LAUSR

This was the second time that the EMDS meeting was hosted by the Jagiellonian University Medical College in Kraków. The Jagiellonian University is the oldest higher-education institution in Poland and one of the oldest in this part of Europe. Two years ago, the Jagiellonian University celebrated its 650th anniversary. commemorating its foundation by the Polish King, Casimir the Great, on May 12th, 1364. The Studium Generale – as the University was called then – comprised of three faculties, namely liberal arts, law and medicine. The most famous alumni include Nicolaus Copernicus and Pope John Paul II. The 29th EMDS meeting focused on the basic research and pathophysiological aspects of monocytes, dendritic cells and macrophages. These central themes were covered in seven symposia by 16 invited distinguished scientists, and 18 short oral presentations that were selected from 102 submitted abstracts. Each oral presentation was carefully reviewed and rated by three independent international experts in the field. More than 150 participants from 17 countries (12 European countries, as well as from the USA, Australia, Israel, Singapore and Japan) decided to participate in the meeting. Following the successful traditional lines of collaboration between the EMDS and Immunobiology, the presenting authors of selected presentations at the EMDS meeting had the opportunity to contribute original research or review articles to compose this special issue of Immunobiology dedicated to the EMDS 2015 meeting. The EMDS 2015 meeting was co-financed by: The National Scientific Leadership Center 2012-2017 Jagiellonian University Medical College Faculty of Medicine (KNOW), Medianus, Beckton Dickinson, Affymetrix eBioscience, and the KRAKOW convention bureau. We would also like to thank the Targi w Krakowie Ltd. (PCO/DMC) for running the Conference office of the EMDS 2015 meeting.