American Association of Immunologists
A professional scientific society that advances immunology through research publishing, scientific meetings, education, career development, and public-policy advocacy.
Last updated August 25, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
The American Association of Immunologists (AAI) is a United States-based professional scientific society devoted to advancing immunology and improving understanding of the immune system in health and disease. Founded in 1913, it is one of the long-standing organizations serving researchers who study immune cells, immune mechanisms, infectious disease, inflammation, vaccination, cancer immunology, transplantation, autoimmunity, and related biomedical fields. The association is headquartered in Rockville, Maryland, and operates as a member-supported scientific organization rather than as a commercial product company. AAI was established on June 19, 1913, by 41 scientists associated with Almroth Wright, the British physician and immunologist who led the Inoculation Department at St. Mary's Hospital in London. Its first annual meeting took place in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on June 22, 1914. From its earliest years, the association combined professional networking with the dissemination of scientific results. It established The Journal of Immunology, which became a principal publication associated with the organization and an important outlet for peer-reviewed immunology research. The association's core activities include publishing scholarly journals, organizing an annual scientific meeting, supporting education and career development, and representing the interests of biomedical researchers in public-policy discussions. Its annual meeting, branded as IMMUNOLOGY, brings together scientists to present research, exchange methods and ideas, and discuss developments in experimental therapeutics and drug discovery. AAI also offers fellowships, mentoring opportunities, training initiatives, and other programs intended to support researchers at different career stages, including graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and established investigators. AAI publishes The Journal of Immunology and ImmunoHorizons. These publications extend the organization's role beyond convening members by providing platforms for original research and scholarly communication. The association also conducts public-outreach work designed to improve public understanding of immunology. Resources such as Immunology Explained translate aspects of the discipline for broader audiences and help explain how immune responses relate to health, disease, and medical intervention. Public policy and advocacy are another significant part of AAI's mission. The association participates in discussions concerning federal biomedical-research funding, the National Institutes of Health, vaccination, public health, and the use of scientific evidence in policymaking. It has joined coalitions of scientific and medical organizations supporting vaccination and responding to misinformation. AAI's policy role reflects the practical importance of immunology research to infectious-disease control, therapeutics, and public-health decision-making. AAI is governed by a council of eight scientists elected by voting members. The council includes a president, vice-president, secretary-treasurer, past president, and four additional councilors. Member volunteers also serve on committees responsible for areas such as financial planning, program development, annual-meeting organization, and journal oversight. The association reports approximately 7,700 members in 68 countries, including principal investigators, postdoctoral researchers, graduate students, administrators, and other professionals. Its historical influence is also reflected in its membership: 27 AAI members have received Nobel Prizes since 1919, primarily in Physiology or Medicine. AAI remains an active scientific society whose identity is grounded in research quality, professional development, disciplinary communication, and evidence-based public engagement.
History
The American Association of Immunologists was founded on June 19, 1913, during the formative period of modern immunology. Its 41 original members were all associated with Almroth Wright, founder and director of the Inoculation Department at St. Mary's Hospital in London. The founding connected the new organization to an international scientific network focused on immunity, infection, inoculation, and the emerging experimental basis of medicine. AAI held its first annual meeting in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on June 22, 1914, establishing the meeting tradition that remains central to the association's identity. In its early years, AAI also established The Journal of Immunology. The journal gave immunologists a dedicated venue for communicating experimental findings and helped consolidate immunology as a distinct scientific field. Over time, the association expanded from a society primarily focused on professional interaction and research publication into a broader institution supporting the full research and career lifecycle. Its activities came to include annual scientific meetings, fellowships, mentoring, training, committee work, and advocacy for biomedical research. AAI's annual meeting, now presented as IMMUNOLOGY, is a principal forum for the association's members and the wider immunology community. Researchers use it to present new findings, discuss experimental therapeutics and drug discovery, exchange technical approaches, and build professional relationships. The association's education and career-development work serves scientists at multiple stages, from students and postdoctoral fellows to established investigators and academic administrators. The organization has also developed a sustained public-policy role. AAI advocates for biomedical research and contributes scientific perspectives to debates about federal research support, vaccination, public health, and misinformation. Its work in this area reflects the close relationship between immunology and public health, particularly in infectious disease, vaccine development, and immune-mediated disease. Through public-outreach initiatives including Immunology Explained, AAI seeks to make basic immunological concepts more accessible outside specialist research settings. AAI publishes The Journal of Immunology and ImmunoHorizons. It is governed by an eight-member council elected by voting members. Four council positions are officers—the president, vice-president, secretary-treasurer, and past president—while four additional members serve as councilors. Volunteers participate in committees that handle financial planning, program development, annual-meeting planning, and journal oversight, providing members with a role in the association's operations. The association reports approximately 7,700 members in 68 countries. Its membership includes principal investigators, postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, administrators, and other professionals working in or supporting immunology. AAI's historical standing is further demonstrated by the Nobel recognition received by its members: 27 AAI members have been awarded Nobel Prizes since 1919, with the cited laureates receiving recognition primarily in Physiology or Medicine. Today, AAI remains an active professional society linking immunology research, scientific publishing, education, public engagement, and policy advocacy.
