Upstate New York Immunology Conference

2025 Registration

Registration for the 2025 Upstate New York Immunology Conference has closed.

27th Annual Upstate New York Immunology Conference

Oct. 27-30, 2025

The 27th annual Upstate New York Immunology Conference will be held Monday, Oct. 27 through Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025, at the Lake Ontario Event and Conference Center in Oswego, New York, approximately 175 miles west of Albany.

Dario A.A. Vignali, PhD, of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, will be a keynote speaker.

Past keynote speakers have included De'Broski Herbert, PhD, of University of Pennsylvania (2022), Katrin D. Mayer-Barber, PhD, of NIAID/NIH (2022), Eugene Oltz, PhD, of The Ohio State University (2023), and Shabaana A. Khader, PhD, of The University of Chicago (2024). Their presentations have explored topics such as inflammation, innate immunity, cytokine function, and adaptive lymphoid cells.

Participant registration
Registration for the 2025 Upstate New York Immunology Conference has closed.

Conference highlights include:

Welcome Reception
Keynote Speaker
Career Development Workshop
Symposia Presentations
Oral Poster Presentations
Poster Session and Vendor Fair Mixer
10 AAI Young Investigator Awards
10 NYIC Trainee Travel Awards
Drawing for two Apple iPads (registered trainees only)

The ongoing goal of this meeting is to foster collaborations and interactions among participants and their institutions, and to provide opportunities for postdoctoral fellows and graduate students to present their research.

Trainees are encouraged to submit poster abstracts for consideration for an AAI Young Investigator Award or an NYIC Trainee Award. To be eligible to receive an award, attendees must submit their registration form and a poster abstract submission form by 5 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 8, 2025. See below for detailed poster and abstract guidelines.

Our Scientific Advisory Board members select the award winners based on the scientific value of the submitted poster abstracts. Awards and certificates will be presented during the conference. Trainees who receive an award will also give an oral poster presentation during the conference.

Registration fees are based on the registration type and accommodation preference (single or double occupancy). The registration fee includes three nights lodging, group meals, break beverages (excluding alcohol), and conference materials. Due to the limited number of available rooms, early registration is recommended. All participants are encouraged to stay for the entire conference. Please note that childcare services are available upon request; please indicate on your registration if you require these services.

Cancellations: To receive a refund, cancellations must be received via email at [email protected] no later than Monday, Aug. 18, 2025.

Please check back for updates.

Previous Programs

Conference programs from previous years are available by contacting Ariella Sprague at [email protected].

The conference has been supported for 19 years by a National Institutes of Health National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases R13 grant. 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. Institutional financial supporters include Albany Medical College, Cornell University, Dartmouth College, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Trudeau Institute, University at Buffalo, University of Rochester, and University of Vermont.

Contact Us

Feel free to reach out with any questions:

Ariella Sprague
[email protected]

Ellinor Grinde
[email protected]

518-262-5365
[email protected]

Poster Numbers Listing

Poster Number and Trainee

Natalia Valenzuela Faccini
Hadil Gadelrab #
Sheta Biswas
Hongkun Quan #
Md Shanewaz Hossan *
McKenzie Van der Veer #
Md Saddam Hossain @
Gina Bishara #
Rosanne Trevail @
Katharine Umphred-Wilson *
Minghao Luo
Niitiggya Taneja
Ananya Kohli @
Sharon Shaughnessy
Kyle Leatt
Miles Stefko #
Charkira Patrick *
Nicole Gubitosi @
Jingyi Wu
Lauren Cowen Shoudy
Serena Teh *
Gavin Twoey *
Brian Morreale #
Dianne Gomez @
Elif Irmak Bektas @
Bianka Pena Marcelino
Sekyere Boateng
Carly Cardello
Vedika Chandak *
Akinkunmi Lawal #
Abby He
Catherine Rono
Sarah Eckl *
Gary Hannon *
Adil Khan #
Riley Pihl
Michelle Goldberg
Akshaya Balasubramanian#
Huijuan Yang *
Zhewen Li *
Late Withdrawal
Matthew Kryzak @
Tyler Smith
Courtney Hegner

