Secretary Speaks
Dr. Jyoti Bajpai
Professor, Medical Oncology,
Tata Memorial Hospital,
Mumbai, Maharashtra
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
In India, cancer immunotherapy is at a nascent stage and mostly dependent on import and adoption of technologies and drugs patented in the more developed countries. India, with its huge cancer burden and a largely poor populace is in dire need of new technologies that can rapidly be taken through trials and brought to our patients at affordable costs. This will only be possible if the clinical and scientific community from across diverse fields with an interest in the interplay of immunology and oncology get together and focus their knowledge, skills and energies on this emerging field.
In this context, an interest group formed during the organization of the first Evidence Based Meeting on Immunooncology that was held in Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai from the 23rd to 25th of February, 2018. The interest group articulated their thoughts and adopted the “Mumbai Resolution” on 24th February 2018 , that led to the formation of the Immuno-oncology Society of India (IOSI) dedicated to the academic pursuit and growth of this field.
The aims of the society, as incorporated in its Constitution, are as follows:
- The society shall be a non-profitable organization for promotion and advancement of scientific knowledge and research in immuno-oncology and increasing the awareness amongst both physicians, scientists, patients and other stakeholders regarding immuno-oncology.
- Increase interdisciplinary interactions among all stakeholders dealing with immune-oncology at national and international level.
- To encourage basic and clinical research in immuno-oncology and help in translation of laboratory discoveries to patient care.
- To assist Government and nongovernmental agencies in all matters pertaining to immuno-oncology.
- To increase public awareness about immuno-oncology and actively promote continuing education to disseminate the state-of-art knowledge on the basic research and treatment of cancer using immunooncology.
- To strive to develop guidelines on development and management of various aspects of immuno-oncology
A list of the executive committee is also displayed in this newsletter and it is obvious that there is adequate representation to all disciplines and all the regions of country to have a true national spirit.
I-OSI will seek to provide a common platform for interaction and mutual collaboration between different specialists and institutes, including industry,sharing a common passion for immuno-oncology. Associations and societies for providing this platform have been constituted in different parts of the world including the Society for Immunooncology (SITC) based in North America.
In India, there are a large number of patients, excellent expertise, and perhaps more importantly, a growing recognition of generating world class basic, clinical and epidemiological data and I-OSI hopefully would provide an appropriate forum to talk, deliberate, and execute quality research.
We are beginning to weave with the faith that nature will give the thread and the IOSI delivers the planned objectives.
Success depends on our perspective and our ingenuity. If we remain open to possibilities and make full use of the resources with each one delivering the best we will achieve our ultimate goal, which goes without saying, is to help our patients and their families.
It takes a whole village to raise a child and I sincerely look forward to your full hear efforts to thoughts and suggestions for the society.
Thank you for your interest and happy reading!
Warm Regards,
Dr. Jyoti Bajpai
General Secretary
Immuno-Oncology Society Of India