Abstract Submission
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Presentation Instructions
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A stunning arch connects old and new exhibit areas at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center. Set in the heart of downtown Seattle, the center is within easy walking distance of more than 6,000 hotel rooms. Photo: Tim Thompson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
The Public Market sign hovers over the Pike Place Market, with Elliott Bay, Puget Sound and West Seattle in the background. Photo: Tim Thompson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Residents and tourists enjoy a sunny Seattle day at one of the many restaurants on Seattle's bustling waterfront. A Washington State Ferry unloads and loads passengers at the Colman Dock. Photo: Tim Thompson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Boats move in and out of the Bell Harbor Marina, with the Seattle skyline as a backdrop. Photo: Tim Thompson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seattle has many great locales for outdoor activities. Alki Beach Park in West Seattle is a scenic location to run, bike or rollerblade, with Elliott Bay and the Seattle skyline serving as backdrops. Photo: Tim Thompson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As part of the City of Seattle's public arts program, The Seattle Arts Commission installed Hammering Man on September 12, 1992, at the entrance to the Robert Venturi designed Seattle Art Museum at First Avenue and University Street. Photo: Tim Thompson


 

 

 

 

 

 

 
IMMUNOLOGY 2009™ Abstracts   |   Itinerary Builder   |   Career Resources
Sponsorship Opportunities    |    2009 AAI Annual Meeting Sponsors   |   CME

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AAI PROGRAM

Except where noted, sessions are at the Washington State Convention & Trade Center (WSCTC)

President's Program   |   Distinguished Lectures   |   Major Symposia   |   Awards
Award Presentations & Lectures   |   Special Events   |   AAI Committee-Sponsored Sessions
NIH Institute-Sponsored Symposia  |  Guest Society Symposia  |  Career Development Programs
Exhibitor Workshops   |   Block Symposia   |   Poster Sessions   |   Exhibitor Product Showcase

PRESIDENT'S PROGRAM


Dr. Weiss
AAI President's Address
Generously supported by Genentech, Inc.
Friday, May 8, 5:00 PM — WSCTC Room 6BC
Arthur Weiss, HHMI, University of California, San Francisco, AAI President
TCR signal transduction: opening the black box
Gary A. Koretzky, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Introduction
 
 


Dr. Burakoff

 Presentation of the AAI Lifetime Achievement Award
Friday, May 8, 5:00 PM — WSCTC Room 6BC
Chair: Arthur Weiss, HHMI, University of California, San Francisco, AAI President
 Award Recipient: Steven J. Burakoff, The Tisch Cancer Institute, Mount Sinai Medical Center
The AAI Lifetime Achievement Award is the highest honor bestowed by the AAI Council upon an AAI member. This award recognizes a deserving member for a career of scientific achievement and for contributions to AAI and fellow immunologists. The award will be presented prior to the start of the AAI Presidential Address.
 
 
AAI President's Symposium — Signaling by Antigen Receptors: From Molecules to Models
Monday, May 11, 2:30 PM — WSCTC Room 6BC
Chair: Arthur Weiss, HHMI, University of California, San Francisco, AAI President
 Speakers
· Lawrence E. Samelson, NCI, NIH, Signaling at the T cell antigen receptor
· Gary A. Koretzky, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Regulation of immune cell development and function by adapter proteins
· Doreen A. Cantrell, University of Dundee, Matching lymphocyte metabolism and migration
· Arup K. Chakraborty, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Molecular origin and functional consequences of digital signaling in lymphocytes

  Dr. Weiss		  
 Dr. Samelson		  
  Dr. Koretzky		   
   Dr. Cantrell		   
Dr. Chakraborty
 
 


Dr. Baltimore

 Presentation of the AAI Excellence in Mentoring Award
Monday, May 11, 2:30 PM — WSCTC Room 6BC
Chair: Arthur Weiss, HHMI, University of California, San Francisco, AAI President
Award Recipient: David Baltimore, California Institute of Technology
Frederick W. Alt, HHMI, Children's Hospital Boston, CBR Institute, Harvard Medical School, Introduction
The AAI Excellence in Mentoring Award recognizes an AAI member's exemplary career contributions to a future generation of scientists. The award will be presented prior to the start of the AAI Presidential Symposium.
 
AAI DISTINGUISHED LECTURES
Generously supported by eBioscience, Inc.

Saturday, May 9, 5:00 PM — WSCTC Room 6BC
 Megan Sykes, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Controlling the alloresponse: between benches, to the bedside and back
Sunday, May 10, 5:00 PM — WSCTC Room 6BC
 John C. Cambier, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine and National Jewish Health, Anergy vs. activation: the B cell antigen receptor as a molecular switch
Monday, May 11, 5:00 PM — WSCTC Room 6BC
Alexander Y. Rudensky, HHMI, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Foxp3: a key to dominant tolerance
MAJOR SYMPOSIA

Saturday, May 9 — 8:00 - 11:30 AM
Major Symposium A: Triggers of Autoimmunity
WSCTC Room 6E
Chair: Joanne L. Viney, Amgen Corporation
Co-Chair: Dale T. Umetsu, Children’s Hospital Boston and Harvard Medical School
Speakers
· Joanne L. Viney, Amgen Corporation, Triggers of intestinal inflammation
· Dale T. Umetsu, Children’s Hospital Boston and Harvard Medical School, IL-17-producing natural killer T cells in the lungs
· Joan M. Goverman, University of Washington, Th17 and Th1 cells in CNS autoimmunity
· Nicholas P. Restifo, NCI, NIH, Triggering autoimmunity with cancer therapeutics
· Alexander V. Chervonsky, University of Chicago, Commensal bacteria and type 1 diabetes
· Sarkis K. Mazmanian, California Institute of Technology, Dysbiosis as a trigger for autoimmune colitis and systemic inflammation		 Major Symposium B: The Inflammasome
WSCTC Room 6B
Chair: Gabriel Núñez, University of Michigan
Co-Chair: Jonathan A. Harton, Albany Medical College
Speakers
· Gabriel Núñez, University of Michigan Cancer Center, Activation of the inflammasome by bacterial pathogens
· Jenny P.Y. Ting, University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Genetic and functional analysis of NLR genes
· Vishva M. Dixit, Genentech, Inc., The cryopyrin/NALP3 inflammasome
· Jonathan A. Harton, Albany Medical College, Pyrin-only proteins: regulators of the inflammasome
· Fayyaz S. Sutterwala, University of Iowa, Sterile inflammatory responses mediated by the NLRP3 inflammasome
· Eicke Latz, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Activation of the NALP3 inflammasome by lysosomal damage

Sunday, May 10 — 8:00 - 11:30 AM
Major Symposium C: Bridging Adaptive and Innate Immunity
WSCTC Room 6E
Generously supported by Kyowa Hakko Kirin California, Inc.
Chair: Hilde Cheroutre, La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology
Co-Chair: Youhai H. Chen, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
Speakers
· Carla V. Rothlin, Salk Institute, TAMing inflammation: introducing a novel anti-inflammatory receptor tyrosine kinase signaling pathway
· Youhai H. Chen, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Toll-like receptor signaling: gene- and signal-specific regulators
· Eugene C. Butcher, Stanford University, Chemoattractant receptors at the interface of innate and adaptive immunity
· Wendy L. Havran, The Scripps Research Institute, Crosstalk between gamma-delta T cells and their epithelial neighbors
· Hilde Cheroutre, La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology, Mucosal immunity: it is all a matter of "gut" decisions
· Randolph J. Noelle, Dartmouth Medical School, Regulation of peripheral tolerance in transplantation and cancer		 Major Symposium D: MicroRNAs
WSCTC Room 6B
Chair: Judy Lieberman, Immune Disease Institute and Harvard Medical School
Co-Chair: K. Mark Ansel, University of California, San Francisco
Speakers
· K. Mark Ansel, University of California, San Francisco, MicroRNA homeostasis in lymphocytes
· Joshua Mendell, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, MicroRNA reprogramming by oncogenes and tumor suppressors
· Judy Lieberman, Immune Disease Institute and Harvard Medical School, Silencing cell proliferation
· Chang-Zheng Chen, Stanford University School of Medicine, Micromanaging immune systems by the miR-181 family genes
· Jeffrey A. Bluestone, University of California, San Francisco, Role of microRNAs in autoimmunity: a key role in regulatory and memory T cell function
· David Baltimore, California Institute of Technology, MicroRNAs and immunity

 

Monday, May 11 — 8:00 - 11:30 AM
Major Symposium E: Epigenetic Regulation of the
Immune Response
WSCTC Room 6E
Chair: Ann J. Feeney, The Scripps Research Institute
Co-Chair: Stephen T. Smale, University of California, Los Angeles
Speakers
· Ann J. Feeney, The Scripps Research Institute, Epigenetic regulation of immunoglobulin gene recombination
· Cornelis Murre, University of California, San Diego, The 3-D structure of the immunoglobulin heavy chain locus:  implications for the generation of antibody diversity
· Michael S. Krangel, Duke University Medical Center, Epigenetic regulation of TCR gene assembly
· Amy S. Weinmann, University of Washington, The role for T-box proteins in establishing epigenetic states in immune cells
· Stephen T. Smale, University of California, Los Angeles, Selective regulation of pro-inflammatory genes by chromatin
· Christopher B. Wilson, University of Washington, Epigenetic regulation of T helper cell differentiation and function		 Major Symposium F: T Cell Response to Pathogens
WSCTC Room 6B
Chair: Michael J. Bevan, HHMI, University of Washington, Seattle
Co-Chair: Marcia A. Blackman, Trudeau Institute
Speakers
· John T. Harty, University of Iowa, CD8+ T cell immunity to microbes
· Marcia A. Blackman, Trudeau Institute, The impact of aging on T cell repertoire and immunity to influenza virus
· Nilabh Shastri, University of California, Berkeley, Immune responses to Toxoplasma gondii
· Francis R. Carbone, University of Melbourne, Dendritic cells and tissue-resident T cells contribute to the memory response during localized infections
· David Masopust, University of Minnesota, Memory T cells: issues of quantity, quality and location
· Cliona M. Rooney, Baylor College of Medicine, Improving multipathogen-specific T cell therapies

