Update on the Global Schools
of Neuroimmunology

We are very pleased to report on the activities of the Global Schools of Neuroimmunology (GSNI).  As you know, GSNI encompasses the regional schools of the European School of Neuroimmunology (ESNI), Americas School of Neuroimmunology (ASNI), Asia-Pacific School of Neuroimmunology (APSNI) and the African School of Neuroimmunology (AfSNI).  All four schools had successful events this year which we are delighted to report on.

The ESNI held its 17^th School in Amsterdam from July 16-20 led by Dr. Sandra Amor (Netherlands) and Dr. Hugh Willison (Scotland).  In attendance were 87 delegates and the four-day event received much appreciated input on its content including the hands-on processing of human brain that had come to autopsy.  The 18^th ESNI will be held in Belgrade in 2021.

The ASNI held its third School in its history in Montreal from September 23-26.  The School was coordinated by Dr. Natalie Arbour (Canada) and Dr. Wee Yong (Canada).  The ASNI registered its largest delegation of 165 attendees including 16 from South America.  The 3.5 day event also featured poster presentations by trainees and facilitated networking amongst the delegates.  The school was thought to be of extremely high calibre and the growing brand of ASNI was indeed helped by strong performance of this School.  The 4^th ASNI will take place in Columbus, Ohio, in 2021.

The 2^nd APSNI was held in Seoul on October 12 in collaboration with the Korean Multiple Sclerosis Society and the Korean Encephalitis and Neuroinflammation Society, led by Dr. Ho-Jin Kim.  The attendance comprised of 120 delegates from several countries in the Asia-Pacific region while represented by a very strong Korean community of neuroimmunologists and neurologists.  The 3rd APSNI will be held in Sydney in 2021.

Under the banner of IBRO and the Kemali Foundation, the 2^nd AfSNI took place in Rabat, Morocco, from November 25 – 29.  Dr. Roberto Furlan (Italy) and Willias Masocha (Kuwait) represented ISNI and taught to 19 selected trainees from Africa.

All in all, we are very pleased with the continuing activities and successes of the regional schools that serve to expose a worldwide audience to the very important role of neuroimmunology in neurological conditions.

We look forward to seeing all of you at the ISNI Congress in Nice from November 2-6, 2020 where the first day (Nov 2) will be dedicated to the GSNI School.  The GSNI School will represent all the regional schools coming together for the one-day event.

Thank you for your continuing support of training the next generation and to exposing colleagues to the important contributions of neuroimmunology in understanding and overcoming human diseases.

From:
Wee Yong (Canada) and Gianvito Martino (Italy)
Co-directors, Global Schools of Neuroimmunology