Reminiscences from XXVth Anniversary of the Department of Immunology, CMHI

“Primary immune deficiencies – today and tomorrow”, the symposium held on December 8-9, 2006 in Warsaw (Poland) has been a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the twenty fifth anniversary of the Department of Immunology in the Children’s Memorial Health Institute (CMHI) in Warsaw, to summarize the achievements of the team working in the field of pediatric clinical immunology, and to share own experience with guests coming from various centers in Poland and from abroad. It was the opportunity to recall the past times, when the team started its activities and the people, who shared their efforts in order to raise the team with its current achievements – most of all, professor Maria Goncerzewicz, the retired first director of the Institute, being also the founder of the Department of Immunology. The doctor’s team had also the opportunity to presents various moments of ups and downs of the everyday work in a humorous poem written by an anonymous author inspired by the team, describing their boss, professor Ewa Bernatowska in private and official situations.
Among results of various activities and achievements of the Department of Immunology CMHI during past ten years there are almost two hundred publications, numerous scientific grants completed or currently running, great number of centers in Poland and abroad cooperating in the field of diagnostics and treatment of primary immunodeficiencies. All these would not be possible without previous achievements of Polish nestors in clinical immunology, professor Zbigniew Rudkowski and the late professor Henryka Krystyna Siwińska-Gołębiowska. The commemorative medals of the Polish Society of Experimental and Clinical Immunology for outstanding input into the development of clinical immunology in Poland have been awarded to the Department of Immunology and personally to professor Ewa Bernatowska. Both medals have been given on behalf of the Society by professor Maciej Kurpisz (figure 1).
Clinical immunology today resembles a puzzle. Various clinical symptoms, numerous diagnostic tools, and many therapeutic options, compose a very complicated system. Among many people, whose knowledge of immunology is so important in finding the right clinical solution, is professor Jacques J.M. van Dongen from the Department of Immunology, University Medical Center Rotterdam. He is cooperating with the Department of Immunology and the Department of Clinical Genetics of the CMHI since...


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