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BSI and UKPIN merger proposal announcement

Logo for the BSI-CIPN featuring a circle concept with the text British Society for Immunology Clinical Immunology Professional Network

The British Society for Immunology is delighted to announce that we are intending to merge with the UK Primary Immunodeficiency Network (UKPIN). This will result in the establishment of a new, professional network for clinical immunology within the BSI – the BSI Clinical Immunology Professional Network (CIPN). The merger is in the final stages of approval and is hoped to take effect before the end of this year.

The BSI-CIPN will fully represent all aspects of clinical immunology practice in the UK. It will deliver better support for the immunology community to network and engage with each other across many disciplines, building closer links between clinical practitioners and basic scientists. It also combines the expertise of the BSI and UKPIN to strengthen the voice of clinical immunology in policy and the public arena to increase the impact of our work in advocating for the care of patients with immunodeficiencies.

The inaugural meeting of the BSI’s CIPN will take place in Liverpool on Monday 5 December 2022 alongside the BSI Congress. The programme will feature presentations from leading experts in the field on the latest advances in clinical science and patient care and will be the first opportunity for members of the network to come together. Please note this meeting is for healthcare professionals only. You can find out more here

UKPIN has achieved much since its formation to bring together the clinical immunology community. Through this merger, we hope to provide an even stronger platform for clinicians, healthcare professionals and scientists to engage and share best practice.

We greatly value the support of our membership and hope that you share our enthusiasm and ambition for this next step to further the mission of the BSI and deliver our strategic plan to support our immunology community in driving scientific discovery and making a positive impact on health.


Professor Arne Akbar, President of the British Society for Immunology, said:

“This merger marks an exciting milestone for the British Society for Immunology. It promises to create more networking and engagement opportunities in the clinical sector, strengthening the BSI’s ongoing mission and increasing our reach within the immunology community.”

 

Dr Sinisa Savic, Chair of UK Primary Immunodeficiency Network (UKPIN) & incoming Chair of BSI-CIPN, said:

“We are delighted to be joining forces with the BSI to form this innovative, integrated professional network. This will allow us to continue to provide for the evolving needs of those working in the clinical immunology space and build on our work to improve standards across the practice.”

 

Dr Suzanne Elcombe, Secretary of UK Primary Immunodeficiency Network (UKPIN), said:

“By bringing the UKPIN and BSI membership together to create a representative and visible network for clinical immunology, the community will benefit from a stronger voice and increased engagement between our different fields, supporting our aligned objective of improving care for patients.”

 

Professor Colin Dayan, Clinical Secretary of the British Society for Immunology, said:

“The BSI’s Clinical Immunology Professional Network is an important move forward to provide a stronger, holistic platform for clinical immunologists of all backgrounds to collaborate and share best practice.”


If you have any further questions about the merger between BSI and UKPIN and how it might affect you, please take a look at our FAQs.