Charter for Stanford Immunology, Study notes of Immunology

Download Charter for Stanford Immunology and more Study notes Immunology in PDF only on Docsity! 1 Charter for Stanford Immunology Preamble Stanford has been one of the leading institutions in the world in basic and clinical immunology since the 1960’s. Because of the relevance of immunology to many areas of the basic and clinical sciences, faculty engaged in research and training in immunology have been appointed in most of the departments in the School of Medicine, as well as in the Department of Biology. Despite the many departmental affiliations of the participating faculty, immunology at Stanford has been very successful. The quality of immunology faculty appointments has consistently been very high, the faculty have developed outstanding research programs, and the culture among the immunology faculty and their lab groups traditionally has been one of interaction, cooperation, and collaboration. These interactions, including the long-standing weekly immunology seminar series and the annual retreat (scientific conference), usually at Asilomar, have been important contributors to the development of the Stanford Immunology community. An important area of interdepartmental cooperation among Stanford’s immunology faculty has been in training future generations of immunologists. In 1985 the Molecular and Cellular Immunobiology Training Grant was awarded by the NIH for postdoctoral training. Interdepartmental training was extended to graduate students with the initiation of the PhD Program in Immunology in 1989, supported by the same training grant, which has continuously funded both graduate students and postdocs since then. Immunology faculty from a wide variety of departments have organized and taught in a growing slate of immunology courses, including introductory immunology for undergraduate and graduate students, the medical students’ immunology course, several advanced immunology courses, and courses on more focused areas of immunology. Since the early 2000’s medical students have been required to have a scholarly concentration, and immunology has been one of the application fields in which they can specialize. These interdepartmental teaching and training activities have been well-integrated components of and contributors to the immunology community at Stanford. With steady growth in the number of immunologists and the initiation of the training grant and the PhD Program, the immunology faculty felt it important to form an umbrella structure to oversee the pre- and postdoctoral programs, coursework for graduate and medical students, the seminars, the retreat, and other activities. The Charter for the Program in Immunology, developed around 2000 and approved by School of Medicine Dean Philip Pizzo in 2002, specified that this structure should be led by an Executive Committee, chaired by a director (who traditionally has also been the principal investigator of the Molecular and Cellular Immunobiology training grant). The membership of the Executive Committee was originally comprised of the chairs of the committees in charge of the PhD Program, the Center for Clinical Immunology at Stanford, and the Committee on Courses, plus several members at large; in recent years the Executive Committee has evolved to include former chairs of the Executive Committee and the PhD Program and the chairs of other committees overseeing various immunology activities. The name for the umbrella structure encompassing all immunology activities has changed over the years from “Multidisciplinary Program in Immunology” to “Program in Immunology,” and in winter, 2011 to “Stanford Immunology” (the name “Program in Immunology” for the umbrella structure was often confused with the PhD Program in Immunology). The first director was Irving Weissman (Pathology/Developmental Biology), followed by Hugh McDevitt (Microbiology and Immunology/Medicine), Larry Steinman (Neurology), Pat Jones (Biology) and Olivia Martinez (Surgery, as of July 2018). In 2010 the School of Medicine decided to move the administrative homes of its interdepartmental PhD Programs to the Stanford Institutes of Medicine, research-oriented institutes formed in 2004. The rationale for the moves was that the graduate IDPs would realize a variety of benefits - administrative, scientific, and financial - from the greater ties with the relevant research institute. With the concurrence of Mark Davis, Director of the Institute for Immunity, Transplantation, and Infection (ITI) and the Immunology Executive Committee, it was decided that Stanford Immunology (referring to the umbrella structure overseeing all Immunology training-related activities) and all of its activities would be housed under ITI, which fosters research aimed at translating discoveries in basic immune mechanisms into clinical applications that will improve human health. Stanford Immunology’s move to ITI became official on January 1, 2011. With this move and other changes in the nature, organization, and oversight of immunology activities, the previous Charter for the Program in Immunology Charter was no longer