The eleventh International Congress of Immunology and Allergy was held in Tehran at the Milad Tower Convention Center. The Iranian Association for Immunology and Allergy (IAIA)hosted this great event in which over 2 thousand students and faculty members from Iran and more than 20 international scholars took part. Although it was the 11th time that the IAIA had convened this biennial event, this Congress was spectacular for its organization, scientific content, participation and venue. The Milad Tower is one of the unique touristic attractions in Tehran which harbors many cultural and social attractions.
The opening session included a panel in which I was invited to speak about the Emerging Challenges of Immunology in the world and in Iran.
I mentioned some of the theoretical challenges of immunology as an exciting and rapidly advancing science . I spoke about some of the theorems that have drastically changed in the recent years, in areas such as proteomics and genomics . I also mentioned the interdisciplinary nature of the science as one of the leading biomedical fields in research.
After mentioning emerging topics in vaccines, cancer, autoimmunity and AIDs , I pointed to some of the advances and challenges we face in Iran. I mentioned a
Science Metrix report of 2010 that considers scientific growth of Iran based on ISI publications to be 11 times the global growth rate, thus amounting to the highest in the world. Budgetary constraints and the general morale of academia which has declined drastically after the disputed elections in 2009 are major impediments for advancement I noted. In conclusion I also made note of the fact that sanctions should not be directed against nations and should not target the academia. I ended my speech by stressing upon the need for just Peace as a prerequisite for sustainable development and scientific advancement in the world.
That was a great speech
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