Vision and Mission
Mission:
The ECN - the European Complement Network is a scientific non profit organization of European complement laboratories with the aim to promote complement work and to inform about this important immune recognition system which is central for innate immunity and tissue homeostasis.
The central goals are (i) to promote and inform on complement, (ii) to foster exchange of scientific ideas and reagents in the field of complement and innate immunity, (iii) to define the role of complement and mutations of single complement molecules in human diseases, (iv) to encourage exchange of ideas, concepts and reagents, (iv) to train young investigators in the field of complement,(v) to organize the European Meeting on Complement in Human Disease, and (vi) to honor distinct scientists in the field of complement with the prestigious ECN Medal.
Vision:
Complement as the central network of a vertebrate organism links other networks and cascade system to allow homeostasis and tissue integrity.
The European Complement Network encourages and actively supports activities that foster complement research and public discussions in the field of complement. This includes any exchange among complementologist in Europe, and also worldwide is aimed to increase the scientific, public and political interest in this highly relevant area. The major fields of current activities of the European Complement Network include:
- The role of Complement in innate and adaptive Immunity
- Structure Function of Complement Components
- Complement Genetics and Deficiencies
- The role of Complement in Human Diseases (including autoimmune diseases, kidney-,cardiovascular-, neurological disorders, cancer, inflammation, sepsis, transplantation and more)
- Complement and Infections & Immune Escape of Pathogenic Microbes
- Novel Diagnostic Tools for Complement & Standardization
- Complement as a Target for Therapy
- Animal Models to study the role of Complement and Components in Health and Disease
- Interaction of the Complement Network with other Network- and Cascade Systems (Interaction of the Complement- and the Coagulation Cascades)
- Systems Biology to Complement