Abstract

One major goal of immunological research is to understand fundamental mechanisms of immune system function and translate these discoveries into innovative approaches for diagnosing, treating, and ideally, preventing disease. Recent years have seen dramatic progress in our appreciation of basic immunologic principles and the pace of taking discoveries to patients is often breath-taking. This is an amazing time for immunologists and the future for the next generation of scientists is bright, indeed. An international meeting held in August 2023 on the Lofoten Islands in Norway provided a forum for discussing promising pathways for future research in our field. This 4th Lofoten workshop was also an opportunity to address another issue, just as important as the future of immunologic research. The recent COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the international phenomenon of a communication gulf between scientists and the public. This manifested itself with both misinformation and deliberate disinformation campaigns around the pandemic, potential treatments for COVID-19, and tragically, the importance of vaccination for individual and community health. The August workshop was an ideal opportunity for scientists from around the world to discuss their experiences in efforts at disseminating non-partisan, trustworthy information that would be useful for their communities. This report summarizes views on future directions in immunologic research presented at round-table discussions at the workshop and subsequent responses to surveys sent to meeting participants. It also summarizes some of the conversation around the responsibility of scientists to communicate with the non-science community and approaches we may use to meet this obligation.