Dendritic Cells at the Center of Innate and Adaptive Immunity: Eradication of Pathogens and Cancer and Control of Immunopathology

Organizer(s): Anne O'Garra, Jacques Banchereau and Alan Sher

Supported by The Director's Fund

Summary of Meeting:

The decision to activate an immune response is made by unique antigen presenting cells, called dendritic cells that are resting until they encounter foreign microorganisms or inflammatory stimuli. Early activated dendritic cells trigger innate immune responses that represent the first line of defense against invading pathogens to limit the infections. At later times activated they prime antigen-specific immune responses to clear infectious pathogens and give rise to immunological memory. Dendritic cells control the responses of several types of lymphocytes, and are key in the transition between innate and adaptive immunity. They determine the class of the T cell response, including the development of Th1 cells to eradicate pathogens, or conversely unresponsiveness or tolerance, and thus are critical for the development of an effective immune response with minimum immunopathology. This multifaceted role of the dendritic cell will be covered in this meeting in the following areas: (1) Activation and maturation of dendritic cells for the design of successful adjuvants: (2) Molecular signaling pathways in dendritic cells in response to pathogen-derived products and inflammatory mediators: (3) Cell biology of dendritic cells in antigen handling, processing and presentation: (4) Innate functions of dendritic cells in dictating adaptive immune responses: (5) Dendritic cells in allergy and autoimmunity: (6) Dendritic cells in infectious diseases: (7) Dendritic cells and cancer immunotherapy.

Discounted Abstract Deadline: September 30 2004

Discounted Registration Deadline: December 1 2004

We gratefully acknowledge additional support for this conference from:

We gratefully acknowledge additional in-kind support for this conference from those foregoing speaker expense reimbursements:

Dynavax Technologies Corporation

We gratefully acknowledge the generous grant for this conference provided by:

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Grant No. 1R13-AI063797-01

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