Year: 2021
Type: article
Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic has disturbed the economic and social life across the world. Scientists, just like everyone else, were left with uncertainty and anxiety. Of those, young and early career immunologists were dealing with prolonged university and research laboratory lockdowns, cancelled conferences and career development instability. Thus, there is a major and unmet need for new actions that support young scientists. Luckily, over the past years, several European associations of young immunologists have been launched. This was followed by the establishment of the young European Federation of Immunological Societies (yEFIS) [1, 2]. These events facilitated the creation of the French Club of Young Immunologists (FCYI), under the auspices of the French Society for Immunology (SFI), to promote an ecosystem that brings together French-trained young immunologists working in France or abroad (Fig. 1, 2). In this article, we introduce our one-year old club and describe our past, ongoing and future activities (Fig. 3). It has been a year since the FCYI was first created taking advantage of the boom in virtual meeting users. This club aims to support the next generation of immunologists working in France or abroad after being initially trained in France and ensure that they have access to resources that sustain and highlight their work. The response of the scientific community to our call has so far been phenomenal, and it is always great to meet enthusiastic young researchers willing to participate in FCYI activities. Indeed, the FCYI includes to date 112 members working mainly in France (Fig. 2 A, B). FCYI members work in various topics related to immunology such as oncoimmunology, neuroimmunology, allergy, and autoimmunity as well as mucosal immunity. This highlights the interdisciplinarity environment that the FCYI is trying to create (Fig. 2 C). In principle, FCYI members are required to join the SFI to be able to benefit from FCYI actions. As a consequence, SFI memberships increased after the creation of the FCYI, which illustrates a highly dynamic environment permitted by the involvement of French young immunologists in their national society. Such interactions not only benefit the SFI but also give young scientists the opportunity to interact with their senior inspiring peers. In addition, the FCYI works in tight collaboration with the yEFIS to gain more visibility and create a cross-fertilizing platform with other European young societies. Scientists nowadays are turning to social media to promote their research and establish their network. Hence, the FCYI uses multiple social media platforms (e.g., Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram) to communicate with members, highlight cutting-edge research, announce prizes and share activities. With around 800 followers, the FCYI also engages with a broad audience, which constitutes an excellent tool for maintaining international connections. Young scientists may often be reluctant to expose their work or do not have the opportunity to attend meetings. Yet, good communication skills are expected to be able to succeed in science. Therefore, the FCYI created a series of monthly webinars dedicated for graduate students and postdocs to present their work. In total, 5 graduate students and 5 postdocs, distributed over 4 different webinars, were able to present their work, covering different aspects of innate and adaptive immunity (Fig. 3). Of those, three young immunologists were selected to present at the national SFI webinar: "Les Jeudis de la SFI", a strong opportunity offering great visibility with around 200 scientists attending the meeting. Importantly, the FCYI managed to get their own sponsors to cover the cost of the virtual platform for the national SFI webinar, which has contributed to the successful outcome of the meeting (Fig. 3). Similarly, the FCYI launched a series of webinars focused on innovative technologies (e.g., highly multiparametric spectral– and mass–cytometry, scRNAseq, immunometabolic profiling by SCENITH) lead by young scientists working in France. More precisely, keynote speakers were invited along with a graduate student or postdoc to present their work (Fig. 3). We believe that these focused free of charge webinars kept young immunologists updated with the innovative science as well as provided them with the ability to connect with inspiring scientists in an informal manner. The FCYI is committed to recognize young immunologists achievements. Accordingly, the FCYI launched the "Best PhD article" monthly award following an initiative of the SFI. Every month, one recently published study conducted by a PhD student is selected by the FCYI board members and highlighted on social media and SFI website (Fig. 3). From these selected PhD papers, SFI members will vote for the best one in September. The winner will receive a waived registration free grant to attend the SFI annual meeting where they will have the opportunity to present their work at the plenary session of young immunologists. Besides organizing webinars and highlighting young immunologists works, the FCYI took a step further and engaged with public outreach to increase awareness about the immune system (Fig. 3). Indeed, the FCYI coordinated multiple activities that can influence and improve kids' education and knowledge regarding immunology and biological science in general. Accordingly, the FCYI created a short movie featuring kids and their perceptions on Immunology and the COVID-19 pandemic (see here the video). This video campaign was launched on the International Day of Immunology (April 29th) and has grown beyond our initial expectations, as well as beyond the French borders. The number of viewers on social media continue to increase with more than 4000 viewers. Following this event, the FCYI members participated in live interactive sessions with students in elementary and middle schools from several cities in France that accepted to receive us after contacting their director by email or phone (e.g., Paris, Marseille and Nantes). Our sessions were focused on the immune system, infections (including COVID-19) and vaccination. Although our outreach program took some effort to prepare teaching material and implement an effective collaboration with schools, it was rewarding to receive all the positive feedback from the audience, including teachers and directors who have already invited us to renew our outreach program next year. Finally, we are happy to share by email with teachers or other societies engaged in public outreach the prepared FCYI teaching materials (videos and ppt files) on the immune system and vaccination. These courses and videos have been quite largely broadcasted and very well perceived (even in the USA at Hingham High School, Massachusetts). Because of the overall positive feedback that the FCYI outreach program has received, our national society SFI decided to participate in the best public relations campaign covering the Day of Immunology, an award from the International Union of Immunology Societies (IUIS) and European Federation of Immunology Societies (EFIS) and where only the national societies are eligible to apply. The FCYI will pursue the webinar series for PhD/Postdocs in the future as well as implement a series of career-focused workshops (Fig. 3). We believe that more actions should be taken to introduce young scientists to non-academic jobs whether in private industry, public policy, or scientific journalism. In addition, the FCYI will oversee a plenary session dedicated for young immunologists during the SFI annual conference taking place in Paris in December 2021. The FCYI also plans to hold their first in-person event where the club's members can meet and discuss science. Our past and current activities will lay the groundwork for future collaborations with other French and European societies aiming to promote young researcher careers. Taken together, we believe that young scientists and science itself, have a lot to gain by becoming involved in national societies. Being the voice of French junior immunologists provides the opportunity to engage in national decisions that support early-career development and will hopefully continue to play a stimulating role in the French scientific community. We thank SFI, FCYI and yEFIS members for their support as well as the different institutions that relay our events.
Source: European Journal of Immunology
Institutions: University of Pittsburgh, Inserm, HIPI - Immunologie humaine, physiopathologie et immunithérapie, Institut de recherche Saint-Louis, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie et Immunologie Intégrée Nantes Angers, Université de Nantes, Nantes Université, University College Dublin, Fred Hutch Cancer Center, Aix-Marseille Université, Centre d’Immunologie de Marseille-Luminy
Language: English
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W3202940671