Tuesday, May 12 — 8:00 - 11:30 AM
Major Symposium G: IL-23/IL-17 Axis in T Cell Differentiation and Tissue Inflammation
WSCTC Room 6E
Chair: Vijay K. Kuchroo, Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Co-Chair: Wenjun Ouyang, Genentech, Inc.
Speakers
· Steven D. Levin, ZymoGenetics, Inc., Ancillary molecules in the development and function of Th17 cells
· Vijay K. Kuchroo, Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Reciprocal relationship between Treg and Th17 cells
· Wenjun Ouyang, Genentech, Inc., The functions of IL-22 and IL-17 in autoimmune and infectious diseases
· John J. O’Shea, NIAMS, NIH, Signal transduction in Th17 development
· Sarah L. Gaffen, University of Pittsburgh, Structure-function relationships in the IL-17 receptor complex

 

 Major Symposium H: Cell Fate Decisions in Lymphocyte Development
WSCTC Room 6B
Chair: Ellen V. Rothenberg, California Institute of Technology
Co-Chair: Jonathan G. Kaye, Cedars Sinai Medical Center
Speakers
· Jonathan G. Kaye, Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Multiple roles for nuclear factor TOX in development of the immune system
· Paul E. Love, NICHD, NIH, A new T cell-specific protein with a critical role in thymocyte development
· Harald von Boehmer, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, Notch1 and c-myc in alpha beta T-lineage fate and lymphoma
· Nancy A. Speck, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Roles of core binding factors (Runx/CBFb) in hematopoietic lineage choice
· Ellen V. Rothenberg, California Institute of Technology, A genomic view of T-lineage specification and commitment
· Avinash Bhandoola, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Notch signals constrain the myeloid potential of early thymic progenitors
 
AWARDS

The AAI award programs honor members at every career stage. AAI awards are presented throughout the meeting in special sessions. For complete information on all AAI Awards, please visit www.aai.org/Awards. 

AAI Awards being presented at AAI's 96th Annual Meeting, in conjunction with IMMUNOLOGY 2009™:
· AAI Lifetime Achievement Award
· AAI Distinguished Service Award
· AAI Excellence in Mentoring Award
· AAI-Invitrogen Meritorious Career Award
· AAI-BD Biosciences Investigator Award
· AAI-Dana Foundation Award in
     Human Immunology Research		 · Pfizer-Showell Travel Award
· AAI-Invitrogen Trainee Achievement
    Awards
· AAI Junior Faculty Travel Grants
· AAI Minority Scientist Travel Awards
· Cynthia Chambers Memorial-eBioscience
     Junior Faculty Award
· AAI Trainee Abstract Awards
     
Details on awards presentations appear in the following two sections.
AWARD PRESENTATIONS AND LECTURES


Dr. Banchereau

AAI-Dana Foundation Award in Human Immunology Research: Award Presentation and Lecture
Generously supported by the Dana Foundation
Saturday, May 9, 3:15 PM — WSCTC Room 6E
Chair: Arthur Weiss, HHMI, University of California, San Francisco, AAI President
Award Recipient/Lecturer: Jacques Banchereau, Baylor Institute for Immunology Research, Human immunology: a fertile field for basic and patient-oriented discoveries
 
 


Dr. Dong

 AAI-BD Biosciences Investigator Award Presentation and Lecture
Generously supported by BD Biosciences
Sunday, May 10, 2:30 PM — WSCTC Room 6E
Chairs: Arthur Weiss, HHMI, University of California, San Francisco, AAI President; Andy Last, Vice President Global Marketing, BD Biosciences
Award Recipient/Lecturer: Chen Dong, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Many paths of peripheral T cells
 
 


Dr. Bevan

 AAI-Invitrogen Meritorious Career Award Presentation and Lecture
Generously supported by Invitrogen Corporation
Sunday, May 10, 3:30 PM — WSCTC Room 6E
Chair: Arthur Weiss, HHMI, University of California, San Francisco, AAI President
Award Recipient/Lecturer: Michael J. Bevan, HHMI, University of Washington, Matching antigen strength in the thymus and periphery
SPECIAL EVENTS
AAI Opening Reception
 Generously sponsored by eBioscience, Inc.
 Friday, May 8, 6:00 - 7:30 PM — WSCTC Exhibit Hall
 New this year! Immediately following the Presidential Address, attendees are invited to the exhibit floor to seek out friends and the many exciting new offers from the AAI exhibitors.

Young Investigators Party! (YIP!)
Saturday, May 9, 9:00 - 11:00 PM — Grand Hyatt Seattle Hotel, Leonesa Ballroom
 This always popular event has been scheduled for Saturday “prime time” this year and given a new format. Young scientists will enjoy a relaxed but festive atmosphere to meet, network—and dance!
 
 
AAI Gala
Generously sponsored by BioLegend and Tomy Digital Biology Co., Ltd.
 Sunday, May 10, 7:00 - 10:00 PM — Benaroya Concert Hall, Seattle
For AAI members with invitations only (click here for details)
 Following a reception in the spectacular atrium lobby of the Benaroya Hall, guests will enter the concert hall for a program tailored uniquely for AAI!
 
 
AAI Business Meeting and Awards Presentation
Monday, May 11, 12:45 - 2:15 PM — WSCTC Room 606-607
 This session will include the annual report to AAI members on AAI and The Journal of Immunology business affairs and will feature the following 2009 AAI awards presentations and acknowledgements. Lunch will be provided (no ticket required).


Dr. Monroe
AAI Distinguished Service Award
For dedicated leadership as Chair of the AAI Program Committee
(2006-2009)

John G. Monroe, Genentech, Inc.
· Pfizer-Showell Travel
Award Recipient:
Brian A.Cobb, Ph.D.
· Cynthia Chambers
Memorial-eBioscience
Junior Faculty
Award Recipient:
Jack D. Bui, Ph.D., M.D.
· AAI-Invitrogen Trainee
Achievement Award Recipients		 · AAI Minority Scientist
Travel Award Recipients
· AAI Junior Faculty
Travel Grant Recipients		 · AAI Trainee Abstract
Award Recipients
AAI COMMITTEE-SPONSORED SESSIONS

Clinical Immunology Committee

Scourge of the Mummies: TB Then and Now 

Saturday, May 9, 10:15 AM – 12:15 PM — WSCTC Room 6C

Chair: Kathleen E. Sullivan, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Chair, AAI Clinical Immunology Committee; Co-Chair: Cathryn Nagler, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Co-Chair, AAI Clinical Immunology Committee

Speakers 

Jerald C. Sadoff, Aeras Foundation, TB vaccine development in modern times

Joel D. Ernst, NYU School of Medicine, Dendritic cell traffic and antigen presentation in tuberculosis

Shabaana A. Khader, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, T cell-mediated immunity to tuberculosis 

Samuel M. Behar, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Lipid mediators modulate the cellular fate of infected macrophages and regulate innate and adaptive immunity to tuberculosis 

Committee on Public Affairs

Immunology at CDC: Research Opportunities in Public Health
 Saturday, May 9, 12:30 - 2:00 PM — WSCTC Room 606-607
Chair: William R. Green, Dartmouth Medical School, Chair, AAI Committee on Public Affairs
Speakers
Alison C. Mawle, Associate Director for Laboratory Science, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Coordinating Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Immunology at CDC: why it matters
Conrad Quinn, Molecular Pathogenesis and Immunology Team, Meningitis and Vaccine Preventable Diseases Branch, Division of Bacterial Diseases, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Coordinating Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Anthrax vaccines – from Pasteur to pasture to PA
Ellen Kersh, Laboratory Branch, Pre-clinical Evaluation Team, Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, National Center for HIV, Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention, Coordinating Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Immunological factors impact susceptibility to SHIV in a macaque model of repeated mucosal viral challenge
Learn about the exciting immunological research being conducted at the CDC. Speakers will also describe ongoing collaborative and interagency work, as well as funding opportunities for scientists. A question and answer period will follow the presentations.

 
 
Good Science Gone Bad: "Dual Use" Research and How It Affects You
Sunday, May 10, 12:30 - 2:30 PM — WSCTC Room 606-607
Chair: William R. Green, Dartmouth Medical School, Chair, AAI Committee on Public Affairs
Keynote Speaker
 Paul S. Keim, Chair, National Science Advisory Board on Biosecurity (NSABB) Communications Working Group; Director of Pathogen Genomics, The Translational Research Institute (TGen); Director, Center for Microbial Genetics and Genomics, and The Cowden Endowed Chair in Microbiology. Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff AZ, Good research for bad purposes: how to know "dual use" research when you see it, and when you should worry
Speakers
David A. Relman, Member, National Science Advisory Board on Biosecurity (NSABB); Professor of Microbiology & Immunology, and of Medicine, Stanford University; Chief of Infectious Diseases, VA Palo Alto Health Care System, The future life sciences landscape: benefits and risks
David R. Franz, Co-Chair, National Science Advisory Board on Biosecurity (NSABB) International Working Group; Chief Biological Scientist, Midwest Research Institute (Frederick, MD), Regulating "dual-use" research: if the U.S. does, will the world follow?
Paul S. Keim, Chair, National Science Advisory Board on Biosecurity (NSABB) Communications Working Group; Director of Pathogen Genomics, The Translational Research Institute (TGen); Director, Center for Microbial Genetics and Genomics, and The Cowden Endowed Chair in Microbiology, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff AZ, The anthrax letter attacks: investigating the researchers, investigating the crime

BIOTERRORISM! Caused by a rogue scientist or caused, unknowingly, by you?! Caused by you because you didn’t know about “dual use research” (research that can be used for both beneficial and nefarious purposes). This session will explore the political and scientific issues surrounding dual use research, its dangers and benefits — including its forensic role in identifying suspects in the 2002 anthrax case — and many of the key concerns about government regulation of such research.  A question and answer period will follow the presentations.
 
