OVERVIEW:
The strength of The Cytokine Society lies in the dedication of those who generously contribute their time and expertise as volunteers. Each year the members of The Society are asked to elect members of the governing council and nominations committee. These important positions determine the goals and direction of The Society and oversee its affairs and activities.
The open positions this year are:
- One (1) Secretary (an officer of the corporation)
- Two (2) Council Members
- One (1) Council Member for Inclusion and Training
- Four (4) Nominations Committee Members
All Members in good standing are eligible to vote in elections of the Society, to hold Society Office, Council or Committee membership. The call for nominations was announced in the Signals+ newsletter in March 2026.
The Nominations Committee received multiple nominations each for the open positions. Following discussion, the committee unanimously agreed that each of the candidates are qualified, and the nominations were affirmed by the Council. The Committee is pleased to present the following nominees for 2026.
More information about the responsibilities of each of these positions can be found in the Bylaws, or email Managing Director, Stephanie Flores
CANDIDATE INFORMATION:
To provide you with information about each candidate’s background and perspectives, they each responded to questions about their suitability to serve.
Secretary (2-year term beginning November 2026) — 2 nominees for 1 position
Adriana Forero, PhD — The Ohio State University, USA
Parisa Kalantari, PhD — Penn State University, USA
Read the candidates’ statements here.
Councilor (3-year term beginning January 2027) — 4 nominees for 2 positions
Rachel Gottschalk, PhD — University of Pittsburgh, USA
Jun Huh, PhD — Harvard University, USA
Hye Young Kim, PhD — Seoul National University College of Medicine, Korea
Erik Lubberts, PhD — Erasmus University, Netherlands
Read the councilor candidates’ statements here.
Councilor for Inclusion & Training (2-year term beginning January 2027) — 2 nominees for 1 position
Nandan Gokhale, PhD — Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, USA
Mohamed Saad, PhD – Adelaide University, Australia
Click here for the candidates’ statements
Nominations Committee Member (3-year term beginning January 2027) — 6 nominees for 4 positions
Yeonseok Chung, PhD — Seoul National University / Institute for Basic Science, Korea
Ana Gamero, PhD — Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, USA
Ekaterina Koltsova, PhD — Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, USA
Liwu Li, PhD — Virginia Tech University, USA
Suzhao Li, PhD — University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, USA
Andreas Wack, PhD — The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
Read the candidates’ statements here
Ballots will be emailed from “Election Buddy” to all ICIS members on Monday, July 13, 2026. Your choices are confidential and cannot be accessed by the administrator. If you do not receive a ballot by email, and you believe your membership is current, please email Stephanie Flores: sflores@cytokinesociety.org
Cast your votes online by Friday, August 7, 2026 at 11:30 PM PDT.
Thank you,
The Cytokine Society Nominating Committee
Claudia Nold, Australia, Chair (2024 – 2026)
Ana Gamero, USA (2024 – 2026)
Rune Hartmann, Denmark (2022 – 2027)
Ekaterina Koltsova, USA (2024 – 2026)
Lydia Lynch, USA (2022 – 2027)
Javier Mora, Costa Rica (2026 – 2028)
Andreas Wack, UK (2024 – 2026)
Stephanie Flores, USA (ex-officio)
