“Vote early, vote often” is a humorous quip often attributed to the organized crime era of Chicago in the early 1900s. At the Cytokine Society we do not sanction multiple voting – but all members in good standing are encouraged to cast your ballot legitimately in the upcoming elections for Council and Nominations Committee members. We have several open positions, including Secretary, Councilor for Inclusion and Training, and two slots on the Nominations Committee. Also on the ballot is a proposal to amend the number and responsibilities of some of the Standing Committees listed in the Bylaws.
To learn more, read the candidates’ statements, and choose those you think are best to lead the society into the future. The proposed bylaws amendments are summarized here.
Speaking of voting, some of you will remember the tongue-in-cheek “Cytokine Bracket” created by ICIS Past-President Chris Hunter (aka, “King of Pathogens”) that made the rounds on Twitter/X last summer.
Fierce rivalries developed between the Interferon enthusiasts, the IL-17 contingent, and a small but vocal group of IL-18 boosters. In the end, (and far from coincidentally) it was the King of Pathogens’ favorite cytokine IL-27 that won the day, squeaking out IL-2 in a race-from-behind finish. I resurrected the bracket this year, with the innovation that votes are actually counted.
Voting for the first-round ends July 17 at 5:17 pm East Coast time (that’s 7-17 at 17:17 for those who are paying attention). The sharp-eyed among you will notice some conspicuous absences. Last year’s champion IL-27 withdrew from competition due to a scandal involving alleged use of performing-enhancing PEGylation. Its place in the roster was taken by EPO, a cytokine never previously associated with controversy. Final winner will be announced Oct 1, so you have lots of time to follow the excitement. Click the image or scan the QR code to play!