 

Meet the Advocacy Partners
Sunday, May 10, 4:00 - 5:00 PM — WSCTC, Room 610
Chair: William R. Green, Dartmouth Medical School, Chair, AAI Committee on Public Affairs
Representatives from the following organizations will be available to talk about their work and about scientific and funding opportunities that may be available to AAI members/meeting attendees:
 
  • American Diabetes Association
  • Arthritis Foundation
  • National Alopecia Areata Foundation
  • International Pemphigus & Pemphigoid Foundation
Education Committee
The NIH Grant Maze: Navigating Old Turns and New Twists
Saturday, May 9, 10:30 AM – 12:15 PM — WSCTC Room 608-609
Chair: Barry P. Sleckman, Washington University School of Medicine, AAI Education Committee
Speakers
Barry P. Sleckman, Associate Professor, Washington University School of Medicine, Introduction
Cheryl A. Kitt, Deputy Director, Center for Scientific Review, NIH, NIH grant rules, obligations and changes every PI should know: an overview from CSR
Gail A. Bishop, Professor, University of Iowa, Chair, TTT Study Section, Notes from a study section chair: what it takes to rise to the top
Richard A. Pelroy, Program Director, NCI, The role of NIH Institute program officials in the grant process
DISCUSSION (audience participation invited)
 
 

John H. Wallace High School Teachers Workshop: Lessons in Immunology

Saturday, May 9, 10:15 AM - 12:15 PM — WSCTC Room 615-616

Chair: Brian A. Cobb, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine 

The AAI High School Teachers Program brings the excitement of immunology directly to high school students by sending high school science teachers into the laboratories of established immunologists who mentor them in a “hands-on” summer internship. The teachers develop a science project for the classroom based on their summer experience. The teachers present their experiences and projects in this session.
2008-2009 Program Participants
   
Teacher: Mary Haus, Los Osos High School, Rancho Cucamonga, CA, From horses to high school - bringing Pigeon Fever studies into the classroom
Mentor: Roberta R. Pollock, Department of Biology, Occidental College, Los Angeles, CA
Teacher: Monica Thoune, Bay Middle College/Fitzharris High School, Delta-Schoolcraft Intermediate School District, Wells, MI, Exploring stem cells: the role of stem cells in immune system function
Mentor: Mariana J. Kaplan, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI
Teacher: David Mwangi, East Orange High School, East Orange, NJ, Indirect, competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay determination of secretory immunoglobulin A levels in saliva
Mentor: Patricia Fitzgerald-Bocarsly, UMDNJ – New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ
Teacher: Kevin Jarigese, West Mesa High School, Albuquerque, NM, Case study that focuses on viral replication that enables students to understand how easily infection is transmitted
Mentor: Carolyn Mold, Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM
Teacher: Rita English, John F. Kennedy Memorial High School, Iselin, NJ, Applying immunological methodology to diagnosis
Mentor: Debra Laskin, Department of Pharmacology/Toxicology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ
Teacher: Nels Dokken, John F. Kennedy High School, South Bloomington, MN, Interactive computer simulations for teaching tumor immunology
Mentor: Chris Pennell, Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN

Education Committee and Committee on the Status of Women

Careers in Science: Lecture and Roundtable Discussion
Saturday, May 9, 1:30 - 3:30 PM — WSCTC Room 6C
Chair: Christine Milcarek, University of Pittsburgh, Chair, AAI Committee on the Status of Women; Co-Chair: Bonnie N. Dittel, BloodCenter of Wisconsin, Blood Research Institute
Speaker: Phyllis M. Wise, Provost and Executive Vice President, University of Washington
Learn about career options and successful paths to each in this session. Following a guest presentation, experienced scientists will serve as roundtable discussion leaders and offer one-on-one insight about specific career issues and options important to men and women in science today. Attendance will be limited to the first 300 registrants. Roundtable topics will address career options and issues that challenge success at all career stages, including:
GENERAL: Topics related to the environment you work in or want to work in --
▪ Academic Research
▪ Biotech and Industry
▪ Governmental Agencies: CDC/FDA/NIH
▪ Clinic: clinical and diagnostic immunology, clinician-scientist
▪ Undergraduate Institutions: teaching, doing research part-time
TRANSITIONS: Topics focused on a specific career stage --
▪ Graduate Student to Post-doc: finding a post doc, interviewing
▪ Post-doc to PI: finding a position, interviewing, negotiating, lab start-up
▪ New PI: attracting students and post-docs, preparing for tenure
▪ Mid-Career: developing administrative and management skills/sabbaticals
▪ Changing Careers: moving from academia to industry, or vice versa
SPECIAL: Topics for unique situations --
▪ Career and Family: time management/family leave/professional couples
▪ Integrity and Ethics: dealing with controversy, discrimination in the workplace
▪ Alternative Careers: science journalism, patent law
▪ The Scientist’s Role in Public Policy
▪ Time Management
Registration, $10 fee required; dessert buffet and coffee included.
 
 

AAI Education Committee and National Postdoctoral Association

Special Session: The Secrets to a Successful Postdoctoral Experience
Monday, May 11, 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM — WSCTC Room 610
Chair: Kira Gantt, AAI
Speaker: Karen A. Peterson, Director of the Office of Scientific Career Development, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, The secrets to a successful postdoctoral experience

Minority Affairs Committee
Careers and Networking Roundtable
Sunday, May 10, 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM — WSCTC Room 610
 Chair: Randy R. Brutkiewicz, Indiana University School of Medicine, Chair, AAI Minority Affairs Committee
Don't miss this opportunity to meet one-on-one with senior minority immunologists to hear how they have handled the career challenges you now face. Learn what they believe will work for you today.
Registration, $10 fee required; box lunch included.
 
 
Minority Affairs Committee Guest Lecture
Generously supported through a grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, NIH [FASEB MARC Program: T36-GM08059-26.]
Monday, May 11, 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM — WSCTC Room 6C
Chair: Randy R. Brutkiewicz, Indiana University School of Medicine, Chair, AAI Minority Affairs Committee
Speaker: Emil R. Unanue
Washington University School of Medicine
The mysteries of peptide selection by the class II MHC molecules

Publications Committee
Course: Excellence in Scientific Writing
Friday, May 8, 12:00 - 4:00 PM — Eliza Anderson Amphitheater, Seattle Grand Hyatt Hotel
 Instructor: Karen Kurt Teal
Improve the quality of your writing! AAI is offering a custom technical writing seminar for scientists.  In addition to the basic principles of writing and grammar, the course will address ways to strengthen the quality of grant proposals and manuscripts. This course will be taught by Karen Kurt Teal, Ph.D.  Dr. Teal is a faculty member in the Department of Human Centered Design and Engineering, University of Washington where she teaches technical writing for scientists and engineers. Her courses have included “Writing the Scientific Article” (graduate level), “Style in Scientific and Technical Writing”, “Introduction to Technical Communication”, and “Advanced Technical Writing and Oral Presentation”. Course is limited to 100 attendees. Dr. Teal was awarded her doctorate in English from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst in 2000. Topics to be covered by the course include:
▪ Improving the Quality of Manuscripts for Publication
▪ Improving the Quality of Grant Proposals
▪ Audience analysis
▪ Organization		 ▪ Precision
▪ Concision
▪ Consistency
▪ Basic grammar and mechanics
Registration, $100 fee required.
 
 
Scientific Publishing: Dos and Don’ts for Authors and Reviewers
Sunday, May 10, 12:30 - 2:30 PM -- WSCTC Room 6C
Chair: Robert D. Schreiber, Washington University School of Medicine, Chair, AAI Publications Committee
Speakers
Pamela J. Fink, University of Washington School of Medicine, Dos and don’ts when writing a scientific manuscript 
JoAnne L. Flynn, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Essentials for becoming a valued reviewer 
Pamela A. Shaw, NIAID, NIH, The appropriate use of statistics in the biological sciences
Jeremy M. Boss, Emory University School of Medicine and Editor-in-Chief, The Journal of Immunology, What do you mean I already published it? Ethics in scientific publishing

Veterinary Immunology Committee and
the American Association of Veterinary Immunologists (AAVI)

Comparative Biology of Non-Classical MHC Class I Molecules
Sunday, May 10, 12:30 - 2:30 PM — WSCTC Room 615-616
Chair: Christopher J. Davies, Utah State University; Co-Chair: Mark A. Jutila, Montana State University, AAI Veterinary Immunology Committee Chair
Speakers
Joan S. Hunt, University of Kansas Medical Center, Similar and dissimilar features of human and baboon MHC class Ib antigens in placentas
Thaddeus G. Golos, University of Wisconsin, Towards in vivo models to define the functions of primate MHC class I molecules
Christopher J. Davies, Utah State University, Placental expression patterns of cattle non-classical MHC class I genes and proteins
Laurent Abi-Rached, Stanford University, Species-specific evolution of NK cell receptors for MHC class I
 
NIH INSTITUTE-SPONSORED SYMPOSIA

National Cancer Institute (NCI)
National Cancer Institute (NCI) Symposium: The Role of NKG2D in Immune Responses to Tumors
Friday, May 8, 2:00 - 4:00 PM — WSCTC Room 6A
Chair: David H. Raulet, University of California, Berkeley
Co-Chair: T. Kevin Howcroft, Division of Cancer Biology and Cancer Immunology, NCI, NIH

Speakers

Thomas Spies, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, NKG2D-mediated suppression of tumor immunity

David H. Raulet, University of California, Berkeley, Regulation of NKG2D ligands and the role of NKG2D in tumor surveillance

Lewis L. Lanier, University of California, San Francisco, NKG2D-mediated immune responses

Glenn Dranoff, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Targeting the NKG2D pathway in cancer therapy

National Institute on Aging (NIA)

