In 1997, a group of clinical immunologists and medical students started to investigate the frequency of primary immunodeficiency diseases (PID) in Iran. Subsequently in 1999, the Iranian Primary Immunodeficiency Registry (IPIDR) was established. During following years, the number of interested researchers has substantially risen and this expansion has been commensurate with a growth in the complexity of the group, necessitating a clearer definition of the purposes and activities. Meantime an informal research group with specific interest in the field of PID had the chance to design several national and international research projects with outstanding scientific output in this field. In 2010, the Research Center for Immunodeficiencies (RCID) affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS) was established. It is to be hoped, RCID could promote scientific activities in this field, not only in respect to research, but also in education and care of affected patients.

RCID is active in carrying out the following programs:

1- Running national registry of PID with collaboration of 28 University of Medical Sciences around the country and collecting and storing cell and tissue samples from patients with PID

2-Conducting research activities in different areas of PID including epidemiology, prevention, laboratory methods, molecular study, treatment and care with integration between basic scientists and clinical researchers

3-RCID is actively engaged in scientific collaborations with different international organizations and universities mainly with Harvard Medical University (Boston, MA, USA), the Karolinska University (Stockholm, Sweden), and University of Brescia (Brescia, Italy)

4-Establishing national PID networks in country to increase physician' awareness and ability of peripheral centers for diagnosis and treatment of affected individuals

5- Education programs targeting the following groups

• Training of PhD students 
• Training of medical students
• Promote physician' awareness through Continuing  Medical Education  (CME) program
• Promote awareness of patients and their family, general public and healthcare workers

6-Planing to develop appropriate screening tests for identification of PID; developing genetic laboratories as part of prenatal, newborn and carrier screening programs

7-Designing specific programs for prenatal diagnosis and preimplantation genetic diagnosis for those families with history of one child with PID who are planning to have new baby

8-Developing national guidelines to provide equal access to treatment; providing appropriate supply of treatment for patients with PID

9-Planing to identify ways of improving current therapies and discovery of new modalities for PID patients

10-Collaborating with other national and international research centers and organization; multidisciplinary projects; providing the up-to date guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of PIDs; and considering the results of advanced research in field of PID in management of patients with PID.

Contact

Research Center for Immunodeficiencies

Children’s Medical Center, Dr. Qarib St., Keshavarz Blvd., Tehran-IRAN.

Tel: (+98-21) 66 12 91 87 

Fax: (+98-21) 66 92 30 54

http://rcid.tums.ac.ir

rcid@tums.ac.ir