European Federation for Immunogenetics

Besides the Executive Committee, EFI currently has 7 committees installed to execute the activities per the purpose of the Association. You can find more information about the committees on the committees page:

Committees page

Mission and goals

It is the mission and goal of EFI:

1. To support the development of Immunogenetics in Europe as a discipline in medicine and promote research and training in this field.
2. To provide a forum for exchange of scientific information and to reinforce the skills and knowlegde of young scientists and others working in the field.
3. To create a formal organisation of workers in the field of immunogenetics, histocompatiblity testing and transplantation.
4. To develop recommendations for standardisation of techniques, quality control and criteria for accreditation and to support their implementation.
5. To promote the organisation and use of immunogenetic databases.
6. To develop relations with organisations with similar aims.

The association shall abstain from any type of political activity. 

European Federation for Immunogenetics (EFI) recognises the value of having a diverse group of people with a diversity of thinking and perspectives involved in EFI and wishes to use the differences that people bring with them as an important resource in furthering our important mission and objectives.

Equality, diversity & inclusion policy

President's page

From the EFI President -  EFI Newsletter, issue 107, October 2025

Dear colleagues,

I would like to initiate this message underlying the incredible success of the 38^th EFI Congress 2025 hold last May in the historical and cultural city of Prague, known to be the "City of a Hundred Spires," center of learning and intellectual aspiration for centuries. In particular, I would like to take this opportunity to extend my deepest gratitude to the organizers of the Congress, Tony Slavcev and Gottfried Fisher. Their dedication, their hard work, and vision have brought us all together to share a wonderful scientific program, with the support of the Local Organizing Committee and of the EFI Scientific Committee, chaired by Luca Vago. During the working days, we had the opportunity to discuss and explore the advancements in Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics, fields that are crucial to the success of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, of solid organ transplantation and extremely important for population genetic studies and for HLA associations with diseases. In particular I would like to thank Professor Ludwig Sollid, this year’s recipient of the Ceppellini Award. Professor Sollid, currently Professor of Medicine at the University of Oslo in Norway is a distinguished immunologist, whose groundbreaking research has significantly advanced our understanding of immune-mediated diseases. He delivered a spectacular lecture, focused on the association between HLA molecules and disease, with particular emphasis on celiac disease with the title: “On the HLA association of celiac disease”. Extremely interesting was the presentation of Anna Christina Dragon, from the Institute for Transfusion Medicine, Hannover Medical School, in Germany who received the Julia Bodmer Award, a prize that every year recognizes the scientific value of a young scientist for their research in Immunogenetics. During the opening Ceremony, Anna Christina Dragon presented her extremely interesting work, entitled “Genetically-engineered T cells to selectively deplete alloreactive B-cells (T Cells Overcoming Rejection by Antibodies - CORA-Ts)” that has the potential to drive significant advancements in medical science. For the HLA Journal Award, the editor in chief, Steven Marsh presented Anat Tambur to the audience, one of the Authors of the published manuscript entitled: “Qualitative, rather than quantitative, differences between HLA-DQ alleles affect HLA-DQ immunogenicity in organ transplantation”, that in 2024, deemed by virtue of citations and downloads, had the most scientific impact. Moreover, allow me to express my sincere thanks to all the speakers that presented their valuable scientific contributions, in the plenary sessions, in the abstract and poster sessions, as well as providing relevant information during the teaching sessions. The research conducted, the new protocols developed and the innovative technologies shared during the Congress will have a profound impact on the clinical outcomes of the patients. But my gratitude is also dedicated to all the participants that have traveled from near and far to be in Prague. Their presence is the certification of our collective efforts that we will continue to advance in transplantation science. Thanks to everyone that joined the Conference, to listen and learn more about Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics, those that through their daily service in the different laboratories around the world significantly and constantly contribute to improve the success of the transplant programs.

In Prague we celebrated the 30^th anniversary of the EFI accreditation program. Let us take a moment to appreciate what this milestone really means: 30 years ago, someone had the idea to harmonize the good practice of the HLA laboratories across Europe, all following the same standards. Over the years, the accreditation program has grown, creating a community, bound by true passion for the quality management. I would like to thank the current Chair, Blanka Vidan Jeras, and the co-Chairs, Sabine Sherer and Christien Voorter for their work, assisted by the incredible support, since many years, of Sonja Geelhoed and, since more recently, of Ingrid Abelman. In addition, all the Commissioners and Inspectors that everyday dedicate part of their time to the development and maintaining of the program, besides all the previous chairs of the Accreditation Committee, in particular to the last two, Gottfried Fisher and Andrea Harmer. In Prague we also celebrated the Population Genetics Working Group, chaired by Alicia Sachez-Mazas and José Nunes, marking more than 10 full years of activity in EFI. In this period, the Group has promoted the collection of HLA population data and the analysis of HLA molecular variation in populations from all over Europe, with a major achievement represented, among others, by the publication of the catalogue of Common and Well-Documented HLA alleles in Europe.

Finally, I would like to thank all the sponsors that with their strong support have made possible the organization of this Scientific Event including Guarant International, the EFI organizing secretariat, who really are absolutely precious in the organization of the present Conference and of all the related events. In conjunction with the EFI Office, in particular with Sonja, Ingrid and Margriet, and with the great support of the EFI Secretary, Dave Roelen, the Deputy Secretary, Kay Poulton, the EFI treasurer, Jean Villard, the vice treasurer, Nico Vince, and the whole EFI Executive Committee that have contributed to the preparation of this event. However, we unfortunately missed the presence of a great friend and of an incredible scientist, very well known all over the world. We missed Frans. His work in Histocompatibility and Transplant Immunogenetics will leave an indelible mark in the field of organ transplantation. His absence leaves a desperate void in all of us. Touched, we were all captured by the tribute that Ronald Bontrop dedicated to his memory.