National Institute on Aging (NIA) Symposium: How Aging Impacts Vaccine Efficacy
Sunday, May 10, 8:00 - 10:00 AM — WSCTC Room 6C
Chair: Rebecca A. Fuldner, NIA, NIH
Co-Chair: Janko Nikolich-Zugich, University of Arizona College of Medicine and Arizona Center on Aging
 Speakers

Donna M. Murasko, Drexel University, Immune response to influenza in the aged: a story of mice and men
Jack Gorski, BloodCenter of Wisconsin, The aging of cytotoxic T cell memory to influenza

Janko Nikolich-Zugich, University of Arizona College of Medicine and Arizona Center on Aging, How the frail fail: immune response to acute and chronic viral infections in old age

Joseph Lustgarten, Mayo Clinic, Implications of aging and self-tolerance for the development of tumor vaccines in the elderly

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Contemporary Topics in Immunology Symposium
Friday, May 8, 2009, 2:00 – 4:00 PM — WSCTC Room 6E
Chair: Alison Deckhut Augustine, NIAID, NIH
Co-Chair: John G. Monroe, Genentech, Inc., AAI Program Chair
Speakers
Michel Gilliet, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Role of antimicrobial peptides in pDC-driven autoimmunity
 Hidde Ploegh, Whitehead Institute, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, TLR9 requires proteolytic conversion for its activity
Julie Magarian Blander, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Innate controls of TH17 and Treg cell differentiation
Alan Aderem, Institute for Systems Biology, A systems approach to dissecting immunity
 
 
Working B Cells: How to Make Antibodies that Protect for Anti-HIV Vaccines
Monday, May 11, 10:15 AM - 12:15 PM — WSCTC Room 606-607
Chair: Helen Quill, DAIT, NIAID, NIH
Co-Chair: Tony Conley, DAIT, NIAID, NIH
Speakers
Harry W. Schroeder, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Regulation of the primary antibody CDR-H3 repertoire and epitope selection in immunoglobulin responses to HIV
Leonidas A. Stamatatos, Seattle Biomedical Research Institution, Prevalence and epitope specificities of broadly-neutralizing antibodies generated during HIV-1 infection: how can we elicit them by vaccination?
Abraham Pinter, UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School, Targets for HIV-1 neutralization—limitations and new approaches
James Kobie, University of Rochester, The cellular basis of protective anti-HIV antibody responses
This session will address scientific progress in B cell biology relevant to the production of broadly neutralizing anti-HIV-1 antibodies for the development of prophylactic vaccines. It will feature presentations of recent basic advances together with panel discussion of the intriguing immunological issues involved and potential solutions to roadblocks.
 
GUEST SOCIETY SYMPOSIA
AAI is joined by the following guest societies presenting two-hour symposia in special disciplines.
 

British Society for Immunology (BSI) Special Symposium: Immune Responses to Distressed Self

Monday, May 11, 12:30 - 2:30 PM — WSCTC Room 6A

Chairs: John G. Monroe, Genentech, Inc., AAI Program Chair; Adrian H. Hayday, King's College London School of Medicine, BSI Secretariat
Speakers
Vincenzo Cerundolo, University of Oxford, Invariant NKT cells: effect on DC, B cells and myeloid-derived suppressor cells
Yueh-Hsiu Chien, Stanford University, From (the lack of) thymic selection to IL-17 production: why γδ T cells are indispensable
Wayne Yokoyama, HHMI, Washington University School of Medicine, NK cell tolerance: licensing and other mechanisms
Benjamin E. Willcox, University of Birmingham, Immune display of the cancer phosphoproteome: presentation of transformed self

American Association of Veterinary Immunologists (AAVI) and AAI Veterinary Immunology Committee Joint Symposium: Comparative Biology of Non-Classical MHC Class I Molecules

Sunday, May 10, 12:30 - 2:30 PM — WSCTC Room 615-616

Chairs: Christopher J. Davies, Utah State University; Mark A. Jutila, Montana State University, AAI Veterinary Immunology Committee Chair

Speakers

Joan S. Hunt, University of Kansas Medical Center, Similar and dissimilar features of human and baboon MHC class Ib antigens in placentas

Thaddeus G. Golos, University of Wisconsin, Towards in vivo models to define the functions of primate MHC class I molecules

Christopher J. Davies, Utah State University, Placental expression patterns of cattle non-classical MHC class I genes and proteins

Laurent Abi-Rached, Stanford University, Species-specific evolution of NK cell receptors for MHC class I

American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (ASBMT) Symposium:  Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation:  Immunotherapy of Cancer

Saturday, May 9, 8:00 - 10:00 AM — WSCTC Room 6A

Chair:  Marcel R. M. van den Brink, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center

Speakers

Bruce R. Blazar, University of Minnesota, Graft-versus-host disease:  pathophysiology and prevention

Jerome Ritz, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, T and B cell responses to human minor histocompatibility antigens

Marcel R. M. van den Brink, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Adoptive therapy with T cell precursors

Stanley R. Riddell, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Establishing persistent antitumor immunity after hematopoietic stem cell transplant

American Society of Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR) Symposium:  Osteoimmunology: Interactions of Bone and the Immune System

Saturday, May 9, 2:45 - 4:45 PM — WSCTC Room 608-609

Chairs: Mark C. Horowitz, Yale University School of Medicine; Joseph A. Lorenzo, University of Connecticut Health Center

Speakers

Joseph A. Lorenzo, University of Connecticut Health Center, Introduction to osteoimmunology

Mark C. Horowitz, Yale University School of Medicine, Interactions of bone and fat with the marrow

Amy J. Wagers, Joslin Diabetes Center, Regulation of stem cell function by osteolineage niche cells

Antonios O. Aliprantis, Harvard School of Public Health, NFATc1 uncouples osteoclastogenesis from inflammation in a mouse model of cherubism

American Society of Transplantation (AST) Symposium: Barriers to Transplant Tolerance

Saturday, May 9, 12:30 - 2:30 PM — WSCTC Room 6A

Chairs: Sheri M. Krams, Stanford University School of Medicine; Robert L. Fairchild, Cleveland Clinic Foundation

Speakers

Vicki Seyfert-Margolis, Immune Tolerance Network, UCSF, Assays to measure transplant tolerance

Olivia M. Martinez, Stanford University, Mechanisms of tolerance induction

Leslie S. Kean, Emory University, Beyond rodents: achieving tolerance in primates

Samuel Strober, Stanford University, Achieving tolerance safely in humans

Association of Medical Laboratory Immunologists (AMLI) Symposium: Human Immunology:  Primary Immunodeficiencies as Models for Understanding Lymphocyte Development and Differentiation

Sunday, May 10, 8:00 - 10:00 AM — WSCTC Room 6A

Chairs: Ronald J. Harbeck, National Jewish Health; Roshini S. Abraham, Mayo Clinic

Speakers

Pamela L. Schwartzberg, NHGRI, NIH, Lessons from mouse models of primary immunodeficiencies

Jack J. H. Bleesing, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndromes: models for lymphocyte homeostasis and regulation

Troy R. Torgerson, University of Washington and Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Immune dysregulation and primary immunodeficiencies: Foxp3 and Treg development

Jordan Orange, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, The NK immunological synapse and NK-related immune deficiencies

Canadian Society for Immunology (CSI) Symposium: Innate Regulation of Acquired Immunity

Sunday, May 10, 12:30 - 2:30 PM — WSCTC Room 6A

Chairs: Jean S. Marshall, Dalhousie University; Kent T. HayGlass, University of Manitoba

Speakers

Jennifer L. Gommerman, University of Toronto, Interactions between stromal cells, dendritic cells, and lymphotoxin-expressing lymphocytes tune the adaptive immune response

Kent T. HayGlass, University of Manitoba, Linkages between TLR/NLR responsiveness and human allergic disease

Dana J. Philpott, University of Toronto, NOD proteins in innate and adaptive immunity

Jean S. Marshall, Dalhousie University, Mast cell mobilization of dendritic cells

Chinese Society of Immunology (ChSI) Symposium: Immune Regulation: From Basic to Clinics

Saturday, May 9, 10:15 AM - 12:15 PM — WSCTC Room 6A

Chairs: Olivera (Olja) J. Finn, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Chen Dong, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Speakers
Yang-Xin Fu, The University of Chicago, Adaptive immune cells temper initial innate responses
Xiao-Hong Sun, Oklahoma Research Foundation, Molecular mechanisms underlying Notch-mediated lineage decisions
Xiaoping Zhong, Duke University Medical Center, Diacylglycerol kinases in T cell development and tolerance
Richard D. Ye, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Acute-phase response and immune regulation

International Society for Interferon and Cytokine Research (ISICR) Symposium:  Cytokines and Interferons in the Immune Response

Monday, May 11, 10:15 AM - 12:15 PM — WSCTC Room 6A

Chair: Robert M. Friedman, USUHS

Speakers

Patricia Fitzgerald-Bocarsly, UMDNJ, New Jersey Medical School, Interferons and plasmacytoid dendritic cells

Grant Gallagher, HUMIGEN LLC, Modulation of the Th2 response by IL-19 and interferon lambda

Thomas A. Wynn, NIAID, NIH, Dissecting alternative and classical activation: the role of macrophage subsets in the pathogenesis of Th2-mediated disease

Kendall A. Smith, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, How mutations in cytokine signaling pathways can lead to autoimmunity and leukemia

International Society of Neuroimmunology (ISNI) Symposium: B Cells in Neuroimmunologic Disease

Saturday, May 9, 2:45 - 4:45 PM — WSCTC Room 6A

Chairs: Anne H. Cross, Washington University School of Medicine; Bonnie N. Dittel, BloodCenter of Wisconsin, Blood Research Institute

Speakers

Bonnie N. Dittel, BloodCenter of Wisconsin, Blood Research Institute, Mechanisms utilized by B cells to regulate autoimmune inflammation in the CNS