# AAI Young Investigator Award
* NYIC Trainee Travel Award
@ Poster Blitz Presentation

Schedule of Events

Monday, Oct. 27

2-4 p.m. Conference Registration, Conference Center Entrance
3-5 p.m. Hotel Check-in, Lobby
5-6 p.m. Welcome Reception, Riverfront
6-8 p.m. Plated Dinner, Rooms B/C
8:15-9:30 p.m. Keynote Presentation, “LAG3: The Third Checkpoint Inhibitor & its Synergistic Interactions with PD1” – Dario A. Vignali, PhD, Rooms B/C
9:30-11:00 p.m. Leisure gatherings, Dockside Bar and Grill

Tuesday, Oct. 28

7-8:00 a.m. Breakfast Buffet at Leisure, Dockside Bar and Grill
8:20-8:40 a.m. Upload all Symposia Talks, Rooms A/B
9-10:00 a.m. Symposium I – Adaptive Immunity, Rooms A/B
- 9-9:30 a.m. Kenneth Hoehn, PhD (Dartmouth College) – “Computational lineage tracing of B cells across time and tissues using BCR sequences”
- 9:30-10 a.m. Scott Abrams, PhD (Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center) – “Regulating Nucleotide Metabolism Remodels the Antitumor Immune Response”
10-10:30 a.m. Beverage Break, Riverfront
10:30 a.m.-Noon Symposium II – Microbe-Host Interface, Rooms A/B
- 10:30-11 a.m. Peter McKenney, PhD (Albany Medical College) – “Preventing Damage by Microbe and Host in C. difficile Infection”
- 11-11:30 a.m. Miqdad Dhariwala, PhD (Ohio State University) – “Commensal tuning of immune function in neonatal barrier tissues”
- 11:30 a.m.-Noon Eyal Amiel, PhD (University of Vermont) – “Subtle regulation of nitric oxide production balances antimicrobial activity and auto-cytotoxicity in inflammatory dendritic cells”
Noon-1:00 p.m. Lunch with Corporate Sponsor Presentation by BD Biosciences, Rooms B/C
1:00-1:30 p.m. Upload all Poster Talks, Rooms A and B
1:30-3:00 p.m. Poster Talks (Group A): Cancer Microenvironment, Room A
- 1:30-1:45 p.m. Vedika Chandak (University of Rochester) – “Characterization of Novel Cell lines to study Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer” (#29)
  1:45-2 p.m. Adil Khan (Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center) –“Decoding the Immune Landscape Governing Immunotherapy Sensitivity in Human Sarcomatoid Renal Cell Carcinoma” (#35)
  2-2:15 p.m. Sarah Eckl (University of Rochester) – “Reprogramming of the Exhausted T Compartment in Pancreatic Cancer with SBRT/IL-12 Therapy” (#33)
  2:15-2:30 p.m. Gina Bishara (Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center) – “The Impact of Prior Chemotherapy Exposure on CAR T Cell Efficacy” (#8)
  2:30-2:45 p.m. Zhewen Li (University of Rochester) – “Characterizing T Cell Phenotypes in Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) Bone Marrow Microenvironment (BMME)” (#40)
1:30-3:00 p.m. Poster Talks (Group B): Immunity and Host Defense, Room B
- 1:30-1:45 p.m. Akinkunmi Lawal (SUNY Upstate Medical University) – “Neuroinflammation, pericyte dysfunction, and elevated levels of Alzheimer’s disease markers in SARS-CoV-2-infected mice” (#30)
- 1:45-2 p.m. Miles Stefko (University at Buffalo) – “Liposomal encapsulation of polysaccharides (LEPS) vaccine confers higher protection than the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine against invasive serotype 3 S. pneumoniae infection” (#16)
- 2-2:15 p.m. Hongkun Quan (SUNY Upstate Medical University) – “The Regulatory Role of Human SP-B Genetic Variants in Bacterial-Induced Pneumonia and Sepsis” (#4)
- 2:15-2:30 p.m. McKenzie Van der Veer (Albany Medical College) – “Iron overload induces intestinal macrophage dysfunction and promotes enteric infection in hemochromatosis” (#6)
- 2:30-2:45 p.m. Md Shanewaz Hossan (SUNY Upstate Medical University) – “Telodendrimer Nanodrug for Immunomodulation in Sepsis” (#5)
3:00-3:30 p.m. Beverage Break, Riverfront
3:30-5:00 p.m. Poster Talks (Group C): Immune Regulatory Mechanisms, Room A
- 3:30-3:45 p.m. Akshaya Balasubramanian (Dartmouth College) – “Investigating metabolic vulnerabilities of activated T cells” (#38)
- 3:45-4 p.m. Gary Hannon (University of Rochester) – “Low dose hepatic radiation enhances abscopal effects of local SBRT and IL-12 mRNA treatment in metastatic pancreatic cancer” (#34)
- 4-4:15 p.m. Courtney Hegner (Dartmouth College) – “Nr1i3 (CAR) dependent type 1 regulatory (Tr1) CD4+ T cell development” (#44)
- 4:15-4:30 p.m. Charkira Patrick (University of Rochester) – “IL-13 signaling promotes fibroblast activation, extracellular matrix production, and inflammation in thyroid eye disease” (#17)
- 4:30-4:45 p.m. Serena Teh (Cornell University) – “Determining the effects of IgG glycosylation on maternal antibody transfer” (#21)
3:30-5:00 p.m. Poster Talks (Group D): Modulating Immunity, Room B
- 3:30-3:45 p.m. Brian Morreale (Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center) – “A Novel Tri-therapy Overcoming Immune Suppression, Immune Exhaustion, and Low Antigen-Specific T Cell Infiltration Elicits Robust Antitumor Responses” (#23)
- 3:45-4 p.m. Katharine Umphred-Wilson (Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center) – “Multi-Modal Chemo-Immunotherapy Platforms to Improve Efficacy Against Triple-Negative Breast Cancer” (#10)
- 4-4:15 p.m. Gavin Twoey (Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center) – “A Novel Hybrid Biological-Biomaterial Vector for Antigen Delivery and Human Dendritic Cell Maturation” (#22)
- 4:15-4:30 p.m. Hadil Gadelrab (SUNY Upstate Medical University) – “Nanodrug System for both Immunomodulation and Drug Delivery in Ovarian Cancer Treatment” (#2)
- 4:30-4:45 p.m. Huijuan Yang (Dartmouth College) – “A Stable, Versatile and Multiplexable Nuclear Receptor Reporter Library” (#39)
5:30-6:30 p.m. Buffet Dinner, Rooms B/C
6:30-11 p.m. Leisure gatherings and Trivia Night, Dockside Bar and Grill

