Inflammation in Innate and Adaptive Immune Mechanisms

University Of California-Irvine, Irvine CA

Investigators

Abstract

Description (as provided by the applicant): The annual meeting of Society for Leukocyte Biology, a leading scientific society addressing immune activation by infection or injury and the organization and control of that response, has a tradition of highlighting the most innovative and timely work on the mechanisms underlying host-pathogen interactions, dysregulation as a result of trauma or injury and leukocyte functions in the pathogenesis of disease. The 2012 meeting Inflammation in Innate and Adaptive Immune Mechanisms will continue this tradition by bringing together scientific researchers of all levels in an environment geared to maximize interactions and the exchange of ideas. Objective 1. To provide funding to expand the number of individuals that can attend the annual meeting of the Society of Leukocyte Biology, by providing travel awards for trainees and increase the capacity for additional attendees. The meeting is a forum for approximately 300-350 participants from academic, governmental, and industrial laboratories worldwide that will include presentation and discussion of emerging concepts in inflammatory response as they impact on innate and adaptive immunity. These will include (1) identification of new pattern recognition receptors, (2) the role of the epithelium in initiation of inflammatory response and the connection to adaptive immunity, (3) new features of inflammasome function in propagation of inflammatory response, (4) the emerging importance of tumor infiltrating myeloid cells in the link between inflammation and cancer, and (5) the contribution of metabolic controls in lymphoid differentiation and function. The program will feature presentations by invited leaders in the field, as well as poster presentations by junior investigators and trainees and oral presentations selected from among the abstracts submitted by laboratories worldwide. Objective 2. To provide additional scientific programmatic content covering new developments in the regulation, activation and function of the diverse cell populations of the innate and adaptive immune system. This will be accomplished through sessions focused on macrophages and dendritic cells, ?/¿ T cells and NK cells, B cells, and Th17 and Treg cells. In addition, aspects of leukocyte functionality will also be included in the program and will capture new developments in cytokine signaling, post-transcriptional regulation of inflammatory gene expression, host pathogen interactions, and the connection of immunity and neuroscience. A pre-meeting satellite symposium focused on the impact of alcohol on aspects of signaling in inflammation and immunity will be organized by the Alcohol and Immunology Research Interest Group and will occur the day before the opening of the SLB conference. Our meeting will broaden exposure of basic and clinical immunology to the attendees of the satellite meeting. Objective 3. To provide an opportunity for young investigators and trainees to interact closely with well- established researchers in their fields both formally and informally and to present their research in both poster and podium/oral sessions. Objective 4. To provide an opportunity for women, members of under-represented minority groups, and persons with disabilities to participate in a meeting that showcases their work and facilitates one on one interactions with other scientists in their fields, as well as providing a forum to address obstacles and explore solutions that will optimize their success. Public Health Relevance: The scientific advances in the complementary and interactive fields of inflammation, innate immunity, infectious disease and inflammatory disorders continue to accelerate with novel findings and implications for human health. The annual conference of the Society for Leukocyte Biology in 2012 will provide a much needed opportunity for a highly productive exchange of scientific information on the latest advances and best work in these fields, which have enormous relevance to a broad range of clinical disorders currently prevalent in the US and worldwide populations. Moreover, the conference will strongly promote effective interactions among scientists from different fields, between established and developing junior investigators, and with women and minority scientists with the hope of developing productive collaborations and/or accelerating research productivity and success.