- 1914
First annual meeting
[1]AAI held its first annual meeting in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on June 22.
- 1913
Association founded
[1]The American Association of Immunologists was established on June 19 by 41 scientists associated with Almroth Wright.
The Journal of Immunology established
[1]The association established The Journal of Immunology in its early years, creating a dedicated publication channel for immunology research.
ImmunoHorizons added to publishing program
[1]AAI's journal portfolio includes ImmunoHorizons alongside The Journal of Immunology.
Products and positioning
A long-established, member-governed professional society serving the immunology research community through scholarly publishing, scientific convening, career development, public education, and biomedical policy advocacy.
Scientific journal
The Journal of Immunology
The Journal of Immunology is AAI's established peer-reviewed publication for research in immunology. It supports the association's historical mission of disseminating experimental findings and serves researchers studying immune mechanisms, disease, therapeutics, and related biomedical subjects. The journal is one of the organization's principal scholarly offerings.
Scientific journal
ImmunoHorizons
ImmunoHorizons is an AAI-published scientific journal that broadens the association's publication program. It provides another channel for immunology research and scholarly communication within the field, complementing The Journal of Immunology.
Scientific conference · 1914
IMMUNOLOGY annual meeting
IMMUNOLOGY is AAI's annual scientific meeting. It brings together immunology researchers to present results, discuss new experimental approaches, explore developments in therapeutics and drug discovery, and build professional connections. The meeting continues the annual-gathering tradition that began with AAI's first meeting in 1914.
Professional development
Education and career-development programs
AAI provides fellowships, mentoring, training, and related career-development opportunities for scientists at different stages. These programs support students, postdoctoral researchers, and other members seeking research experience, professional guidance, and advancement within immunology.
Public education
Immunology Explained
Immunology Explained is an outreach initiative intended to improve public understanding of immunology. It presents concepts about the immune system and its relationship to health and disease in a form accessible to audiences beyond specialist researchers.
Marketing campaigns
- Vaccine and public-health advocacy
United States
AAI has participated in coalitions of scientific societies emphasizing the importance of vaccines and responding to misinformation. The work forms part of the association's broader public-policy and public-health engagement.
Outcome. The association has maintained a public voice on vaccination and evidence-based health policy.
- Immunology Explained outreach
United States · Online
AAI uses public educational resources to explain immunology and the role of the immune system in health and disease.
Outcome. The initiative supports broader public understanding of immunology.
Brand decisions
- Expansion from scholarly society to broader professional and policy organizationStrategy
Background
AAI's activities extend beyond publishing and scientific meetings to include career development, public education, and advocacy on biomedical research and public health.
Action taken
The association developed fellowships, mentoring and training programs, outreach resources, and policy-engagement activities alongside its journals and annual meeting.
Aftermath
AAI now serves researchers, trainees, administrators, and other professionals through a combination of scientific, educational, public, and policy programs.
Sources1 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/american-association-of-immunologists · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled