Geiger elected president of Society on NeuroImmune Pharmacology

GRAND FORKS, N.D.—Jonathan D. Geiger, PhD , Chester Fritz Distinguished Professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, has been elected to serve as president of the Society on NeuroImmune Pharmacology (SNIP). Last year, Geiger received the society’s top award, the Joseph Wybran Award, for extraordinary contributions to the advancement of the fields of neuroimmunology, drugs of abuse, and immunity to infections. On April 6–9, the international society will hold its annual meeting in Krakow, Poland, where his election will be formally recognized. “Being elected by your colleagues across the world is truly an honor, and it is a recognition that the work conducted in our laboratory is appreciated and that I can provide effective leadership to the society,” Geiger said. He will be president-elect from 2016 to 2017, president from 2017 to 2018, and past-president from 2018 to 2019. SNIP was founded 16 years ago and prides itself on actively supporting and encouraging trainees working in the areas of neuroimmune pharmacology and related fields. The mission of SNIP is to (1) promote research and serve as a reliable source of information in the pharmacology, immunology, and neuroscience of the neuroimmune axis; (2) foster exchange of information and ideas on neuroimmune pharmacology by holding an annual SNIP Conference, maintaining its website, and supporting and promoting the society\u27s Journal of Neuroimmune Pharmacology ; (3) increase understanding of the etiology, prevention, and treatment of neuroimmune disorders; (4) define the neuroimmunomodulatory properties of neuroimmune innervations and regeneration, and of endogenous and exogenous neuroimmunomodulatory substances, such as hormones, neuropeptides, neurotransmitters, cytokines, chemokines, and substances of abuse; (5) promote translational research and a better understanding of the role played by infectious diseases, such as AIDS, and of inflammation and stress in disorders of the neuroimmune axis; and (6) encourage financial support from funding agencies, industry, and SNIP membership to effect the SNIP mission