The American Association of Immunologists
About AAI
- Mission
- Leadership
- Governance and Stucture
- Committees
- Publications
- History
• Timeline
• Notable Members
• Nobel Laureates
• Lasker Awardees
• Distinguished
Scientific Awards• History Articles
• Past Presidents
and Officers• Past President's
Messages- Departments and Staff
AAI History
On June 19, 1913, a group of physician-scientists gathered on the University of Minnesota campus to form a society devoted to a nascent medical specialty–immunology. Those present at this first meeting created a society that helped define this new field, and they called it The American Association of Immunologists (AAI).
For a century, AAI has fulfilled its founders' mission "to promote by its concerted efforts scientific research" through its annual meetings, The Journal of Immunology, awards, and the activities of its many committees. Today, as the largest and most prestigious association of immunologists in the world, AAI continues to champion the interests of its membership which has grown to include over 7,600 scientists in 65 countries.
Timeline
The illustrated centennial Timeline at IMMUNOLOGY 2013™ chronicles the advances in science and immunology that have been made over the last century by AAI members and other scientists, placing those developments alongside key political and cultural events in U.S. and world history.
Notable Members
Over the course of the past century, a number of AAI members have been awarded the highest honors in the scientific world. The distinguished membership of AAI has included 25 Nobel Laureates, 48 Lasker recipients, and more than 200 recipients of a dozen of the most prestigious national and international awards for science and immunology.
History Articles
The AAI history articles, first published in the AAI Newsletter explore the role that AAI has played in defining and shaping the field of immunology. These articles highlight famous and some lesser-known members who have influenced both the association and the field.
Most recent:
- PI in the Scotland Yard of Streptococcal Mysteries: Rebecca Lancefield, Ph.D. (AAI 1933, President 1961–62)
- Immunologists during the First World War: One Soldier-Scientist's Experience - Stanhope Bayne-Jones (AAI 1917, President 1930-31)
- The 1918-1919 Influenza Pandemic as covered in The Journal of Immunology
A complete list of history articles can be found here.
For inquiries regarding issues of historic interest about the field of immunology, AAI history, The Journal of Immunology, or AAI members, please contact: John Emrich, Ph.D., Historian/Archivist, jemrich@aai.org; 301-634-7941
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