Commentary

If research and technology are to become the driving force for turning Greece into a productive society, evidence-based governance, strategic restructuring of infrastructure and a substantial inflow of fresh human capital is urgently needed.

Advances in human genomics, when validated functionally, can lead to new insights into how the immune system works. Notably, previously unknown mechanisms revealed by genomics can lead to the development of precision medicine unanticipated on the basis of phenotype alone.

Everyone and everything seems to go 'big data' these days. The task ahead will be to train young immunologists to formulate intelligent hypotheses using big data resources.

Women are underrepresented in the science and engineering fields. Difficulties in balancing family life and work have a big role in women's opting out of scientific career paths. Institutions and funding agencies need to work harder to reverse this disparity.

Genetic, environmental and socioeconomic factors render humanity remarkably diverse. '-Omic' and sensor technologies permit the capture of this diversity with unprecedented precision. Leveraging these technologies in clinical decision making will help to bring about the long-heralded personalization of medicine.

Leaders gathered at the US National Institutes of Health in November 2014 to discuss recent advances and emerging research areas in aspects of maternal-fetal immunity that may affect fetal development and pregnancy success.

There are clear epidemiological links between nutrition and immunological function, but a dearth of mechanistic insights has made this topic controversial. Veldhoen and Veiga-Fernandes discuss this controversy and explore ways to take this research forward.

The NIH, FDA and CDC offer a wide spectrum of job opportunities focused on improving public health through the discovery and translation of research, the regulation of safe and effective medicines, and the protection of health security.

Physician scientists bridge the gap between biomedical research and clinical practice. However, the continuing decrease in number of people who choose this career path poses a threat to the advancement of biomedical science and the translation of research findings to clinical practice.

A workshop organized by the Society for Leukocyte Biology offers advice to graduate students on how to navigate educational and professional waters to find success in academia.

Neonates represent a challenging group for vaccination. Effective vaccine programs will need to take into account a number of factors including gender and non-specific vaccine effects.

It is not enough to be a good scientist. One needs to be a good communicator. When publications are clear and a pleasure to read, they will advance both the field and the authors' reputation.

Technological advances in antigen discovery, genomics and immunological monitoring offer tremendous potential for revolutionizing vaccine development. On 5–6 February 2014, 35 leading vaccine scientists met to consider how best to harness these advances and spur innovation.

Live whole-organism vaccines against Plasmodium falciparum malaria and cutaneous leishmaniasis remain the most uniformly effective vaccines against human parasitic diseases. These vaccines are discussed in terms of the requirement for persisting antigen to generate and maintain a protective response.

This Commentary discusses how treatment with antibiotics in infancy shapes host immunity and influences susceptibility later in life to diseases mediated by the immune system.

Proteomics based on high-resolution mass spectrometry has become a powerful tool for the analysis of protein abundance, modifications and interactions. Here we describe technical aspects of proteomics workflows, instrumentation as well as computational considerations to obtain high-quality proteomics data.

To overcome the limitations of seasonal influenza virus vaccines and enhance our pandemic preparedness, influenza virus vaccines that provide universal and long-lasting protection are needed.

Successful interviewing can be best attributed to a combination of careful research and preparation, along with the ability to connect with employers on a personal level and demonstrate value.