Immune Literacy: a Call to Action for a System-Level Change

Philip F Mixter; Adam J Kleinschmit; Archana Lal; Thiru Vanniasinkam; Danielle L J Condry; Rebekah T Taylor; Louis B Justement; Sumali Pandey

doi:10.1128/jmbe.00203-22

Immune Literacy: a Call to Action for a System-Level Change

J Microbiol Biol Educ. 2023 Feb 1;24(1):e00203-22. doi: 10.1128/jmbe.00203-22. eCollection 2023 Apr.

Authors

Philip F Mixter¹, Adam J Kleinschmit², Archana Lal³, Thiru Vanniasinkam⁴, Danielle L J Condry⁵, Rebekah T Taylor⁶, Louis B Justement⁷, Sumali Pandey⁸

Affiliations

¹ School of Molecular Biosciences, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA.
² Department of Natural and Applied Sciences, University of Dubuque, Dubuque, Iowa, USA.
³ Department of Biology, Labette Community College, Parsons, Kansas, USA.
⁴ School of Dentistry and Medical Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia.
⁵ Department of Microbiological Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, North Dakota, USA.
⁶ Department of Biology, Frostburg State University, Frostburg, Maryland, USA.
⁷ Department of Microbiology, The University of Alabama-Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.
⁸ Department of Biosciences, Minnesota State University-Moorhead, Moorhead, Minnesota, USA.

Abstract

Immune literacy-the ability to hear, learn, read, write, explain, and discuss immunological content with varied audiences-has become critically important in recent years. Yet, with its complex terminology and discipline-specific concepts, educating individuals about the immune system and its role in health and disease may seem daunting. Here, we reflect on how to demystify the discipline and increase its accessibility for a broader audience. To address this, a working group of immunology educators from diverse institutions associated with the research coordination network, ImmunoReach, convened virtually. As a result of these discussions, we request a call to action for a system-level change and present a set of practical recommendations that novice and experienced educators from diverse institutions, professional societies, and policymakers may adopt to foster immune literacy in their classrooms and communities.

Keywords: ImmunoReach; a community of practice; concepts; curriculum design; evidence; frameworks; immunology education; jargon; policies; science literacy.