Scott S. Zamvil, University of California, San Francisco, Mechanisms of B cell involvement in CNS autoimmunity

Kevin C. O’Connor, Harvard Medical School, The specificity of B cells in the CNS of multiple sclerosis patients

Anne H. Cross, Washington University School of Medicine, B cell depletion in the therapy of relapsing multiple sclerosis

Singaporean Society for Immunology (SSI) Symposium: New Initiatives in Asia

Sunday, May 10, 10:15 AM - 12:15 PM — WSCTC Room 606-607

Chairs: David Michael Kemeny, National University of Singapore; Paola Ricciardi Castagnoli, Singapore Immunology Network, A*STAR

Speakers

David Michael Kemeny, National University of Singapore, CD8+ T cells induce dendritic cell IL-12 in vitro and in vivo via CD40-dependent and independent pathways

Paola Ricciardi Castagnoli, Singapore Immunology Network, A*STAR, Dendritic cells regulate immune responses via the NFAT signaling pathway

S. K. Alex Law, Nanyang Technological University, Lessons from mutations of LAD patients and the structure and function of integrins

Antonio Bertoletti, Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, A*STAR, Reconstitution of virus-specific immunity through TCR transfer in chronic hepatitis B

Paul A. MacAry, National University of Singapore, Targeting Epstein-Barr virus-associated tumors using TCR-like monoclonal antibodies

Society for Glycobiology Symposium: Glycans in Immune Development, Recognition, and Function

Saturday, May 9, 12:30 - 2:30 PM — WSCTC Room 608-609

Chairs: Linda G. Baum, UCLA School of Medicine; Mitchell Kronenberg, La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology

Speakers

Mitchell Kronenberg, La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology, Innate-like recognition of microbial glycolipids by natural killer T cells

Yvette van Kooyk, Vrije Universiteit Medical Center, Amsterdam, Innate and adaptive dendritic cell responses upon glycan recognition

James C. Paulson, The Scripps Research Institute, Targeting B cells with ligands of CD22

Linda G. Baum, UCLA School of Medicine, Galectin-glycan lattices on the plasma membrane regulate T cell function

Society for Leukocyte Biology (SLB) Symposium: Macrophage Meets Microbe:  Activation, Inflammation, Autophagy, and Cell Death

Sunday, May 10, 2:45 - 4:45 PM — WSCTC Room 606-607

Chairs: Michele S. Swanson, University of Michigan Medical School; Brad T. Cookson, University of Washington

Speakers

Thomas R. Hawn, University of Washington, TLR activation in combating infection

Russell E. Vance, University of California, Berkeley, Cytosolic immunosurveillance of Legionella pneumophila

Michele S. Swanson, University of Michigan Medical School, Autophagy: a barrier to cytosolic infection

Brad T. Cookson, University of Washington, Pyroptosis: a host-healthy alternative to apoptosis

Society for Mucosal Immunology (SMI) Symposium: Enemies at the Gate:  Control of Microbes at Mucosal Surfaces

Saturday, May 9, 2:45 - 4:45 PM — WSCTC Room 606-607

Chairs: Leo Lefrançois, University of Connecticut Health Center; Charlotte S. Kaetzel, University of Kentucky College of Medicine

Speakers

Lora V. Hooper, HHMI, University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, Innate immune responses to commensal bacteria at the gut epithelial surface

Stephen J. McSorley, University of Minnesota Medical Center, Initiation of a CD4+ T cell response to Salmonella infection

David Artis, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Innate immune cells in the recognition and response to helminth parasites

Linda S. Cauley, University of Connecticut Health Center, CD69 and CD103 cooperatively regulate CD8+ T cell responses in the lungs after influenza infection

Dennis W. Metzger, Albany Medical College, The role of mucosal immunity in viral-bacterial synergistic lung infections

Society for Natural Immunity (SNI) Symposium: NK Cell Development and Tolerance:  Implications for Immunotherapy

Sunday, May 10, 2:45 - 4:45 PM — WSCTC Room 6A

Chairs: Peter Parham, Stanford University; Michael A. Caligiuri, Ohio State University

Speakers
 Fumio Takei, University of British Columbia, NK cell progenitors in various tissues suggest multiple pathways of NK cell development

Michael A. Caligiuri, Ohio State University, NK cell development

Peter Parham, Stanford University, NK-cell immunogenetics: the art of fine tuning NK cell responses

Jeffrey S. Miller, University of Minnesota, NK cell therapy in cancer and transplantation
 
CAREER DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS

AAI Education Committee and National Postdoctoral Association
Special Session: The Secrets to a Successful Postdoctoral Experience
Monday, May 11, 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM — WSCTC Rm 610
Chair: Kira Gantt, AAI
Speaker: Karen A. Peterson, Director of the Office of Scientific Career Development, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, The secrets to a successful postdoctoral experience

AAI Education Committee
The NIH Grant Maze: Navigating Old Turns and New Twists
Saturday, May 9, 10:30 AM – 12:15 PM — WSCTC Room 608-609
Chair: Barry P. Sleckman, Washington University School of Medicine, AAI Education Committee
Speakers
Barry P. Sleckman, Associate Professor, Washington University School of Medicine, Introduction
Cheryl A. Kitt, Deputy Director, Center for Scientific Review, NIH, NIH grant rules, obligations and changes every PI should know: an overview from CSR
Gail A. Bishop, Professor, University of Iowa, Chair, TTT Study Section, Notes from a study section chair: what it takes to rise to the top
Richard A. Pelroy, Program Director, NCI, The role of NIH institute program officials in the grant process
DISCUSSION (audience participation invited)

AAI Education Committee and Committee on the Status of Women

Careers in Science: Lecture and Roundtable Discussion
Saturday, May 9, 1:30 - 3:30 PM — WSCTC Room 6C
Chair: Christine Milcarek, University of Pittsburgh, Chair, AAI Committee on the Status of Women; Co-Chair: Bonnie N. Dittel, BloodCenter of Wisconsin, Blood Research Institute
Speaker: Phyllis M. Wise, Provost and Executive Vice President, University of Washington
GENERAL: Topics related to the environment you work in or want to work in --
▪ Academic Research
▪ Biotech and Industry
▪ Governmental Agencies: CDC/FDA/NIH
▪ Clinic: clinical and diagnostic immunology, clinician-scientist
▪ Undergraduate Institutions: teaching, doing research part-time
TRANSITIONS: Topics focused on a specific career stage --
▪ Graduate Student to Post-doc: finding a post doc, interviewing
▪ Post-doc to PI: finding a position, interviewing, negotiating, lab start-up
▪ New PI: attracting students and post-docs, preparing for tenure
▪ Mid-Career: developing administrative and management skills/sabbaticals
▪ Changing Careers: moving from academia to industry, or vice versa
SPECIAL: Topics for unique situations --
▪ Career and Family: time management/family leave/professional couples
▪ Integrity and Ethics: dealing with controversy, discrimination in the workplace
▪ Alternative Careers: science journalism, patent law
▪ The Scientist’s Role in Public Policy
▪ Time Management
Registration, $10 fee required; dessert buffet and coffee included.

AAI Minority Affairs Committee
Careers and Networking Roundtable
Sunday, May 10, 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM — WSCTC Room 610
 Chair: Randy R. Brutkiewicz, Indiana University School of Medicine, Chair, AAI Minority Affairs Committee
Don't miss this opportunity to meet one-on-one with senior minority immunologists to hear how they have handled the career challenges you now face. Learn what they believe will work for you today.
Registration, $10 fee required; box lunch included.

AAI Publications Committee
Course: Excellence in Scientific Writing
Friday, May 8, 12:00 - 4:00 PM — Eliza Anderson Amphitheater, Seattle Grand Hyatt Hotel
 Instructor: Karen Kurt Teal
Improve the quality of your writing! AAI is offering a custom technical writing seminar for scientists.  In addition to the basic principles of writing and grammar, the course will address ways to strengthen the quality of grant proposals and manuscripts. This course will be taught by Karen Kurt Teal, Ph.D.  Dr. Teal is a faculty member in the Department of Human Centered Design and Engineering, University of Washington where she teaches technical writing for scientists and engineers. Her courses have included “Writing the Scientific Article” (graduate level), “Style in Scientific and Technical Writing”, “Introduction to Technical Communication”, and “Advanced Technical Writing and Oral Presentation”. Course is limited to 100 attendees. Dr. Teal was awarded her doctorate in English from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst in 2000. Topics to be covered by the course include:
▪ Improving the Quality of Manuscripts for Publication
▪ Improving the Quality of Grant Proposals
▪ Audience analysis
▪ Organization		 ▪ Precision
▪ Concision
▪ Consistency
▪ Basic grammar and mechanics
Registration, $100 fee required.
 

Scientific Publishing: Dos and Don’ts for Authors and Reviewers

Sunday, May 10, 12:30-2:30 PM -- WSCTC Room 6C

Chair: Robert D. Schreiber, Washington University School of Medicine, Chair, AAI Publications Committee

Speakers

Pamela J. Fink, University of Washington School of Medicine, Dos and don’ts when writing a scientific manuscript 

JoAnne L. Flynn, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Essentials for becoming a valued reviewer 

Pamela A. Shaw, NIAID, NIH, The appropriate use of statistics in the biological sciences

Jeremy M. Boss, Emory University School of Medicine and Editor-in-Chief, The Journal of Immunology, What do you mean I already published it? Ethics in scientific publishing
 
CAREER DEVELOPMENT SEMINARS
(Provided by FASEB MARC Office of Professional Development)
Social Media and Career Development for Life Scientists
Saturday, May 9, 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM, Room 605
Monday, May 11, 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM, Room 605
Presenter: Clifford Mintz
Social media tools like Facebook, MySpace and Twitter are changing the way scientists communicate and network with one another. While these platforms can be used for research purposes, they are also becoming increasingly important as a means to enhance career development. This seminar offers insights into how social media can be used to network and find employment.
     
