Innate Immunity: Molecular Mechanisms, Diseases & Therapeutics
Jan 11–14, 2027 | Fairmont Banff Springs, Banff, AB, Canada
Scientific Organizers:
Lingyin Li, Carina Cristina de Oliveira Mann, and Michael Crackower
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Jan 11–14, 2027 | Fairmont Banff Springs, Banff, AB, Canada
Scientific Organizers: Lingyin Li, Carina Cristina de Oliveira Mann, and Michael Crackower
Lingyin Li, PhD
Stanford University and Arc Institute
Lingyin Li, Ph.D., is a Professor of Biochemistry at Stanford University and a core investigator of the Arc Institute, with additional appointments at the Sarafan ChEM-H Institute and the Stanford Cancer Institute. Her lab focuses on elucidating the biochemical mechanisms of the immunotransmitter cGAMP and harnessing it for the treatment of cancer and autoimmunity. Trained in chemical biology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and in chemical immunology at Harvard Medical School, she has been recognized with numerous prestigious awards, including the NIH New Innovator Award and the Eli Lilly Award in Biological Chemistry from the American Chemical Society.
Carina Cristina de Oliveira Mann, PhD
Technical University of Munich
Carina de Oliveira Mann, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Biomolecular Cryo-Electron Microscopy at the Technical University of Munich (TUM). Her research focuses on the molecular mechanisms of innate immune sensing, including the roles of nucleotidyltransferase (NTase) family members, STING-dependent immune responses, and how the DNA immune sensor cGAS distinguishes between self and foreign DNA. She conducted postdoctoral training at Harvard Medical School and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute before returning to Munich, and is the recipient of an ERC Starting Grant and an Emmy Noether Research Group award from the German Research Foundation.
Michael Crackower, PhD
Ventus Therapeutics
Michael Crackower, Ph.D., is Chief Scientific Officer of Ventus Therapeutics, where he brings more than 23 years of drug discovery leadership with deep expertise in respiratory, immunology, and fibrotic disease. At Ventus he has led the discovery of first in class, and best in class inhibitors for NLRP3, cGAS and Caspase-4, three key sensors of the innate immune system. Prior to Ventus, he held senior research and leadership roles at Celgene, Biogen, and Merck & Co., spanning late-stage immunology drug discovery, inflammation, and tissue injury research. He completed his doctoral training in molecular and medical genetics at the University of Toronto and conducted postdoctoral studies at the Amgen Institute, where he made foundational discoveries in cardiovascular and reproductive biology.
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***Meeting program subject to change.
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Monday, January 11, 2027
Fundraising
Booking Function
Registration
4:00–8:00 PM
Van Horne Foyer
Welcome Mixer
6:00–8:00 PM
Van Horne Foyer
Tuesday, January 12, 2027
Breakfast
7:00–8:00 AM
President's Hall
Welcome Remarks (Joint)
8:00–8:10 AM
Van Horne A/B
Keynote Address (Joint)
8:10–9:00 AM
Van Horne A/B
Catherine J Wu, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Personalizing Medicine through Cancer Vaccines
Personalizing Medicine through Cancer Vaccines
T Cells and Innate Allies: Partners in Vaccination (Joint)
9:00–11:00 AM
Van Horne A/B
Robert A. Seder, NIAID, National Institutes of Health
Vax-Innate
Vax-Innate
Peter C DeMuth, Elicio Therapeutics
