Personal Statements and Qualifying Information
This position is a 2-year term, beginning October 2026 · There are 2 nominees for 1 position
Scroll down to view statements from: Adriana Forero | Parisa Kalantari
Adriana Forero, PhD
Associate Professor
Department of Microbial Infection and Immunity
The Ohio State University College of Medicine
USA
Statement
While our annual meeting is a major highlight of membership to our Society, adapting to a shifting global funding climate means we must focus on delivering continuous value to our members year-round. By expanding our digital resources and networking tools, we can keep our community connected year-round. To bridge a generational and regional gap, we should channel the fantastic energy of our early-career members into long-term leadership and engagement, while actively strengthening relationships in regions where we can broaden and enrich our global network.
Participation in The Cytokine Society
As the Co-founder and former Co-chair of the Early Career Researcher (ECR) Committee (2022-2024), I led efforts to enhance the member experience by creating dedicated platforms for networking and professional engagement. This required establishing operating procedures and maintaining constant communication with the Governing Council, an experience that provided foundational exposure to organizational records and adherence to bylaws. My current role on the Scientific Meetings Committee (2025-Present) aligns precisely with the Secretary’s constitutional responsibility to oversee this committee’s activities and serve as a primary liaison to leadership. Beyond administrative oversight, I have been a consistent, active presence at our Annual Cytokines Conferences, serving as a session moderator, abstract reviewer, and scientific presenter. These roles have enabled me to serve as a dedicated ambassador for the Society, advocating for membership growth and enhancing trainee engagement.
Other Professional Activities
Finance committee, Member, American Society for Virology (ASV), 2022-2025
Membership committee, Member, American Society for Virology (ASV), 2025-present
Scientific Program Committee, Member, XI Simposio Colombiano y VII Congreso Latinoamericano de Virología, 2025
Parisa Kalantari, PhD
Assistant Professor of Immunology
Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences
Pennsylvania State University
USA
Statement
I am applying for the Secretary position because my research in Type I interferon (IFN) and cytokine signaling aligns closely with ICIS’s mission, and I am eager to contribute my organizational skills and commitment to the community in support of the Society’s activities. I have been an ICIS member since 2022 and was featured in the Society’s Signals newsletter for my contributions to the field, reflecting my ongoing engagement and investment in this community. As Secretary, I would build on this foundation to strengthen connections among members, maintain accurate records of Society activities, and help advance initiatives such as awards, meetings, and knowledge dissemination. I have served as an ad hoc reviewer for NIH study sections, chaired sessions at international meetings and sat on multiple Penn State search, admissions, and DEIB committees. These roles have given me practical experience evaluating candidates and proposals, documenting decisions, and keeping committees on schedule, which are skills directly transferable to Council Committee service. I believe the following should be priorities for the Society over the next three to five years: 1) Support for early-career investigators through mentorship and travel awards 2) Strengthening interdisciplinary connections between cytokine biology and emerging fields such as microbiome and metabolomics, where I see real momentum including in my own work linking STING/Type I IFN signaling to gut microbiota remodeling and 3) Sustaining member engagement and meeting attendance. A challenge will be maintaining global participation, as a smaller society competes for members’ time and resources against larger immunology meetings. My training across multiple institutions and countries has given me a diverse perspective on the field. In addition, as an advisor for Graduate Women in Science since 2023, I have worked directly on issues facing women in STEM, which informs how I think about equitable mentorship and recognition within scientific societies.
Participation in The Cytokine Society
I have been a member of the Cytokine Society since 2022 and have engaged actively with the Society’s scientific community, though I have not yet held a formal position.
Oral presentations: • Invited oral talk, “STING agonist protects against exacerbation of schistosome egg-induced immunopathology,” 13th Annual Meeting of the International Cytokine & Interferon Society, Nov. 2–5, 2025, Seattle, WA.
Poster presentations: • “Gasdermin D modulates the protective cGAS/STING/type I Interferon pathway in schistosomiasis,” 11th Annual Meeting of the International Cytokine and Interferon Society, Oct. 15–18, 2023, Athens, Greece.
Recognition: • Featured in the Society’s Signals newsletter as a new member, highlighting my research contributions to the cytokine and interferon field. I have presented at the Society’s Annual Meeting in the last few years, reflecting sustained engagement with the cytokine and interferon community, and I am eager to extend this engagement into formal service through the secretary position.
Other Professional Activities
Beyond my research, I have substantial leadership and service experience that I believe is relevant to Committee work. Grant/manuscript review: I serve as an ad hoc reviewer for NIH study sections, including Pathogenic Eukaryotes (PTHE; June 2022, Feb. 2024, Jan. 2026) and DCAI Small Business: Applied Immunology and Vaccine Development (March 2023, Aug. 2023, July 2025), and I co-chaired the latter study section in 2025. I also review manuscripts ad hoc for journals including PNAS, PLOS Pathogens, and PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases. Conference leadership: I have served as session chair or co-chair for several international meetings, including Schistosoma conference (2023), the Global Virtual Symposium on Schistosomiasis (2025, 2026), and the Cell Signaling & Cancer Biology session at CEB-2025 (Houston, TX). I was also a committee member for the International Conference on Infectious Disease, 2025. Institutional service at Penn State: I serve on the Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences’ Equity and Access committee and have served on multiple faculty and postdoc search committees, the Pathobiology graduate program admissions and steering committees, and Molecular, Cellular, and Integrative Biosciences (MCIBS) qualifying exam and admissions committees. Mentorship and advocacy: I have been an advisor for Graduate Women in Science (GWIS) since 2023, supporting professional development for women in STEM, and I actively mentor graduate and undergraduate trainees, several of whom have received national recognition. Together, these roles reflect a consistent pattern of organizational service, fair evaluation of scientific work, and mentorship, qualities I would bring to my responsibilities as Secretary and Council member.