Press Releases

Benaroya Research Institute at Virginia Mason (BRI) is pleased to announce the election of its president, Jane Buckner, MD, to the board of the national Federation of Clinical Immunology Societies (FOCIS).

As an At Large Director of the FOCIS board, Dr. Buckner will serve a two-year term. According to its website, the Federation of Clinical Immunology Societies exists to improve human health through immunology by fostering interdisciplinary approaches to both understand and treat immune-based diseases.

Since 1999, Dr. Buckner has been an investigator at BRI. She became director of its Translational Research Program in 2005, was named BRI’s associate director in 2012 and president in 2016. She cares for rheumatology patients at Virginia Mason Medical Center and is an affiliate professor of medicine in the Division of Rheumatology at the University of Washington, an affiliate professor of immunology in the UW School of Medicine, an affiliate of the UW Diabetes Research Center, an active member of the Type 1 Diabetes TrialNet Biomarker and Mechanisms Panel, and a member of the Brehm Coalition.  

According to FOCIS, the role of its leaders is to bring visionary and strategic thinking to the organization’s governance and to share their ability to implement new and innovative programs within their spheres of influence. “This may include incorporating strategy, leadership, future focus and risk taking as well as embracing an entrepreneurial spirit,” the organization stated in a memo to new board members. 

The official announcement was made at the organization’s June 16 board meeting.

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About Benaroya Research Institute at Virginia Mason

Benaroya Research Institute at Virginia Mason (BRI) works to advance the science that will predict, prevent, reverse and cure diseases of the immune system. BRI is committed to eliminating autoimmune diseases such as type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease and multiple sclerosis, as well as immune system diseases such as allergies, asthma and COVID-19. An internationally recognized medical research institute, BRI accelerates discovery through laboratory breakthroughs in immunology that are then translated to clinical therapies. Visit BenaroyaResearch.org or follow BRI’s Autoimmune Life Blog, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn or Twitter to learn more.