Targeting mKRAS Immunotherapy to the Lymph Nodes to Promote Anti-Tumor Immunity
Targeting mKRAS Immunotherapy to the Lymph Nodes to Promote Anti-Tumor Immunity
Gloryn Chia †, National University of Singapore
Short Talk: Targeting an NK Cell Checkpoint to Overcome Immune Escape in MHC I Deficient Tumours
Short Talk: Targeting an NK Cell Checkpoint to Overcome Immune Escape in MHC I Deficient Tumours
Coffee Break
9:30–9:50 AM
Van Horne Foyer
Award Recipient Acknowledgement
9:50–9:55 AM
Van Horne A/B
Jessica Langer, Helmsley Trust Introduction
11:00–11:05 AM
Van Horne A/B
Meet the Editors
11:10–12:10 PM
Van Horne A/B
Poster Setup
12:10–1:00 PM
Van Horne C
On Own for Lunch
12:10–2:30 PM
Poster Viewing
1:00–10:00 PM
Van Horne C
Symposia Spotlight 1: Advances in Nucleic Acid Sensing Pathways
2:30–4:30 PM
Van Horne B
James Evans, The Francis Crick Institute
Short Talk: IFI16 Transcript Switching Enables Self-DNA Sensing to Drive Glial Neuroinflammation in Parkinson’s Disease
Short Talk: IFI16 Transcript Switching Enables Self-DNA Sensing to Drive Glial Neuroinflammation in Parkinson’s Disease
Martin R Jakobsen, Aarhus University
Short Talk: Targeted Protein Degradation of Stimulator of Interferon Genes (STING) in vivo Impairs Systemic Inflammation – and Inhibit Fibrosis in Metabolic Dysfunction-associated Steatotic Liver Disease
Short Talk: Targeted Protein Degradation of Stimulator of Interferon Genes (STING) in vivo Impairs Systemic Inflammation – and Inhibit Fibrosis in Metabolic Dysfunction-associated Steatotic Liver Disease
Lihua Li, University of Strasbourg
Short Talk: Cyclic Dinucleotide-Mediated Systemic Antiviral Immunity in Drosophila
Short Talk: Cyclic Dinucleotide-Mediated Systemic Antiviral Immunity in Drosophila
Yu Meng †, EPFL
Short Talk: The Mutational Landscape of STING-induced Immunity
Short Talk: The Mutational Landscape of STING-induced Immunity
Jordan A Powers, University of Utah
Short Talk: UBL5 Coordinates IRF3 Isoform Expression and Is Required for Type I Interferon Signaling
Short Talk: UBL5 Coordinates IRF3 Isoform Expression and Is Required for Type I Interferon Signaling
Xujun Cao †, Arc Institute
Short Talk: N-Terminal Tail Regulation of STING Oligomerization Revealed by a High-Affinity Peptide Inhibitor
Short Talk: N-Terminal Tail Regulation of STING Oligomerization Revealed by a High-Affinity Peptide Inhibitor
Niklas A. Schmacke, Helmholtz Munich
Short Talk: Image-Based Genetic Screening with SPARCS Identifies Regulators of STING
Short Talk: Image-Based Genetic Screening with SPARCS Identifies Regulators of STING
Erik S. Van Dis †, University of California, Berkeley
Short Talk: Genome-wide CRISPR Screens Reveal MBNL1 as a Context-Specific STING Regulator
Short Talk: Genome-wide CRISPR Screens Reveal MBNL1 as a Context-Specific STING Regulator
Coffee Available
4:30–5:00 PM
Van Horne Foyer
dsDNA Sensing
5:00–7:00 PM
Van Horne B
Zhijian James Chen, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
cGAS-STING Signaling in Aging
cGAS-STING Signaling in Aging
Lingyin Li, Stanford University and Arc Institute
Extracellular cGAMP, the Immunotransmitter that Bridges Innate and Adaptive Immunity
Extracellular cGAMP, the Immunotransmitter that Bridges Innate and Adaptive Immunity
Daniel B. Stetson, University of Washington
How STING Activation Kill Cells
How STING Activation Kill Cells
Li Gan, Weill Cornell Medicine
The Role of cGAS/STING in Neurodegeneration
The Role of cGAS/STING in Neurodegeneration
Social Hour with Dinner
7:00–8:00 PM
President's Hall
Poster Session 1
7:30–10:00 PM