 
CV=>Resume
Saturday, May 9, 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM, Room 605
Presenter: Andrew Green

Corporate recruiters look for a very different set of skills from those wanted by academic search committees. Learn how to reach recruiters and potential employers with an effective resume that highlights the value you have to offer and strengthens your candidacy for jobs outside of academia.
 
 
Interviewing Tips: Winning that Next Job!
Saturday, May 9, 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM, Room 605
Presenter: Clifford Mintz

This is a general “how to” class for anyone looking to hone their interviewing skills or simply wanting to learn the basics of proper interviewing. Get tips on what to do and what not to do when you meet a potential employer.
 
 
Ph.D. Negotiation Skills and Strategies: How to Get What You Want and Need
Saturday, May 9, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM, Room 605
Monday, May 11, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM, Room 605
Presenter: Andrew Green

Do you need to develop or refine your negotiation skills? This session covers salary, start up packages, and strategies for getting what you need to successfully launch your scientific career.
 
 
Job Opportunities in Pharmaceutical and Biotech Drug Development
Saturday, May 9, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM, Room 605
Monday, May 11, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM, Room 605
Presenter: Clifford Mintz

This seminar focuses on the drug development process from discovery through commercialization and job opportunities for scientists at each stage of the process.
 
 

The Academic Job Search in the Life Sciences

Part 1: Understanding the Search Process from the Perspective of Search Committees
Saturday, May 9, 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM, Room 605
Monday, May 11, 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM, Room 605

Part 2: The Academic Job Search in the Life Sciences -- Creating Your Written Application Materials: CVs, Cover Letters, Teaching Portfolios, Etc.
Saturday, May 9, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM, Room 605
Monday, May 11, 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM, Room 605

Presenter: Andrew Green

This two-part workshop is designed to provide an overview of the Academic Job Search process and help you understand how to present your credentials in the strongest manner possible both on paper and in person.. You need not attend Part 1 to benefit from Part 2.

Part 1: If you’ve sent the same materials to search committees at two different universities, then at least one of the search committees will be less than impressed. Academic search committees at different institutions have very different perspectives as to what makes a strong candidate and desirable colleague. Part 1 of this two part session will help you to understand the search process from the eyes of the committee.

Part 2: Academic search committees at different institutions have very different perspectives as to what makes a strong candidate and desirable colleague. Part 2 of this two part session is designed to help you understand how to present your credentials in the strongest manner possible both on paper and in person. You need not attend Part 1 to benefit from Part 2.

 
 
What Does Teamwork Really Mean?
Sunday, May 10, 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM, Room 605
Presenter: Clifford Mintz

“Teamwork” is a buzz word that is bandied about when it comes to jobs at pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. Everybody has heard of teamwork but how is it applied in the life sciences industry? This seminar will help to define the concept of teamwork and provide insights into how teams function in industry.
 
 
Professional Development for Ph.D.s
Sunday, May 10, 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM, Room 605
Presenter: Andrew Green

Use your time in graduate school to qualify you for as broad a set of career paths as possible, and maximize your ability to seek employment outside of academia. This workshop provides an introduction to tools and strategies you can use well before you're looking for a job. It will also cover how to integrate professional development activities geared toward non-academic work into your graduate studies while ensuring the integrity and timeliness of your academic progress.
 
 
Postdoctoral Fellowships: What Should You be Looking For and How Can You Find It?
Sunday, May 10, 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM, Room 605
Presenter: Andrew Green

Many Ph.D.s fall into a postdoctoral fellowship rather than pursuing the process strategically. A postdoc is never an end in itself; rather it’s a means to your next position. Learn how to choose opportunities that will best prepare you for that next position.
 
 
The Job Talk
Sunday, May 10, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM, Room 605
Presenter: Andrew Green
After months of stressful silence, the voice on the other end of the phone says, “We’d like to invite you for an on-campus interview.” You gleefully discuss schedules, airports, and other arrangements until the voice mentions “and of course we’re all looking forward to your Job Talk,” and your stomach begins to spasm in new and creative ways. This seminar will provide answers to your questions about how to structure your presentation, how much detail to include, and how to reach your audience.
 
 
Alternate Careers: The Path Less Traveled
Monday, May 11, 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM, Room 605
Presenter: Clifford Mintz

What jobs are available to me after I finish my degree or (seemingly never ending) postdoc? "If you’ve asked this question about your pending career, this seminar is for you.
 
EXHIBITOR WORKSHOPS


Saturday, May 9

IEDB.org (The Immune Epitope Database & Analysis Resource)
Immune Epitope Database and Analysis Resource
9420 Athena Circle * La Jolla, CA 92037 * Phone: 858-752-6548 * Fax: 858-725-6990
 www.immuneepitope.org/
10:30 AM – 11:30 AM, Room 611
Presenter: Björn Peters, Ph.D.

The Immune Epitope Database and Analysis Resource (IEDB) is a freely available online resource supported by the National Institutes of Health. The IEDB provides open access to published data related to antibody and T cell epitopes recognized in humans, non-human primates, rodents, and other animal species. It also hosts a variety of online tools that allow you to analyze curated data or data provided by you, and tools to predict epitopes. The IEDB has curated the majority of epitopes from infectious diseases and allergies, and is now adding epitopes relevant to autoimmune diseases. In this workshop, we will present highlights and examples of the latest major release, version 2.0. IEDB staff will tour the website by way of an introductory presentation meant to familiarize attendees with the site, the extent of coverage of the literature, and its improved interface. Following the presentation, attendees will then be invited to guide real-time demonstrations and/or ask general questions about building queries or how to use online tools to analyze datasets of personal interest. Several IEDB staff will also be on hand to answer questions and collect feedback for the current and future versions. If you already have ideas on what you’d like to see demonstrated at the workshop, please feel free to email workshop@iedb.org.

Functional Studies of Rare Cells
Amnis Corporation
2505 3rd Avenue * Suite 210 * Seattle, WA 98121 * Phone: 206-374-7165 * Fax: 206-576-6895
 www.amnis.com/
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM, Room 612
Presenter: Multiple Presenters

This workshop is intended for anyone with an interest in cell signaling, internalization studies, immune synapse analysis, high throughput FISH, and other applications of imaging flow cytometry. This high speed technique images hundreds of thousands of cells per experiment directly in fluid suspension, making it well suited to the visualization and analysis of even very rare immune cell subsets. The image quality is comparable to a high quality microscope and the fluorescence sensitivity is better than standard flow cytometry. Scientists who use Amnis’ technology will present their latest results and Amnis will present its latest technological developments. For detailed abstracts of the workshop presentations, please visit Amnis at booth 403.

A New Journey of Discovery - Introducing the Arrival of Beckman Coulter's New 10-Color Analyzer, Gallios™, with a Preview of the New Kaluza™ Analysis Software
Beckman Coulter, Inc.
200 S. Kraemer Boulevard * Brea, CA 92822 * Phone: 714-961-4223 * Fax: 714-961-4504z
www.beckman.com
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM, Room 612
Presenter: Matt Alexander

The Gallios delivers analytical excellence, coupling extraordinary sensitivity, resolution and dynamic range with high-speed data collection. A particular emphasis on optical and electronics design, combined with powerful automation and software tools, allows Gallios to greatly enhance the efficiency and analytical capabilities of flow cytometry laboratories. Developed for the research and biopharmaceutical markets, with input from a number of investigators, the multi-color, multi-laser Gallios is the first in a series of key flow cytometry instrument, software and reagent releases that Beckman Coulter plans to announce this year. Preview the new Kaluza analysis software that revolutionizes flow analysis speed with patented technology and intelligent workspace design. Kaluza provides seamless integration for easy analysis of .fcs files from the FC 500 or Gallios, including protocol gates and regions with layout flexibility and multiparametric analysis.

Improve Your Immunology—Looking at a Better Way to Analyze Cytometry Data with FCS Express
De Novo Software, Inc.
3250 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 803 * Los Angeles, CA 90010 * Phone: 213-384-7000 * Fax: 310-943-1489
 www.denovosoftware.com/
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM, Room 611
Presenter: David Novo

This workshop focuses on how the industry leading flow cytometry data analysis software, FCS Express, can be used to enhance and simplify your studies of the complex machinery of the immune system. FCS Express is a full feature software solution used by hundreds of research labs worldwide with a focus on studying cell interactions and function. FCS Express combines the ease of use of a modern user interface with all the data analysis and presentation capabilities you need. FCS Express offers many powerful features such as: creating PowerPoint slides directly from your layout, post-acquisition compensation, parameter math, non-rectangular quadrants, custom statistic creation, unlimited undo, histogram subtraction, channel calibration, drag and drop interface and much more. We have several add-on features available including Proliferation, Multicycle, Logging/Audit trails, Security and importers for Diva experiments and Accuri instrument files. The workshop will give an overview of how you can FCS Express can generate complex analysis and reports in a fraction of the time it takes you now, to let you spend more time on science instead of analysis.

eFluor™ Technologies: Robust Reagents for Multi-Parameter Flow Cytometry
eBioscience, Inc.
10255 Science Center Drive * San Diego, CA 92121 * Phone: 888-999-1371 * Fax: 858-642-2046
 http://www.ebioscience.com/
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM, Room 612
Presenter: Tony Ward

As researchers develop more sophisticated model systems to address current questions in the life sciences, the evolution of relevant tools for this research must keep pace. Realizing the power of multi-parameter flow cytometry requires the availability of high performance fluorochromes paired with appropriate specificities to acquire consistent and reliable data. The new eFluor™ brand of fluorochromes from eBioscience includes two product lines, organic and nanocrystal-based fluorochromes, designed to provide the best performing reagents for multicolor flow cytometry. Maximizing use of the violet laser is paramount to designing robust multicolor flow cytometry panels. The presentation will focus on the physical properties of the eBioscience nanocrystal technology and the initial offering of eFluor™ products. Data will be presented to show practical tips and advantages regarding the use of eFluor™ Nanocrystals and Organic Dyes in multicolor staining applications.

