2026 Immunology Symposium

Wednesday, Sept. 9
Discovery Building

Schedule

8:00 – 9:00 AM	Poster, Exhibitor Set-Up & Coffee	Discovery Open Court
9:00 – 10:15 AM	Aging, Alzheimer’s & Cancer Immunology	HF DeLuca Forum
	Ines Sturmlechner (faculty)	“Impaired proteasome function limits CD4+ memory T cell resilience in aging”
	Abigail Evered	“Equol inhibits NLRP3 inflammasome activation in mancrophages”
	Sophia Vrba	“Dysfunction of cribriform plate lymphatics impairs CSF drainage and immune surveillance in Alzheimer’s disease”
	Yuanshan Li	“IL-10-high macrophages restrict T cell infiltration and mark favorable patient survival in ccRCC”
	Evan Dray	“DAP12-based CAR-T cells mediate regression of established neuroblastoma tumors and long-term presistence in vivo”
10:15 – 10:40 AM	Coffee Break	Discovery Open Court
10:40 – 11:40 AM	Response to Infection & Mucosal Immunity	HF DeLuca Forum
	Bethany Korwin-Mihavics	“Influence of malnutrition-associated microbiota on immune responses to Cryptosporidium infection”
	Eli Cytrynbaum	“Role and regulation of dispersal in Candida albiacan commensalism and pathogenicity”
	Mona Mohamed	“T-bet fate mapping and serial intravascular labeling links early decidual NK-cell seeding and proliferation to T-bet-low phenotypic remodeling across gestation”
	Jacki Mays (faculty)	“Oral mucosal immunity after transplant”
11:40 – 11:55 AM	Platinum Sponsor: Bio-Techne	HF DeLuca Forum
	Evey Hegewisch-Solloa, PhD	“Setting a New Standard: Designing with Purpose through Advances in Protein Engineering”
11:55 AM – 1:30 PM	Lunch & Poster Session	Discovery Open Court
	Odd numbered posters judged noon-12:45; Even numbered posters judged 12:45-1:30
1:45 – 3:00 PM	Keynote	HF DeLuca Forum
	Steve Jameson, PhD	“Should I stay or should I go?: T cell trafficking”
3:00 PM	Closing Remarks & Awards	HF DeLuca Forum