Introduction to immunology at The University of Iowa.

A previous issue of Immunologic Research featured a short history and description of our immunology community in 2007 (Bishop, G. A. Immunol. Res. 2007, 39:1–3). Where are we now, 7 years later? Our Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Immunology (http://immuno.grad.uiowa.edu/) continues as an active focus of training for PhD and MDPhD students and is now in its 21st year, and its 4th cycle of NIH T32 support. After having the honor of directing this program for 15 years, in 2013, I was pleased to welcome Dr. Steven Varga as my successor. A new initiative has been launched by the Carver College of Medicine, the University of Iowa Center for Immunology and ImmuneBased Diseases, http://www.medicine.uiowa.edu/immunol ogy/. This Center was established to achieve an integrated and multidisciplinary approach to the study of immunology in its diverse manifestations and thus facilitate collaboration and communication between faculty, fellows, students and staff at all levels across campus. The Center works closely with the Graduate Program in Immunology, but also includes many immunologists who are not directly involved in graduate training. In this regard, we also interact closely with other Centers on campus, including the Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Fraternal Order of Eagles Diabetes Research Center, both of which sponsor joint activities with the Center for Immunology. Key activities of our Center include an annual research Retreat and a monthly Research-in-Progress series. The ongoing research projects of immunologists at The University of Iowa continue to cover a wide variety of topics, and investigators have applied their areas of expertise to new and emerging problems relevant to human and animal health. An important focus here has long been host responses to infectious pathogens. These include viral, bacterial and parasitic organisms. In this issue, Drs. Legge, Waldschmidt and colleagues discuss features of both lymphocytes (T and B) and dendritic cell responses to influenza virus, and Dr. Butler reviews an important respiratory virus of the porcine population. Key features of the CD4 T cell response to another important respiratory virus, RSV, are reviewed by Dr. Varga and members of his laboratory. Another class of respiratory viruses of great current interest and relevance, coronaviruses, is discussed in the context of the host T cell response by Dr. Perlman and colleagues. Several investigators at The University of Iowa focus upon aspects of the mammalian host response to the tropical parasite Leishmania. As global climate steadily warms, such pathogens emerge in larger proportions of the world, and become of increasing public health importance. This issue includes reviews of the roles of eosinophils and mast cells in this host response (Drs. Rodriguez and Wilson), host responses mediated through the innate immune NLR proteins in parasitic diseases (Drs. Clay, Sutterwala and Wilson) and how members of the MAP kinase family influence chronic Leishmania infections (Drs. Martinez and Petersen). Another parasitic infection of major global health impact is malaria. Dr. Harty and Katherine Doll review features of the host response relevant to vaccination against this organism. G. A. Bishop (&) The University of Iowa, 2193B MERF, 375 Newton Rd., Iowa City, IA 52242, USA e-mail: gail-bishop@uiowa.edu