Personal Statements and Qualifying Information
This position is a 3-year term, beginning January 2027 · There are 6 nominees for 4 positions
Scroll down to view statements from: Yeonseok Chung | Ana Gamero (incumbent) | Ekaterina Koltsova (incumbent) |
Liwu Li | Suzhao Li | Andreas Wack (incumbent)
Yeonseok Chung, PhD
Professor, Seoul National University
Director, Center for Viral Immunology,
Institute of Basic Science
Korea
Statement
Over the next three to five years, the Cytokine Society’s top priority must be the strategic integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning into classical cytokine research and therapeutic development. While data-driven science accelerates at an unprecedented pace, a key challenge will be bridging the gap between computational models and functional, in vivo validation. ICIS must lead this transition by actively identifying and empowering leaders who can spearhead interdisciplinary initiatives. Additionally, amplifying international collaborative research networks and fostering a sustainable pipeline for young scientists through structured mentorship must remain core priorities to counter global funding uncertainties and institutional silos.
To better serve its membership, ICIS should develop topic-specific research networks that facilitate continuous, peer-to-peer networking among investigators working on identical or complementary cytokine themes. Operating specialized training programs and practical workshops explicitly designed for early-career researchers will also provide immense practical value, ensuring that the next generation remains deeply connected to the society.
My academic journey provides a uniquely diverse, transnational perspective well-suited to identifying such future-oriented leaders. I completed my B.Sc., M.S., and Ph.D. at Seoul National University in South Korea, and subsequently spent nearly a decade in the United States as a postdoctoral fellow at MD Anderson Cancer Center and as an assistant professor at UTHealth Houston. This dual experience gave me a deep understanding of both Western and Asian academic ecosystems. Furthermore, my international insight has been continuously enriched through close collaborative exchanges with leading groups in Australia, Japan, China, Singapore, Spain, and Switzerland.
Participation in The Cytokine Society
My active involvement and deep dedication to the International Cytokine & Interferon Society (ICIS) and its predecessor organizations span nearly two decades. My relationship with the society began with early career recognition and has since evolved into continuous scientific contributions and consistent engagement with its global community.
I was first honored by the society in 2009, when I received the prestigious Seymour and Vivian Milstein Young Investigator Award from the International Society for Interferon and Cytokine Research (ISICR) in Chicago, USA. This early recognition was profoundly influential in shaping my research direction. Subsequently, my continued contributions to the cytokine field were recognized internationally when I was awarded the Herbert Tabor Young Investigator Award at the Cytokines 2014 meeting in Melbourne, Australia.
Throughout my career, I have remained a consistent and active scientific contributor to the society’s flagship annual meetings. I have regularly participated as an abstract presenter and have had the privilege of being featured as an invited speaker at several major conferences, most recently at Cytokines 2022 and Cytokines 2024. In these sessions, I shared my laboratory’s latest advancements in cytokine biology—particularly regarding the differentiation and metabolic regulation of follicular helper T (Tfh) cells and follicular regulatory T (Tfr) cells—thereby contributing to the high-level scientific dialogue that defines ICIS. Through these years of sustained participation, I have developed a deep familiarity with the society’s core values, its membership, and its long-term mission, which I hope to serve further as a member of the Nominating Committee.
Other Professional Activities
Outside of ICIS, I have established a proven track record of institutional, societal, and editorial leadership within the international scientific community, which has thoroughly prepared me to manage the critical responsibilities of the Nominating Committee.
In terms of institutional leadership, I have served as the Chair of the Division of Innovative Pharmaceutical Sciences at Seoul National University and the Director of the Leader Research Center for Immunolipid Metabolism, supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea. Additionally, I currently serve as the Director of the Center for Viral Immunology at the Institute for Basic Science (IBS). In these roles, I regularly oversee large-scale research initiatives, manage substantial institutional budgets, and evaluate high-caliber scientific talent.
My leadership experience within major scientific societies is also extensive. I served as the Chair of the Scientific Committee for the Korean Association of Immunologists (KAI), where I was responsible for orchestrating national and international symposia. Furthermore, I served as the Vice-Chair of the Scientific Committee for the Federation of Immunological Societies of Asia-Oceania (FIMSA) 2021. In these capacities, I successfully managed complex peer-review processes, curated diverse scientific sessions, and selected plenary speakers, gaining valuable experience in identifying excellence across various immunologic disciplines.
Finally, my perspective on global scientific talent is continuously broadened by my editorial service. I serve as an active Editorial Board member for several reputable international journals, including the FASEB Journal, Frontiers in Immunology, Molecules & Cells, Cell Insight and Immune Network. This role grants me a continuous, comprehensive view of emerging researchers and established experts worldwide, enabling me to evaluate potential leadership candidates for ICIS with objectivity, inclusivity, and a global outlook.
