Earlier this year we announced the official launch of the BSI Clinical Immunology Professional Network (BSI-CIPN), formed as a result of our merger with the UK Primary Immunodeficiency Network (UKPIN). This new venture marks an exciting next chapter for the Society as we expand our reach into the clinical space and strengthen our support for the immunology community to network and collaborate across many disciplines.
With the aim of bridging the gap between clinical practitioners and basic scientists, the BSI Clinical Immunology Professional Network invites clinicians from different backgrounds to join the network and unlock new opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration to advance the field of clinical immunology.
The BSI-CIPN offers an inclusive and integrated platform for clinicians and scientists from diverse backgrounds to connect with fellow professionals in the clinical immunology space, exchange ideas and form partnerships that transcend traditional disease or specialty-based boundaries. The network acts as a hub for knowledge sharing and collaboration, enabling clinicians to leverage the collective learnings of experts across various disciplines. This multidisciplinary approach is essential for tackling the complex challenges of clinical immunology and driving breakthroughs and treatments for patients with immune-mediated diseases.
Being part of the BSI-CIPN grants clinicians access to a range of resources to build their skills and advance their career, including training workshops, outreach opportunities and dedicated events, including the upcoming BSI-CIPN conference in December.
The BSI-CIPN will also produce clinical guidelines to establish best practice for patient diagnosis and care and to define future research priorities.
Immunology nursing competency framework
Working together as part of the BSI-CIPN, a project group of ten Advanced Nurse Practitioners, Nurse Specialists and Nurse Consultants working in immunology around the UK recently published the first framework outlining the breadth of the immunology nurse’s role. It covers the core skills and knowledge expected of an immunology nurse working towards expert practice, from newly entering the speciality to undertaking nurse-led clinics. You can download the framework here.
As an integrated network within the BSI, the BSI-CIPN provides a strong voice for clinical immunology in policy and public affairs. By joining forces, we can make a greater impact advocating for clinical immunology in healthcare and workforce policy, research funding and public awareness. The BSI-CIPN provides clinicians with a unique opportunity to collaborate, drive forward research and improve patient care. By joining this exciting new network, clinicians gain access to valuable resources, expand their professional networks and contribute to transformative therapies.
The BSI-CIPN Conference 2023
This two-day meeting is an essential event for consultants, trainees, nurses and scientists working within clinical immunology. The agenda covers a wide range of topics relevant to clinical immunology research and practice, addressing the latest thinking around key medical, scientific, educational and management issues. Register today to hear from leading experts in the field on the latest advances in clinical science and patient care, plus unique opportunities to network with peers and industry partners.
The BSI-CIPN Conference will be held alongside the BSI Congress, which will include many sessions relevant to clinical immunology. Discounts are available for attending both events; please get in contact with our events team at cipn@immunlogy.org for further details.
Programme highlights:
- Educational sessions on genome analysis and single-cell RNA sequencing
- Sessions on allergy, diagnostics, immunodeficiency, inflammation and nursing
- Grand Round Great Debate
Early bird registration deadline:
Register before Wednesday 25 October to save money on your fees!
Who can join the BSI-CIPN?
BSI-CIPN membership is open to professionals and scientific and medical trainees working in the clinical immunology space, including:
- clinical immunologists
- allergists
- healthcare scientists
- pharmacists
- immunology specialist nurses
Join the BSI-CIPN today and become part of a dynamic community shaping the future of clinical immunology. You must be a BSI member to join the BSI-CIPN however, there is no additional cost to your membership to join the network. If you're not currently a BSI member, you can apply to join the BSI-CIPN when you sign up for BSI membership.
The BSI Clinical Immunology Professional Network is a wonderful opportunity for healthcare scientists (clinical and biomedical) to collaborate with other professionals to ensure optimal care for our patients. This BSI has a long history of driving immunology research, and this merger should enable improved translational research resulting in better diagnostics and therapies. The merger offers numerous opportunities for sharing knowledge, meeting new colleagues and expanding networks; it should benefit individual scientists as well as the clinical immunology community.
Dr Kimberly Gilmour, Consultant Clinical Scientist in Immunology, Great Ormond Street Hospital BSI-CIPN Clinical/Biomedical Scientist Representative
Optimal care for patients with immune-related conditions can only be achieved through shared expertise and teamwork. As the Nursing Representative for the BSI Clinical Immunology Professional Network, I invite immunology nurses to join us and help strengthen collaboration across the sector. By bringing together experts from across different disciplines, the network allows us to discuss clinical best practices and stay up to date with the latest research and therapeutic advances. It’s also a strong platform to establish more unified training protocols and guidelines, such as through the BSI-CIPN’s publication of the first competency framework for immunology nursing in the UK.
Jill Edmonds, Immunology Specialist Nurse, Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust BSI-CIPN Nursing Representative
The formation of the BSI Clinical Immunology Professional Network is a great development for UK clinical immunology and will hopefully strengthen connections between clinicians and academics in our field as well as allowing further collaborations between organisations working in allergy and clinical immunology.
Dr Tomaz Garcez, Consultant Immunologist, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust Clinical Representative, BSI Member Representative Forum
Clinical Immunology Training Days
The BSI partners with the Association of Clinical Pathologists to run Clinical Immunology Training Days aimed at medical trainees in immunology and allergy, and immunology clinical scientists preparing to sit the Allergy and Clinical Immunology Certificate Examination (ACICE) and/or Fellowship Examination of the Royal College of Pathologists (FRCPath) in Immunology.
Find out more
For further information about how to join the network, visit the BSI-CIPN website section. If you have any questions about how the merger might affect you, please take a look at our FAQs or get in touch with us by emailing CIPN@immunology.org. You can also follow the network on Twitter @BSI_CIPN.