Multi-color Flow Cytometry, NorthernLights™ Fluorescent Immunocytochemistry, and ExactaChIP Chromatin Immunoprecipitation Kits: New Tools for Characterization of TH17 Cells and Stem Cells
R&D Systems, Inc.
614 McKinley Place NE * Minneapolis, MN 55413 * Phone: 612-379-6580 * Fax: 612-379-6580
 www.rndsystems.com/
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM, Room 611
Presenter: Jody Bonnevier 

Multi-color flow cytometry is the method of choice for identification of specific cell populations. R&D Systems has developed new multi-color kits for phenotyping of human TH17 cells and mouse hematopoietic progenitors. Multi-color fluorescent microscopy has also become an option with the development of NorthernLights™ directly conjugated primary antibodies for immunocytochemistry. Rapid identification of transcription factors and their target genes in many different cell types has also been made possible by the development of ExactaChIP chromatin immunoprecipitation kits. These tools provide new ways to identify cellular characteristics and assess molecular events.

Sunday, May 10

Clinical Trial Support: Design, Development and Testing Using Cell-Based Immune Assays
SeraCare Life Sciences, Inc.
37 Birch Street * Milford, MA 01757 * Phone: 508-244-6400 * Fax: 508-634-3334
 www.seracare.com/
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM, Room 611
Presenter: Deepa Patke, Ph.D.

Learn how to utilize cellular and molecular approaches to optimize research and clinical activities during drug discovery and development. We will present best practices involved in procuring, managing, and testing biological samples from preclinical and clinical studies, with an emphasis on cell based immune assays.

Aushon-Pierce SearchLight® Array Kits and Services for Biomarker Analysis
Aushon BioSystems
43 Manning Road * Billerica, MA 01821 * Phone: 1-877-AUSHON1 (1-877-287-4661)
 www.aushon.com
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM, Room 612
Presenter: Scott Van Arsdell, Director, Aushon Searchlight R&D and Technical Services

Aushon SearchLight® Protein Array Kits and Services allow researchers to quantify multiple cytokines and biomarkers from a small volume of sample to generate custom protein expression profiles. The current menu offers more than 300 assays, including markers for COPD, cardiac disease, arthritis, asthma, diabetes, neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, and more. Researchers with access to a compatible CCD imaging system or IR scanner can purchase custom array kits and SearchLight Array Analyst Software for quantification of specific proteins of interest. With the Aushon SearchLight Sample Testing Service, researchers select proteins of interest, ship samples to our CLIA-certified laboratory in Woburn, MA, and receive an electronic data report within 10 business days. Custom assay development and array validation are available. Learn more about the Aushon SearchLight technology, array validation, chemiluminescent and infrared array kits, and sample testing services.

Antibody-Based Detection of Cytokine Expression Profiles: Arrays of Possibilities
RayBiotech, Inc.
3607 Park Day Lane * Suite 200 * Norcross, GA 30092 * Phone: 770-729-2992 * Fax: 770-206-2393
 www.raybiotech.com
10:00 AM- 11:00 AM, Room 611
Presenter: Brett Burkholder

Cytokine biology is often too complex to unravel using traditional techniques of molecular biology. Cytokines commonly work synergistically or antagonistically with other cytokines, with overlapping functions and cross-talk among cytokines being the rules rather than the exceptions. Therefore, using traditional ELISA or Western-blot analysis to measure changes in just a few cytokines can give an incomplete picture of the role of these proteins in an experimental model. Cytokine antibody arrays are multiplexed assays that can measure changes in expression of hundreds of cytokines simultaneously, allowing researchers to obtain a more global perspective on cytokine expression compared to traditional approaches. An overview of cytokine array technologies will be presented, as well as specific examples of how cytokine antibody arrays can be used to identify biomarkers, key factors and drug targets and to elucidate biochemical mechanisms and pathways.

The MACSQuant™ Analyzer – A New Milestone in Cell Analysis
Miltenyi Biotec Inc.
12740 Earhart Avenue * Auburn, CA 95002 * Phone: 530-887-5311 * Fax: 530-887-5312
 www.miltenyibiotec.com
11:00 AM - 12:00 PM, Room 612
Presenter: Craig Fuller, Ph.D.

Miltenyi Biotec GmbH introduces the MACSQuant™ Analyzer, a novel instrument leading science into a new era of automated cell analysis. The MACSQuant™ Analyzer boasts such innovative features as nine optical parameters, absolute cell counting, sensitive rare cell analysis facilitated by MACS® Technology, and multisample labeling and analysis of up to 96 samples all packaged in a compact benchtop design. Operated by the easy-to-use MACSQuantify™ Software on the integrated touchscreen monitor, the researcher is able to perform automated gating strategies and cell population analysis, as well as save individual settings and experimental templates. At our workshop, we invite you to view the intuitive software as well as see the advanced features of autocalibration and autocompensation in action. If time and space permits, there may also be some opportunities for hands-on operation of the software. Excite and inspire.

Multi-Analyte PCR Arrays, ELISArrays and Cell-Based Assays for Cytokine and TLR-Related Studies
SABiosciences Corporation
6951 Executive Way * Frederick, MD 21703 * Phone: 301-682-9200 x5137 * Fax: 301-682-7300
 www.sabiosciences.com/
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM, Room 611
Presenter: Brian McNally, Ph.D.

Understanding the biology of living cells requires a systematic survey of the gene, protein, and pathway activities within a cell. SABiosciences pioneered and continues to develop pathway-focused tools for inflammation, infection and autoimmunity. RT2 Profiler PCR Arrays measure the expression of 84 related genes grouped by signaling or disease pathway. The Multi-Analyte ELISArray Kits simultaneously analyze 12 cytokines or chemokines in up to six samples using the standard ELISA protocol in a pre-optimized system. Lastly, the Cignal Pathway Reporter Assays study multiple signal transduction pathways in vivo such as NFkB and JAK/STAT signaling. Many immunologists have already discovered the power of these technologies. Come and learn how you can use them.

Pathways of Innate and Adaptive Immunity: Toll-Like Receptors (TLRs) and Related Molecules as Sensory Tools to Probe Immune Response Networks
IMGENEX Corporation
11175 Flintkote Avenue, Suite E * San Diego, CA 92121 * Phone: 858-642-0978 * Fax: 858-642-0937
 www.imgenex.com/
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM, Room 612
Presenter: Lisa Stein, Ph.D.

Analysis of Toll-like Receptors, MyD88 and adapter molecules, inflammasomes and associated molecules using novel reagents will be presented. Current knowledge and an expanding appreciation of the complex and critical role of TLRs in the innate and adaptive immune response pathways will be overviewed. Various TLRs and related products including antibodies, peptide inhibitors, and TLR agonists will be demonstrated as probe sets for profiling the regulatory network of the innate and adaptive immune response through new assay systems and applications. Examples of assay systems- for Cell Analysis using flow cytometry, for Proteomic Analysis using western blotting and arrays, and for Molecular Analysis – will be presented as models for use in studies of TLRs and associated molecules and their involvement in normal and disease related areas including:

Autoimmunity * Vaccine Development * Signaling Pathways * Immunoregulation * Cancer

Evolution and the Chemokine Superfamily
BioLegend, Inc.
11080 Roselle Street * San Diego, CA 92121 * Phone: 858-455-9588 * Fax: 858-455-9587
 www.biolegend.com
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM, Room 611
Presenter: Albert Zlotnik, Ph.D.

The chemokines can be divided into inflammatory and homeostatic; each one of these subfamilies has been shaped by evolutionary forces. These characteristics also apply to many other molecular superfamilies. Inflammatory chemokines are located together in specific chromosomal loci, while homeostatic chemokines are located in isolated chromosomal sites. This organization is the result of gene duplication events that have shaped this superfamily, and also explains the lack of correlation of some chemokines between the mouse and the human genomes. The homeostatic chemokines exhibit strong conservation throughout evolution, while the inflammatory chemokines are among the most dynamic genes present in the genome. The latter feature helps organisms cope with new infectious agents.

Highly Sensitive Biomarker Immunoassays: Development, Validation, and Novel TH17 Multiplex Immunoassay Panels
BioLegend, Inc.
11080 Roselle Street * San Diego, CA 92121 * Phone: 858-455-9588 * Fax: 858-455-9587
 www.biolegend.com
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM, Room 611
Presenter: Shaoquan Ji, Ph.D.

BioLegend is a major supplier of reagents for biomedical researchers, offering a wide range of antibodies, immunoassay kits, assay development and sample testing services. These products and services use multiple technological platforms including single and multiplex immunoassays (LEGEND MAX™ ELISA, AlphaLISA®, LEGENDplex™ xMAP®, and LEGENDArray™ Flow Cytometric bead-based assays). The workshop will discuss immunoassay development processes, analytical and biological validation criteria to ensure sensitive, accurate, and reproducible quantification of targets in samples. Specific discussion will focus on the development of novel bead-based multiplex assays for human and mouse TH17 cytokines and on AlphaLISA® assays. The latter is able to quantify targets with sensitivities at fg/ml with a broader dynamic range (> 106). Simple and non-wash protocols can be easily automated. In summary, the wide array of reagents and services available from BioLegend will provide simple solutions to meet the needs of researchers, guaranteed with BioLegend’s quality, value pricing, and expert support.