Ana Gamero, PhD
Associate Professor
Department of Translational Research
Lewis Katz School of Medicine
Temple University
USA
Statement
I have been a member of The Cytokine Society since 1998, beginning with my postdoctoral training at the Cleveland Clinic, where I initiated studies on type I interferon signaling in T cells. I established my independent research program at the National Cancer Institute in 2003, focusing on type I interferon-mediated antitumor activity, and in 2008 moved to the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, where my laboratory studies the transcription factor STAT2 in cancer and autoinflammatory diseases.
Over the next three to five years, I believe The Cytokine Society’s priorities should be to continue strengthening support for our early- and mid-career investigators and to increase the visibility and impact of cytokine research across fields, including cancer, inflammation, metabolic disorders and precision medicine. Key challenges include increasing funding pressures and sustaining a diverse and engaged collaborative research community. The Society can better serve its members by expanding mentorship and trainee engagement, and by promoting collaboration across disciplines, career stages, and geographic regions. These efforts will help ensure that the Society remains an inclusive and supportive scientific home.
The Cytokine Society has played a central role in my career, and I have contributed through service on the Membership, Awards, and Nominating Committees. My experience in both federal and academic research environments has provided me with a broad perspective on the challenges and opportunities facing our field. If re-elected, I will work to identify and advance diverse leaders whose scientific excellence, vision and commitment to service will strengthen the Society, expand its visibility, and effectively promote the contributions of cytokine researchers worldwide.
Participation in The Cytokine Society
Nominations Committee (present)
Awards Committee (past)
Membership Committee (past)
Session Chair, Annual Meetings in 2008, 2009, 2017, 2023
Oral Presentations
Other Professional Activities
Associate Editor for Frontiers in Immunology (Cytokines and Soluble Mediators in Immunity section
Editorial board members for the journals Cytokine and Journal of Cytokine and Interferon Research
Organizer of Annual Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month event at Temple University Hospital (2022-present)
Plenary session chair, International Conference on Cytokines in Cancer (2017, 2022, 2024, 2026)
Health Careers Exploration Day, workshop leader (2023, 2024, 2025, 2026)
Ad hoc NIH grant reviewer (present)
Faculty sponsor for U54 Summer Cancer Research Institute
Faculty sponsor for Research Scholars Program at Temple University
Faculty sponsor for the Lang Medical Scholars Program
Ekaterina Koltsova, PhD
Associate Professor
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
USA
Statement
Dr. Koltsova has a long-standing interest in cytokine biology, including role of cytokines in cardiovascular diseases as well as cancer development. Her lab works to understand how distinct cytokines locally and systemically (via regulation of microbiota or metabolic organs such as liver or adipose tissue) or acting via regulation of peripheral neurons and neuro-immune interactions shape inflammatory environments during disease pathogenesis. Interdisciplinary nature to Dr. Koltsova lab research gives a broad and diverse perspectives on cytokine biology in inflammatory diseases and cancer.
She believes that top priorities for The Cytokines Society in the next 3-5 years will be to support early-career researchers across the world, foster collaborations, advertise importance of basic research and requirement to use various experimental models. Increase in meeting attendance, recruitment of exciting speakers and increase in opportunities to preset at the meeting are also important priorities. Key anticipated challenges being limited funding and political impact on international collaborations.
Participation in The Cytokine Society
Dr. Koltsova has been serving on The Cytokine Society nomination committee since 2025. She attended The Cytokine Society meetings in the past where she presented her research (Vienna 2019 (talk), Hawaii 2022 (invited speaker), Seoul 2024 (talk), Seattle 2025 (talk)).
Other Professional Activities
Outside The Cytokine society Dr. Koltsova has been serving as grant reviewer for multiple national and international foundations including American Heart Association, British Heart Foundation, Austria Science Fund (FWF), German Research Foundation, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), NWO/ZonMw Talentprogramme Vidi, Netherlands as well as NIH and NIH/VA. She also has been serving as abstract reviewer, session planning committee member and session chair for Vascular Discovery conference and runs a grant writing course for early career scientists at Cedars-Sinai.
Liwu Li, PhD
Professor of Inflammation Biology and Immunology
Virginia Tech University
USA
Statement
I am a life-time member of the Cytokine Society and interacted closely with the society’s members in terms of collaborative research and training in the last twenty years. Over the past two decades, I have maintained a continuously NIH-funded research program, served as a reviewer for NIH and various other funding agencies. As Director of Virginia Tech’s interdisciplinary Genetics, Bioinformatics and Computational Biology graduate program, I have overseen multidisciplinary training across five colleges and nine academic departments. Within my own laboratory, I have mentored more than 15 Ph.D. students and 12 postdoctoral fellows, all of whom have gone on to successful and diverse careers. These experiences have provided me with a broad perspective on promoting scientific excellence and the importance of building bridges among scientific communities.
