Tissue-Resident Memory T Cells Organizer(s): Cornelia L. Trimble, Rachael A. Clark, Leo Lefrançois (in memoriam) and David Masopust Date: January 12 - 16, 2014
Location: Snowbird Resort, Snowbird, UT, USAInfections that are encountered through epithelial barrier tissues such as the skin, gut, lung and genitourinary tract generate a population of tissue-resident T cells that remain sessile long-term in the affected tissue, and are protective against re-infection. Indeed, most effector memory T cells reside in non-sterile barrier epithelial tissues, as opposed to the circulation. While tissue-resident T cells play a critical role in defending against infections and cancer, aberrant activation of these cells gives rise to inflammatory and autoimmune conditions, including psoriasis, multiple sclerosis and inflammatory bowel disease. Tissue-resident T cells are not simply T cells in an unexpected location; these cells have many phenotypic and functional differences that distinguish them from circulating T cells. This conference will bring together basic and translational immunologists to discuss tissue-localized mechanisms of immune cell recruitment, retention, activation and homeostasis. The major objectives will be to: 1) Explore the roles that tissue immune cells play in immune surveillance, including recall responses to infectious pathogens, and mechanisms of dysregulation leading to autoimmune disease; 2) Examine the mechanisms by which immune responses can be shaped by the local tissue microbiome; 3) Investigate the mechanisms by which immune responses can be subverted by chronic infections or early neoplastic lesions; and 4) Discuss the rationale for immunotherapeutic strategies targeting specific tissue sites. A better understanding of the biology of tissue-resident T cells will inform vaccination strategies for both infections and cancer, as well as novel therapies for inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Scholarship Deadline: October 3 2013 Discounted Abstract Deadline: October 3 2013 Abstract Deadline: October 28 2013 Discounted Registration Deadline: November 13 2013 We gratefully acknowledge additional support for this conference from:  We gratefully acknowledge the generous grant for this conference provided by: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)Grant No. 1R13AI109814-01 The views expressed in written conference materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services; nor does mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. |