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.