I believe the Cytokine Society should prioritize promoting interdisciplinary research, embracing emerging technologies, strengthening translational partnerships, and expanding international scientific collaborations. The Society will also face challenges associated with constrained research funding and supporting investigators at all career stages in an increasingly competitive environment. The Society can further strengthen its impact by expanding mentorship and leadership opportunities for early-career investigators, increasing year-round educational and networking activities, fostering collaborations across academia, industry, and government, and promoting inclusive participation from scientists across basic and translational realms. My long-standing commitment to advancing cytokine and inflammation research, mentoring the next generation of scientists, and fostering collaborative scientific communities will serve well for these challenges and purposes.
Participation in The Cytokine Society
Life-time member of the Cytokine Society.
Invited speaker and session chair for the 2004 12th Meeting of the International Cytokine Society (5th Joint Meeting of the International Society for Interferon and Cytokine Research and the International Cytokine Society) USA, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Other Professional Activities
President and Past President, Inflammation Research Association
Communication Liaison, International Association of Inflammation Research Societies
Elected Life-time Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
Fellow, American Heart Association
Editorial Board, Journal of Biological Chemistry
Deputy Editor, Journal Of Leukocyte Biology
Development Chair, Society of Leukocyte Biology
Associate Editor, Inflammation Research
Regular Review Panel Member, NIH study section
Director, GBCB Program, Virginia Tech
Suzhao Li, PhD
Associate Professor
University of Colorado
Anschutz Medical Campus
USA
Statement
I began cytokine research as a young scientist and have been a dedicated member of The Cytokine Society since 2013. I have remained actively engaged by regularly attending the annual Cytokine conferences and presenting my research. As a physician-scientist (MD, PhD) and Associate Professor at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, I work at the interface of basic cytokine biology and translational research. I am eager to support the Society through committee service that strengthens our community and advances cytokine research.
I am well suited to serve on the Nominating Committee. I have served on federal and institutional grant review panels and on the CU Anschutz School of Medicine Admissions Committee, where I evaluate candidates from diverse backgrounds and help ensure that selection processes are rigorous, fair, and inclusive. I would bring that same commitment to building a strong and representative leadership pipeline.
Over the next three to five years, I believe the Society should prioritize advancing mechanistic cytokine research, accelerating translation into human systems, and leveraging emerging technologies—including single-cell and spatial approaches, advanced imaging, and protein engineering—to develop the next generation of cytokine-based therapeutics. Key challenges include limited funding, bridging the gap between discovery and clinical translation, and recruiting and retaining outstanding early-career investigators.
I think our Cytokine Society can best serve its members by investing in early-career investigators through mentorship, travel support, and opportunities to present their work and assume leadership roles while fostering collaboration across disciplines. As an Asian woman and physician-scientist, I value building an inclusive community where talented scientists from all backgrounds can thrive. My experience has shown that thoughtful nomination and selection practices strengthen both excellence and representation.
Participation in The Cytokine Society
I began cytokine research as a young scientist and have been a dedicated member of The Cytokine Society since 2013. Throughout this time, I have remained actively engaged in the community, regularly attending the annual Cytokine conferences and contributing through poster presentations. Although I have not previously served on any Cytokine Society committees, I would welcome the opportunity to become more involved if such opportunities become available. I would be glad to contribute through service to The Cytokine Society and the broader research community.
Other Professional Activities
As a faculty member at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, I serve on the medical school’s Admissions Committee and help interview prospective candidates. I mentor medical students in their research and Service Award projects and serve as a faculty judge for the annual medical student research forum and poster presentations. I have also served on PhD thesis examination committees.
Beyond the medical school, I serve as an ad hoc reviewer for several scientific journals and on national and local grant review panels, including an NIH study section. I also volunteer at local elementary, middle, and high schools, as well as at community sports and neighborhood events, to support my local community.
Andreas Wack, PhD
Principal Group Leader
Immunoregulation Lab
The Francis Crick Institute
London, UK
Statement
The Society has been fairly good at promoting diversity in a number of parameters but it is a constant challenge. By serving in the Nomination Committee, I have tried to promote diversity and global outreach, as this is a global Society. In times of increasing challenges in this area, I would be thrilled to continue my service to include scientists from all walks of life and all angles of the world.
Participation in The Cytokine Society
I have been a regular attendant and occasional invited speaker at many of the previous Society meetings. The Society is a wonderful community that combines global outreach with quite a family feeling, as meetings are attended by a very diverse group of people with however a core group of regulars. I have been member of the nomination committee for quite some years and would be glad to continue to serve in this role!
Other Professional Activities
I believe I am by now well-connected and aware enough to make important contributions to the global outreach we try to foster in the Nomination Committee.