We are now looking forward to the production of new Scientific Events promoted by EFI. David Turner, Ann-Margaret Little with the LOC are already working in collaboration with EFI's PCO, Guarant, towards next April 21 – 24, 2026 when they will host the EFI Conference in Edinburgh, in Scotland, in conjunction with BSHI. The EFI Scientific and Education Committees have interacted with the LOC over the Plenary and Teaching sessions respectively and these are taking shape. Venues for all of the social events have been secured and details designed to make these events as memorable as possible are now being worked on. It will be a great honor to see everyone in Scotland, especially after previous events prevented the meeting in Glasgow in 2020. The LOC and everyone involved in the organization of EFI/BSHI 2026 are looking forward to hosting the usual stimulating scientific conference, but in addition are so pleased that they will be able to welcome delegates to the beautiful, vibrant city of Edinburgh with its many historic and natural sites of interest. Hopefully, many delegates can also take the chance to stay on in Scotland and see a little bit more of this wonderful part of the UK! Meanwhile, Katerina Tarassi is organizing the next International Summer School (ISS), on the Island of Crete, in Greece, at the Anissa Beach Hotel, in Heraklion, from the 28^th to the 31^st October 2026. We all know the relevance of the ISS, in particular for the next generation of scientists and laboratory directors, giving an opportunity to students to present their research or expand on their understanding of Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics. I am sure that Katerina will be able to achieve a great success organizing the 18^th ISS, in conjunction with the Scientific Sister Societies. Moreover, other scientific events will take place in the next months; the National Congress of Immunology, in Kazanlak, Bulgaria, from October the 2^nd to the 5^th, 2025, organized by Professor Elisavetta Naumova, the Annual EFI Region 8 Balkan EPT meeting, which will be held in Belgrade on 25th October, 2025, organized by Dr Zorana Andric and the Panhellenic Congress of Immunology, in Athens, from the 11^th to the 13^th December, 2025 organized by Katerina Tarassi. I am sure that all these scientific events will be successful and productive for the Members of EFI who will have the chance to participate. I would like to thank Steven Marsh and Eric Spierings, who will participate in the Indian Society of Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics (ISHI) Congress contributing, as EFI representatives, to the scientific success of the meeting that will be held in Chandigarh from the 11^th to the 13^th December 2025. Finally, I would like to thank John Trowsdale for his spectacular presentation launching the 2025 EFI webinar program, hosted by Deborah Sage, that will continue over the next months.

At the very end of this report, I would like to mention that due to the great commitment of Sandra Tafulo and of the representatives of the EFI Young Professional Committee, in particular Timo Olieslagers, Arianne Brandsma and Anders Hedin, in conjunction with the help of the EFI Office, our Scientific Society is now very active on the LinkedIn social media, that I strongly invite everyone to follow.

Warmest regards

Marco

The past Presidents are:

Obituary. In memory of Frans H.J. Claas (1951-2025).

Frans Claas, a towering figure in histocompatibility and immunogenetics, passed away on Sunday, February 2, 2025, at the age of 73.

Obituary. In memory of Frans H.J. Claas (1951-2025

Tribute to Frans Claas - Transplantation Journal

Obituary. In memory of Erik Thorsby (1938-2021)

With sadness, we received the message that our good friend and colleague Erik Thorsby has passed away. Erik was one of the pioneers who made several important contributions to histocompatibility and immunogenetics.

Obituary. In memory of Erik Thorsby (1938-2021).

Obituary: Prof. Dr. Johannes Joseph (Jon) van Rood (1926-2017)

Prof. Dr. Jon J. van Rood, a distinguished member of our scientific community, passed away on 21 July 2017 at 91 years of age. In light of his scientific legacy, we wish to commemorate some of his most significant achievements and contributions.

Obituary: Prof. Dr. Johannes Joseph (Jon) van Rood (1926-2017)

EFI Constitution

The organization was founded on March 6, 1985, under the name European Foundation for Immunogenetics, abbreviated as EFI. It is governed by articles 21-79 of the local civil law and by its current articles. The organization is registered in the Register of Associations at the Tribunal d'Instance de Strasbourg under No XXXXVIII No 70. The name was changed to the European Federation for Immunogenetics on June 11, 1996, and officially recorded in the Register of Associations on January 17, 1997. The current articles were adopted by the General Assembly (the EFI membership) on April 28, 2023, and subsequently approved by the French Court.

French Legal Statutes - 28 April 2023

English Translation - 28 April 2023

Overview of the European Immunogenetics and Histocompatibility Conference

EFI sponsors several awards to recognise scientific accomplishments and contributions to the fields of Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics and to service to society:

• Ceppellini Lecture
• Julia Bodmer Award
• EFI Medal
• Best Abstract Award / Jon van Rood Award
• Best Poster Award

For more information on the above award, please click here.

EFI is located in the historical "Poortgebouw" building of the LUMC (Leiden University Medical Center) in Leiden, the Netherlands. The contact details are:

EFI Office
Poortgebouw
Noordzijde, Room N00-002
Rijnsburgerweg 10
2333 ZA Leiden
The Netherlands

+31(0) 71 - 526 51 11
efioffice@lumc.nl