appropriate and was 2 replaced in 2012 by this Charter for Stanford Immunology. It was revised in September, 2013, primarily to reflect the development of the Computational and Systems Immunology track in the PhD Program. I. THE PURVIEW AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF STANFORD IMMUNOLOGY Stanford Immunology is an umbrella structure that encompasses and has responsibility (through its various committees) for sustaining vigorous graduate and postdoctoral training programs, immunology courses, the weekly Immunology Seminar Series, and the annual Immunology Scientific Conference (retreat). Also included in the purview of Stanford Immunology is responsibility for the medical students’ immunology course (currently IMM 205) and for the Immunology application within the medical students’ required scholarly concentrations. Under the previous charter the director of the Center for Clinical Immunology at Stanford (CCIS) and its steering committee (a standing committee of the Program in Immunology) had responsibility for contributing to the recruitment and support of new and junior clinical immunology faculty. However, CCIS has been folded into ITI, which has assumed some of these functions, for example through its seed grants. In summary, the purview of Stanford Immunology can best be described as responsibility for interdepartmental immunology training-related programs and activities. II. GOVERNANCE A. Committees An organizational chart for Stanford Immunology and its relationship to ITI is shown below. Stanford Immunology is governed by eight standing committees: • Stanford Immunology Executive Committee • Immunology Graduate Program Committee [formerly the Predoctoral Committee] • Immunology Postdoctoral Program Committee • Immunology Medical Education Committee [replaces the Curriculum Committee] • Immunology Seminar Committee • Immunology Retreat Committee • Computational and Systems Immunology Committee • “Diversity, Equity and Inclusion” (approved by the Executive Committee on July 14, 2020 and subsequently named Community, Diversity and Inclusion in Immunology (CDIII)) 5 Stanford Immunology programs and activities that could be enhanced by ITI development, and to consider how immunology faculty might contribute to the fundraising efforts. Reporting – On behalf of the Executive Committee, the Director will report to the general membership of the Program every year at the annual scientific conference/retreat. Issues that arise may also be brought to the general membership on an ad hoc basis through email communications or a faculty meeting. IV. OTHER STANDING COMMITTEES The membership and responsibilities of the seven other standing committees are described below. The committee chairs (other than the Chair of the Graduate Program Committee, see next section) are appointed by the Executive Committee for three-year terms (renewable). Faculty committee members are selected by the Executive Committee for staggered three-year terms. Student and postdoctoral committee members are elected by their respective groups and serve one-year terms (renewable). The Director of Stanford Immunology and Program Administrators are ex officio members of all standing committees. Committee chairs may establish ad hoc subcommittees for consideration of specific issues; establishment of a standing subcommittee requires approval by the Executive Committee. A. Immunology Graduate Program Committee Membership – The Chair of the Immunology Graduate Program Committee is the Director of the PhD Program in Immunology. The Director is appointed by the Director of ITI, in consultation with and with the approval of the Senior Associate Dean for Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs of the School of Medicine, for a three-year term (renewable). The four additional faculty committee members should include the Chair of the Admissions Subcommittee, a standing subcommittee, and a representative of the Computational and Systems Immunology Committee. A sixth voting member is a graduate student. Responsibilities - The Graduate Program Committee has responsibility for overseeing all aspects of the training, evaluation of student progress towards the degree, admissions, recruitment, orientation, funding, and approval for graduation of all graduate students in the Ph.D. Program in Immunology. This Committee has primary responsibility for all aspects of the Molecular, Cellular, and Translational Immunology (MCTI) track of the PhD Program in Immunology, as well as oversight of the Computational and Systems Immunology track initiated in 2012 (see section IV.A, above). The Committee will periodically review and, if necessary, make changes to the PhD program requirements, curriculum, resources for students, administrative procedures, admissions and orientation processes, and scientific and social activities for the students. The Committee has decision-making authority in those areas, except for major changes to the structure of the PhD program, which require approval by the Executive Committee (as decided by the Director of Stanford Immunology; a recent example was the establishment of the