Fas Ligand and TRAIL Are Required for Thymic Graft-versus-Host-Disease after Allogeneic Bone Marrow Transplantation
BD Biosciences
10975 Torreyana Road * San Diego, CA 92121 * Phone: 858-812-8884 * Fax: 858-812-3739
 www.bdbiosciences.com/
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM, Room 612
Presenters:Sydney X. Lu, Il-Kang Na, Lori Howe, Catherine McIntyre, Dennis Sasaki, Robert Balderas, and Marcel R.M. van den Brink

Thymic GVHD (tGVHD), which is mediated by alloreactive T cells, causes delayed lymphoid recovery after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. However, the identity of which thymic cell subsets are damaged, and their sensitivity to specific cytolytic pathways, remains unclear. Thymic stromal cells, in particular, are heterogeneous and require multiple markers to define, and we therefore collaborated with the BD Biosciences R&D group to evolve an 11-color antibody staining panel for the LSR II, which allowed for detailed analyses of these cells. Using clinically relevant allo-BMT models, we show that small numbers of donor alloreactive T cells insufficient to mediate lethal GVHD are nonetheless sufficient to damage the thymus and delay T lineage reconstitution. Furthermore, these donor alloreactive T cells require a variety of trafficking and co-inhibitory/co-stimulatory molecules to mediate disease. We found that radiation in bone marrow transplant conditioning regimens upregulates expression of the death receptors Fas and DR5 on thymic stromal cells (especially epithelium) while decreasing their expression of the anti-apoptotic protein cFLIP. Donor alloreactive T cells then utilize the cognate proteins Fas ligand and TRAIL to mediate tGVHD, thus damaging thymic stromal cells and function. Strategies that interfere with Fas/Fas ligand and TRAIL/DR5 signals may represent a strategy to attenuate tGVHD.

Monday, May 11

Rapid MNC Enrichment Using Pall’s New Purecell™ Select System
 Pall Medical
2200 Northern Blvd. * East Hills, NY 11548 * Phone: 516-801-9858 * Fax: 516-801-9548
www.pall.com/
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM, Room 612
Presenter: Safa Karandish

The new Pall Purecell™ Select System is a rapid, easy to use, single use disposable for the isolation of Mononuclear cells (MNC) from whole blood and cord blood for cell based research. Inherent advantages over traditional density gradient methods include increased recovery, reproducibility, speed and ease of use. Study results comparing the Pall Purecell™ Select System to density gradient methods for isolation of MNC will be presented. Participants will walk away from the workshop with an awareness of how the Purecell™ Select System can fit into their current research applications and potential future use in clinical cell manufacturing processes.

How Dynabeads® Can Facilitate Your Cell Research
Invitrogen Corporation
5791 Van Allen Way * Carlsbad, CA 92008 * Phone: 800-955-6288 * Fax: 760-603-7229 * Web: http://www.invitrogen.com
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM, Room 611
Presenter: Cenk Sumen, Ph.D.

Dynabeads® tube-based cell separation is the technology of choice for high yields of pure, viable, and functional cells. Cells are not subjected to the stress of being passed through a dense column or exposed to iron oxide. Dynabeads are coated with an inert polymer layer that prevents iron leakage. The FlowComp™ positive cell isolation system allows for the removal of the beads to further minimize the impact on cells and allow for downstream applications such as flow based assays or cell culture. Results from side-by-side comparisons of Dynabeads FlowComp positive isolation and Dynabeads Untouched™ negative isolation technologies with column-based methods show how this gentle and consistent isolation system gives higher yields, purity, and viability, hence healthier cells for more reliable downstream data. Combine Dynabeads tube-based cell separation with our cellular analysis products to easily isolate and characterize any cell type.

Next Generation Molecular Probes® Flow Cytometry Reagents from Invitrogen: Qdot® Nanocrystal Conjugates, Viability Detection, Cell Cycle and Proliferation Analysis
Invitrogen Corporation
5791 Van Allen Way * Carlsbad, CA 92008 * Phone: 800-955-6288 * Fax: 760-603-7229 * Web: http://www.invitrogen.com
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM, Room 611
Presenter: Bill Godfrey, Ph.D.

This tutorial will focus on ways to increase multiplexing capability on nearly all flow cytometers using new Molecular Probes® technologies. Because of their relatively narrow, symmetrical emission, Qdot® nanocrystals are the clear choice for higher plexed assays. This tutorial will cover the practical aspects of Qdot® nanocrystal conjugate use, including optimal optical filter choices.. In addition, newer fluorescent reagents will be discussed that facilitate the ability of scientists to analyze cell function beyond immunophenotyping: Dead cell discrimination using SYTOX® AADvanced™ Dead Cell Stain – a dye with spectral properties similar to 7-AAD but with improved kinetics and lower CVs; newer LIVE/DEAD® Fixable Dead Cell Stain Kits to eliminate dead cells from intracellular staining assays for cytokine detection and phophorylation studies; and, live cell cycle analysis with Vybrant DyeCycle™ Ruby - detection in far red channels with little cytotoxicity. The presentation will also cover the latest applications using the novel Click-iT™ technology.

Multiplexed Immunoassays for Simultaneous Quantification of Guinea Pig Proteins
Invitrogen Corporation
5791 Van Allen Way * Carlsbad, CA 92008 * Phone: 800-955-6288 * Fax: 760-603-7229
Web: http://www.invitrogen.com
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM, Room 611
Presenter: Hans Beernink, Ph.D.

Guinea pigs has been the most commonly used preclinical model for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma research. However, tools for biomarker studies in guinea pigs have been scarce. Using the Luminex xMAP® system, we have developed a novel immunoassay panel to monitor guinea-pig proteins from biological samples. The assay procedure is similar to traditional ELISA methods, and multiple markers can be quantified in such diverse sample types as serum, plasma, bronchial lavage fluid, and tissue culture supernatants. Quantification is achieved using recombinant guinea pig proteins for calibration. Assay performance and relevance to disease models will be discussed.

Considerations in Cytokine Assay Development
PBL Interferon Source
131 Ethel Road West, Suite 6 * Piscataway, NJ 08854 * Phone: 732-777-9123 * Fax: 732-777-9141 * Web: http://www.interferonsource.com/
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM, Room 612
Presenter: Thomas Lavoie, Ph.D.

This tutorial will provide information on how to set up a cytokine assays with appropriate controls, tips and tricks for optimizing results, and how to make sense of the generated data. Topics such as choosing appropriate methods and standards and data analysis will also be covered.

A Novel Technology for Automated, In Situ Cell Imaging

Cyntellect, Inc.
6620 Mesa Ridge Road * San Diego, CA 92121 * Phone: 858-875-1632 * Fax: 858-550-1774 * Web: www.cyntellect.com
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM, Room 611
Presenters: Paul DiGregorio, Sarah Kessel, Ianina Valenta, Michelle Zatcoff, Stella Redpath, Gary Bright, David Burns, and Fred Koller

The new iSCIP® (in situ Cell Imaging Platform) system from Cyntellect has been developed to address current limitations in live cell imaging and processing. The iSCIP combines high quality optics with powerful software for accurate cell analysis. The iSCIP is a bench top device which can very rapidly identify, and analyze cells in situ in tissue-culture flasks, in multi-well plates and even in Petri dishes using brightfield and fluorescence detection. The iSCIP is particularly useful for adherent cells, as these cells can be directly counted and analyzed in the flask or multiwall plate without any need for trypsinization or labeling. The iSCIP platform has utility in many areas of cell biology study including cell culture management including clonal selection, drug discovery and development and toxicology. Applications of the iSCIP include cell proliferation assays, apoptosis assays, assays for cell health including growth curves and viability and also assays for cell classification, or changes in morphology.Cells can be counted in situ without stains, fixatives, or harvesting, assay time and costs are reduced without compromising data quality. The ability to count cells at any time point without sacrificing them allows researchers to optimize experimental conditions and use cells for other purposes. Finally, high quality images of cells may be archived at any time point, allowing future visual analysis of any screening "hits."

Optimizing Flow Cytometric Analysis of Intracellular Targets
eBioscience, Inc.
10255 Science Center Drive * San Diego, CA 92121 * Phone: 888-999-1371 * Fax: 858-642-2046 * Web: http://www.ebioscience.com/
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM, Room 612
Presenters: Castle Funatake and Matthew Schifano

The power of flow cytometry to detect and quantify protein expression at the single-cell level extends beyond antigens expressed on the cell surface. As the potential of multicolor flow cytometry grows, the ability to accurately determine intracellular protein expression, including cytokines, cytoplasmic proteins and nuclear proteins, becomes increasingly important. However, experimental conditions, techniques and controls conventionally employed for surface proteins are not always suitable for detection of intracellular targets. Optimizing experimental setup is fundamental to allow reliable interpretation of intracellular staining results. Among the topics covered will be: appropriate controls to use for intracellular targets, choice of staining buffer and optimizing fluorochrome selection. eBioscience offers a wide range of reagents and support products for intracellular staining and flow cytometry, including a diverse selection of products for analysis of cytokines and transcription factors.
 
BLOCK SYMPOSIA

Submitted abstracts are programmed into oral or poster sessions; oral sessions are called Block Symposia. Each abstract selected for a Block Symposium will also be presented in a Poster Session. Approximately 50 Block Symposia will be presented at IMMUNOLOGY 2009™; all sessions will be held in the Washington State Convention & Trade Center.

2009 Block Symposia -- Session Schedule

2009 Block Symposia -- Session Detail
 
POSTER SESSIONS

The most interactive part of the meeting! Discuss data and research issues firsthand with authors at the Poster Sessions. Posters will be displayed Saturday through Monday in the Washington State Convention & Trade Center Exhibit Hall from 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM, with authors present from 12:30 - 1:30 PM.
 
IMPORTANT DEADLINES
   
• Regular Abstract Submission Site Opens.....................
 • Registration Site Opens...........................................
 • Housing Site Opens................................................
 • Award Nominations* Due.........................................
 • Regular Abstract Submission Deadline........................
 • Travel Award/Grant Applications* Due.......................
 • Late Breaking Abstract Submission Site Opens.............
 • Late Breaking Abstract Submission Deadline................
 • Early Registration Discount Ends...............................
 • Housing Deadline...................................................		 October 17, 2008
October 17, 2008
October 17, 2008
November 14, 2008
January 5, 2009
January 12, 2009
January 12, 2009
February 6, 2009
March 16, 2009
April 6, 2009

* Complete AAI Award Details: www.AAI.org/awards
 
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