Van Horne C
Wednesday, January 13, 2027
Breakfast
7:00–8:00 AM
President's Hall
ssDNA and RNA Sensing
8:00–11:00 AM
Van Horne B
Carina Cristina de Oliveira Mann, Technical University of Munich
Remote Presenter: Regulation of Nucleic Acid Receptors
Remote Presenter: Regulation of Nucleic Acid Receptors
Hao Wu, Harvard Medical School, Boston Children's Hospital
Mitochondrial GSDMD
Mitochondrial GSDMD
Russell E Vance, University of California, Berkeley
Effector-Triggered Immune Detection of Pathogens
Effector-Triggered Immune Detection of Pathogens
Benjamin Morehouse, University of California, Irvine
Evolutionary Conservation of Cyclic Dinucleotide Recognition in Immunity
Evolutionary Conservation of Cyclic Dinucleotide Recognition in Immunity
Jie Chen, University of Pennsylvania
Short Talk: rDNA Breaks Activate dsRNA Pattern Recognition through Sense-Antisense Transcription
Short Talk: rDNA Breaks Activate dsRNA Pattern Recognition through Sense-Antisense Transcription
Wanwan Huai †, UT Southwestern Medical Center
Short Talk: Microbiota-Driven Endogenous Viral Mimicry Activates OAS-RNase L to Amplify Intestinal Inflammation
Short Talk: Microbiota-Driven Endogenous Viral Mimicry Activates OAS-RNase L to Amplify Intestinal Inflammation
Coffee Break
9:00–9:20 AM
Van Horne Foyer
Panel Discussion 1: Mouse Human Differences from Pathways to Molecules to Atomic Level Details
11:10–12:10 PM
Van Horne B
Poster Setup
12:10–1:00 PM
Van Horne C
On Own for Lunch
12:10–2:00 PM
Poster Viewing
1:00–10:00 PM
Van Horne C
Career Roundtable (Joint)
2:00–3:00 PM
Van Horne B
Coffee Available
4:30–5:00 PM
Van Horne Foyer
Innate Signals in T Cells (Joint)
5:00–7:00 PM
Van Horne A/B
Eduardo Davila, University of Colorado
Rewiring T Cell Fate to Increase Anti-tumor Activity and Persistence While Reducing Exhaustion Resistance
Rewiring T Cell Fate to Increase Anti-tumor Activity and Persistence While Reducing Exhaustion Resistance
Nicolas Manel, Institut Curie
Activation of Intracellular Innate Immune Sensors
Activation of Intracellular Innate Immune Sensors
Jelena Bezbradica Mirkovic, University of Oxford
Cytosolic Innate Sensing and Lytic Cell Death in Autoinflammation
Cytosolic Innate Sensing and Lytic Cell Death in Autoinflammation
Junko Sawada, Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital
Short Talk: Tumor Heterogeneity Shapes Tertiary Lymphoid Structure Formation Following STING and LTβR Activation
Short Talk: Tumor Heterogeneity Shapes Tertiary Lymphoid Structure Formation Following STING and LTβR Activation
Social Hour with Dinner
7:00–8:00 PM
President's Hall
Poster Session 2
7:30–10:00 PM
Van Horne C
Thursday, January 14, 2027
Breakfast
7:00–8:00 AM
President's Hall
Innate Immunity in Cardiovascular/Metabolic/Autoimmune Diseases
8:00–11:00 AM
Van Horne B
Min Ae Lee-Kirsch, Technische Universität Dresden
TLR Signaling in Interferonopathy
TLR Signaling in Interferonopathy
Thirumala-Devi Kanneganti, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Targeting Innate Immune Cell Death, PANoptosis, in Disease
Targeting Innate Immune Cell Death, PANoptosis, in Disease
Rayk Behrendt, University of Bonn
Molecular Mechanisms and Therapy of Nucleic Acid Driven Inflammation
Molecular Mechanisms and Therapy of Nucleic Acid Driven Inflammation
Michael Crackower, Ventus Therapeutics
Targeting cGAS in Rheumatology and Beyond
Targeting cGAS in Rheumatology and Beyond
Rithika Behera, AstraZeneca
Short Talk: Identification of a Novel Non-Canonical STING–IL1β Axis Activated by Lupus Patient Serum