Computational and Systems Immunology track). The Director of the PhD Program/Chair of the Graduate Program Committee has responsibility for overseeing the implementation of courses and degree requirements (including evaluating student requests for waivers of requirements), for approval of successful completion of PhD requirements, for decisions on student termination and disciplinary actions, and for overseeing the general welfare of graduate students in the Program, including student advising. The Director of the PhD Program shall solicit student input about the program through an annual town hall meeting, ongoing informal discussions with graduate students, and occasional surveys. The Director of the PhD Program in Immunology also has responsibility for assisting in the preparation of relevant sections of training grant proposals and renewal applications. The Director (or his/her designate) will serve as the Immunology PhD Program’s representative to the Committee for Graduate Admissions and Policy (C-GAP) for the Biosciences. The Director of the PhD Program in Immunology is also a member of the ITI Steering Committee. Admissions Subcommittee – This standing subcommittee reviews applications to the PhD Program in Immunology and selects interviewees and applicants to be offered admission. The committee includes a Chair (who is a member of the Graduate Program Committee) and five other faculty (including a representative of Computational and Systems Immunology), all serving staggered three-year terms, plus one graduate student serving a one-year term. The Chair of the Admissions Subcommittee should work with the 6 Director of the PhD Program in Immunology in planning activities during Interview Weekend and orientation activities in the fall. B. Immunology Postdoctoral Program Committee The Immunology Postdoctoral Program Committee has responsibility for overseeing postdoctoral training in immunology. It meets as needed to allocate interdepartmental postdoctoral training funds and coordinate programs for post-doctoral trainees. The Committee also has responsibility for reviewing and enhancing the training and general welfare of postdoctoral trainees in immunology. Included in this review should be the information and other resources provided to postdocs by the university, school, and Stanford Immunology; the quality of postdoc advising; and postdoc participation in Stanford Immunology activities. The Committee is comprised of the Chair and four other faculty members (including a representative of the Computational and Systems Immunology), serving staggered three-year terms, plus one basic immunology and one clinical immunology postdoctoral fellow. The Chair of the Postdoctoral Program Committee should serve as Stanford Immunology’s representative for discussions of postdoctoral affairs at the school or university level. The Chair also has responsibility for assisting the Director of Stanford Immunology in the preparation of relevant sections of training grant proposals and renewal applications. C. Immunology Medical Education Committee The Immunology Medical Education Committee has responsibility for the immunology education of medical students. This includes the teaching of the immunology course for medical students (currently IMM 205: Immunology in Health and Disease) and the Immunology application area of the medical students’ scholarly concentrations. The Medical Education Committee has responsibility for the content of these two curricular components and may recommend additional immunology opportunities for medical students. At the time of leadership transitions in these curricular components the Committee should advise the Executive Committee (and any appropriate School of Medicine entities) as to possible candidates for the Director position. The Committee is comprised of the Directors of the IMM 205 course and of the Immunology Medical Scholars Program (Immunology scholarly application area), one (or two) additional faculty (depending on whether any issues are pending), one senior medical or MD/PhD student in immunology, and one immunology clinical fellow. D. Immunology Retreat Committee This Committee has responsibility for organizing the annual Immunology Scientific Conference (retreat), usually held in the fall at Asilomar. Each year the Executive Committee selects two faculty to organize the retreat; these faculty serve as the Co-Chairs of the Retreat Committee. They may select additional faculty and several graduate students and postdocs to assist in planning the organization, scientific content (including selection of a plenary speaker, session speakers, and moderators), and social activities of that year’s retreat; included should be a representative from Computational and Systems Immunology. The Committee has decision-making authority over the overall schedule and speaker selection for the retreat; any major changes in the format, location, or timing of the retreat must be approved by the Executive Committee. E. Immunology Seminar Committee This Committee is responsible for the weekly Immunology Seminar Series. The seminar series is a requirement for Immunology