Wednesday, Oct. 29

7:30-8:30 a.m. Breakfast Buffet at Leisure, Dockside Bar and Grill
8:50-9 a.m. Morning Announcements, Rooms A/B
9-10:30 a.m. Scientific Communication Workshop, Rooms A/B
- 9-9:30 a.m. Michael Robek, PhD (Albany Medical College) – “First Impressions in Scientific Presentations”
- 9:30-10 a.m. Dario A. Vignali, PhD (University of Pittsburgh) – “Crafting a Cover Letter, Title, and Abstract for Editors”
- 10-10:30 a.m. Katherine MacNamara, PhD (Albany Medical College) – “Short & Sweet: The importance of an effective ‘elevator pitch’”
10:30 a.m.-11 a.m. Beverage Break, Riverfront
11-11:30 a.m. Poster Blitzes (Seven 1-minute, 1-slide presentations), Room A
12:30-1:30 p.m. Lunch with Corporate Sponsor Presentation by UCB, Inc., Room A
1:30-5:30 p.m. Display Odd Number Posters, Rooms B/C/Riverfront
- 1:30-2 p.m. Display Odd Number Posters
- 2-3:30 p.m. Odd Number Posters/Vendor Mixer
- 3:30-4 p.m. Remove Odd Number Posters and Display Even Number Posters
- 4-5:30 p.m. Even Number Posters/Vendor Mixer
5:30-6 p.m. Remove Posters and Vendor Clean-up, Rooms B/C/Riverfront
6:00-7:30 p.m. Buffet Dinner, Room A
7:30-8:15 p.m. Trainee Award Presentation, Room A
8:15-11 p.m. Leisure gatherings, Dockside Bar and Grill

