Letter from the Editors – Summer 2015

How paramount the future is to the present when one is surrounded by children.”

– Charles Darwin

It has often been said that children are our future and this is as true in science as it is in anything else. Yet with the increasing pace of technological development and the ability to share vast amounts of information in the blink of an eye, the future of science is rapidly changing – and the instruction and care of the next generation of potential scientists, policy makers and educators must change with it.

In this issue of IMMpress Magazine, we reflect on the ways in which mothers, genetics and the environment shape children for the challenges (whether pathogenic or personal) that await them in the outside world. In the case of immunology, these preparations involve the foundation of the microbiome and the development of lymphoid organs during early life. We also explore the ways in which innovative individuals are bringing scientific learning to a younger audience and overturning old systems of scientific discourse through greater transparency and accessibility in publishing.

We also share in this issue an op-ed addressing mandatory childhood vaccinations and our own impassioned response to the recent “anti-vaccination course” scandal making waves at UofT-Scarborough and within the greater online community at U of T.

Finally, we would like to thank our ever-growing team at IMMpress for helping us put together another wonderful issue. We look forward to adding even more members to our staff as we move forward into the new academic year.