Ph.D. students and is a community resource for education in the field of immunology. The series is designed to meet the interests of basic science and clinical immunologists, as well as to provide an in-depth learning experience for Immunology graduate students, postdocs, and other members of the immunology community. Each year the Executive Committee selects one or two faculty (preferably one basic and one clinical) to serve as Chair or Co-Chair of the Committee; they select a graduate student and a postdoc to assist in soliciting suggestions for the next year’s speakers and in planning the seminar schedule for that year. Included should be suggestions from the Computational and Systems Immunology community. The Committee has decision-making authority over the speaker selection. Any major changes in the time slot or location of the seminars must be approved by the Executive Committee. 7 F. Computational and Systems Immunology Committee The Computational and Systems Immunology (CSI) Committee advises the immunology community on training programs and activities in computational and systems immunology. It should have input into the other committees; where possible this should include representation on those committees. With respect to the Computational and Systems Immunology track in the PhD Program, the CSI Committee should make recommendations to the Graduate Program Committee on CSI track requirements and curriculum, should oversee advising and mentoring, and should monitor student degree progress and timely completion of degree milestones. It should have input to the Admissions Subcommittee on candidates interested in the CSI track. The CSI Committee should develop other activities, such as journal clubs or seminars, primarily intended for predoctoral and postdoctoral trainees within this track, but also possibly open to graduate students and postdoctoral fellows from other fields such as bioengineering, biomedical informatics, biostatistics, and computer science. The CSI Committee should assist the overall Immunology Seminar Committee in selecting and hosting distinguished seminar speakers in computational and systems immunology. It should also advise the Immunology Retreat Committee on selecting speakers for the Annual Scientific Conference. G. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) committee will advise the Executive Committee on the development and implementation of programs and policies to enhance diversity and to achieve equity for all trainees and faculty in the Program. The committee will consist of 5 faculty members, with one serving as Chair of the Committee, and 5 trainee (a mixture of pre- and post-doctoral) members. Faculty will serve 3 year terms and trainees will serve one year terms. All 10 members are eligible to vote. There will also be 2 alternate faculty and 2 alternate trainees that are available to attend meetings and vote in the event that a member is unavailable to attend the meeting. The Director and the Student Administrator are ex-officio members and the Director will have voting authority. Voting decisions will require a simple majority. The Committee has decision-making authority, however some decisions will require review, oversight, and approval by the Executive Committee, as decided by the Director of Stanford Immunology, for example recommendations with budgetary impact or that involve faculty responsibilities or that appear to overlap with the purview (or responsibilities) of other committees. V. MEMBERSHIP To become a faculty member in Stanford Immunology requires application (see below). All graduate students, postdocs, and research staff in the labs of faculty members of Stanford Immunology are automatically part of Stanford Immunology; there is no application requirement or official list. Students, postdocs, and research staff in non-immunology labs are welcome to attend the Immunology Seminars and may request to be added to the Stanford Immunology mailing list. A. Faculty of Stanford Immunology All faculty (Tenure-Line, Non-Tenure Line, Medical Center Line, and emeriti faculty) may be members of Stanford Immunology. Faculty requesting membership should apply with a cover letter and CV to the Executive Committee through the Program Administrator. The letter and CV are passed to the Executive Committee members for review and vote. The Executive Committee will vote (yes/no) on acceptance to membership in Stanford Immunology. A 2/3 vote is required to be admitted. An acceptance letter will include the requirements of membership: participating on the various committees (e.g., Postdoctoral, Graduate Program, Admissions; student dissertation committees), as well as attending the Immunology Seminars series, the annual Immunology Scientific Conference, and other Immunology activities that provide opportunities for interactions with graduate students and postdocs. Applicants who have not previously demonstrated a major commitment to immunology research, training, or teaching will be asked to participate in the program activities for a year before full membership is considered; during this year they will be associate members.