the Society’s financial health, and supporting our mission, vision and objectives. As members, we ask that you weigh these responsibilities when reviewing the candidates and casting your ballot.

Aiding the board in our responsibility to set the strategic direction of SMI, you will also be receiving our annual member survey soon. This survey will take no more than 10 minutes to complete, and your feedback will be reviewed by the board as we work this year to establish or reaffirm our strategic plans and goals for the next four years. Your input on the programs, member benefits and opportunities available for SMI is crucial as we review, discuss and establish our plans to keep growing the society, our membership and our overall impact on and support of the mucosal immunology scientific community.

In the next few months, we will also be issuing a call for volunteers to serve on the SMI Committees. These are great opportunities to make connections with other SMI members and leaders and influence the work of the Society. Committee rosters will be confirmed for a term start in late July, following ICMI, and more information on the different committees and their responsibilities will be circulated in the coming weeks.

I’d like to also encourage you to register now to join us in Seattle, Washington, USA this July 16-20 for ICMI 2022. The scientific program has been announced, and can be reviewed on the SMI website here. We are also currently accepting late-breaking abstracts, which will be considered for oral presentation, and encourage you to submit yours before April 5th for an opportunity to present your science this year. Early-bird registration rates are currently available, the lowest registration rate offered to attend this year’s meeting, a savings of $100 if you register by May 13th. Visit the SMI website today for full information on this year’s meeting, including registration, key dates and other important information. Many thanks to our International Program Committee for your work on this year’s congress, and I hope to see you in Seattle in July.

Kind Regards,

Michael McGuckin, PhD

SMI President