Short Talk: Identification of a Novel Non-Canonical STING–IL1β Axis Activated by Lupus Patient Serum
Samuel J Magaziner, New York University Grossman School of Medicine
Short Talk: Cell-autonomous Inflammation in VEXAS is Mediated by ERAD Failure and cGAS-STING
Short Talk: Cell-autonomous Inflammation in VEXAS is Mediated by ERAD Failure and cGAS-STING
Coffee Break
9:00–9:20 AM
Van Horne Foyer
Panel Discussion 2: Drug Development Challenges and VC Takes
11:10–12:10 PM
Van Horne B
Poster Setup
12:10–1:00 PM
Van Horne C
On Own for Lunch
12:10–2:30 PM
Poster Viewing
1:00–10:00 PM
Van Horne C
Symposia Spotlight 2: Inflammasomes, Cell Death and Beyond
2:30–4:30 PM
Van Horne B
Channing Chi †, Vanderbilt University
Short Talk: Chronic Wnt3a Exposure Induces a Reversible Tolerant Phenotype in Macrophages
Short Talk: Chronic Wnt3a Exposure Induces a Reversible Tolerant Phenotype in Macrophages
Austin Fajfer †, University of South Florida
Short Talk: RUBCN Gene Dosage Modulates Disease Progression in a Genetic Mouse Model of Synucleinopathy
Short Talk: RUBCN Gene Dosage Modulates Disease Progression in a Genetic Mouse Model of Synucleinopathy
Jada Lauren N Garzon †, Stanford University School of Medicine
Short Talk: DNA:RNA Hybrid Homeostasis Controls Myeloid Cell Fate
Short Talk: DNA:RNA Hybrid Homeostasis Controls Myeloid Cell Fate
Venkat G Magupalli, Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute / New York Blood Center
Short Talk: Inflammasome Adaptor Protein ASC is a Mechanistic Checkpoint in IL-1β Maturation
Short Talk: Inflammasome Adaptor Protein ASC is a Mechanistic Checkpoint in IL-1β Maturation
Ayaz Najafov, UT Southwestern
Short Talk: Mechanisms of Plasma Membrane Rupture During Necroptotic Cell Death
Short Talk: Mechanisms of Plasma Membrane Rupture During Necroptotic Cell Death
Chen Shen, Washington University in St. Louis
Short Talk: Structural Mechanisms for ATP-mediated Inhibition of Human NLRP6 Inflammasome
Short Talk: Structural Mechanisms for ATP-mediated Inhibition of Human NLRP6 Inflammasome
Laura Rosenberg, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Short Talk: Chemotherapies Mobilize Transposable Elements And RNA Sensing To Drive Antitumor Immunity
Short Talk: Chemotherapies Mobilize Transposable Elements And RNA Sensing To Drive Antitumor Immunity
Ying Zhang †, Peking University
Short Talk: Spatial Organization of Innate Immune Signaling by Gasdermin E Drives Antitumor Immunity
Short Talk: Spatial Organization of Innate Immune Signaling by Gasdermin E Drives Antitumor Immunity
Coffee Available
4:30–5:00 PM
Van Horne Foyer
Innate Immunity in Neuroinflammation
5:00–6:00 PM
Van Horne B
Michael T Heneka, University of Luxembourg
The Role of NLRP3 in Microglial Phagocytosis in Alzheimer's Disease
The Role of NLRP3 in Microglial Phagocytosis in Alzheimer's Disease
Marina Romero-Ramos, Aarhus University
The Role of the Immune System in Parkinson's Disease
The Role of the Immune System in Parkinson's Disease
Closing Keynote Address
6:00–6:50 PM
Van Horne B
Andrea Ablasser, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne
cGAS-STING Pathway in Innate Immunity: Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutic Implications
cGAS-STING Pathway in Innate Immunity: Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutic Implications
Meeting Wrap-Up: Outcomes and Future Directions (Organizers)
6:50–7:00 PM
Van Horne B
Social Hour with Dinner
7:00–8:00 PM
President's Hall
Poster Session 3
7:30–10:00 PM
Van Horne C
Friday, January 15, 2027
Departure
12:00–11:59 PM
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