Report on the 16th International Summer School, 2-5 December 2022 Sharm Elsheikh, Egypt

The International Summer school for Immunogenetics is a collaborative effort between the American Society of histocompatibility and Immunogenetics (ASHI), the Arabian Society of Histocompatibility and Immunogenomics (ARSHI), the Asia-Pacific Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics Association (APHIA) and the European Federation for Immunogenetics(EFI)

Last year, ARSHI hosted the event for 3 days from 2-5 December in Sharm Elsheikh, Egypt. The event took place in Savoy Hotel and resort in the sunny city Sharm el-Sheikh. Faculty from all 4 societies contributed to the scientific program together with participants from worldwide, including Ilias Doxiadis and Rania Bakry (ARSHI), Annette Jackson, Medhat Askar and William Hidelbrand (ASHI), Dianne de Santis and Uma Kanga (APHIA), and David Turner and Luca Vago (EFI). The scientific program contained 15 Faculty lectures and 24 abstracts lectures. The Faculty presented several basic lectures including those on the HLA system, HLA typing techniques, HLA antibody detection methods and the significance of both HLA and non-HLA antibodies in transplantation setting. Furthermore, stem cell and solid organ transplantations requirements, autoimmune related disorders, and finally prospective future endeavours in HLA and Immunogenetics field were topics presented. The students showed presentations on their remarkable work in the Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics field with great enthusiasm and were furtherly commented on and coached by all faculty in an intense dialogue that enriched both faculty and students.

The social program was also memorable. Two Dinners were sponsored by the organizing committee, one Gala dinner and another safari Dinner in the Desert. The first Day dinner was partially sponsored by faculty in a nearby Greek restaurant. There was also a safari trip where each participant and faculty shared a bike ride through the desert and into the mountains, a camel ride followed by a dinner and dancing event in a large tent.

Sally Elfishawi