Mission Statement
The mandate of the Canadian Society for Immunology is to foster and support Immunology research and education throughout Canada.
About Canadian Society for Immunology (CSI)
The Canadian Society for Immunology (CSI) is an organization that fosters and supports Immunology research throughout Canada. Founded in 1966, the society provides a focal point for Canadian Immunology by organizing an annual spring meeting that alternates between the west and the east of the country. One of the highlights of the annual meeting is the Cinader Award lecture, named in honor of Hardi Cinader, a founding member of CSI and its first president.
The Cinader award is given to a Canadian scientist who exemplifies distinguished scientific leadership and accomplishments in Immunology. The CSI also recognizes scientific excellence via a number of other awards including the CSI investigator awards, poster awards, and travel awards that allow graduate students, post-doctoral fellows and new investigators to attend the annual CSI meetings as well as international immunology meetings. The CSI lobbies for Immunology research funding in Canada, in part through its membership in the Research Canada.
The CSI acts as a liaison for communication between its membership and national funding agencies such as the CIHR Institute for Infection and Immunity. CSI was one of the founding members of the International Union of Immunological Societies (IUIS) and participates in international events through this umbrella organization. Canada hosted the 6th and the 12th IUIS International Congress of Immunology meetings in Toronto in 1986 and in Montreal in 2004.
The CSI also collaborates with the American Association of Immunologists and sponsors a symposium at their annual meetings. The Canadian Society for Immunology is managed by a council consisting of a President, past president, vice president, treasurer/secretary, six councilors, and a member responsible for outreach. CSI currently has more than 250 members representing universities, hospitals, and research institutes across Canada.