Thursday, Oct. 30

7:00-8:15 a.m. Breakfast Buffet at Leisure, Dockside Bar and Grill
8:15-8:30 a.m. Upload presentations/Morning announcements, Rooms A/B
8:30-10:00 a.m. Symposium III – Regulation of the Immune Response, Rooms A/B
- 8:30-9 a.m. Felix Yarovinsky, MD (University of Rochester) – “IFN-γ Driven Macrophage Reprogramming for Host Defense Against Microbial Infections”
- 9-9:30 a.m. Colleen Lau, PhD (Cornell University) – “Epigenetic control of innate and adaptive immune memory”
- 9:30-10 a.m. Iwona Koenig, PhD (SUNY Upstate Medical University) – “The Role of SARS-CoV-2 Nucleocapsid Protein Persistence in Inducing Chronic Type I Interferon and Mitochondrial Dysfunction.”
10:00-10:30 a.m. Beverage Break, Riverfront
10:30-11:30 a.m. Symposium IV – Viral Pathogens, Rooms A/B
- 10:30-11 a.m. Deborah Brown, PhD (Trudeau Institute) – “TLR2/TLR7 conjugated adjuvant enhances anti-nucleoprotein immunity and provides protection against lethal H1N1 influenza infection”
- 11-11:30 a.m. Saikat Boliar, PhD (University at Buffalo) – “Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) as therapeutic targets for HIV-1 infection”
11:45 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Closing Remarks & iPad Drawing, Rooms A/B
Noon-1:15 p.m. Lunch Buffet, Rooms C/Riverfront

Poster and Abstract Guidelines

All abstracts must be submitted by 5 p.m., Friday, Aug. 8, 2025.

All correctly formatted abstract submissions will be accepted for a poster presentation. All trainee-submitted abstracts will be automatically considered for an AAI Young Investigator Award or an NYIC Travel Award (if available) unless you opt out.

If your abstract is selected for an award and oral presentation, you will be notified by email by Aug. 18, 2025. Only posters requesting consideration for an award will give an oral presentation.

Abstracts must be submitted electronically with a poster abstract submission form. After completing the form, send your abstract to [email protected]. All submissions will be confirmed via email.

Abstract Guidelines

Abstracts must be formatted as outlined below. Abstracts formatted incorrectly or missing vital information will be returned (no exceptions). Abstracts submitted incorrectly a second time may be refused.

Page Set-up: 1" left and right margins

Title: Centered and bold text on first line of page (no period) followed by one blank line.

Contributors: List all contributors to this abstract/poster. The person presenting the poster should be underlined. Centered on page. No period. No blank line.

Institution(s): See example below, followed by two blank lines.

Body of text: Indentation for each paragraph, no blank lines between paragraphs. Unjustified text. Single line spacing. Limited to 400 words or what fits on one page, including all other requirements. Overflow of text will be deleted.

Font & Symbols: Use only Times New Roman 12 point font; special symbols may not transmit correctly if you use another font. Do not use a smaller size font or decrease margins to fit more text. To ensure meaning, please follow symbols by providing its corresponding word in parentheses (i.e., alpha, beta, etc.).

Format: Word documents only (.doc or .docx). All others will be returned and rejected.

Example of Correct Poster Format:

Regulate B Cell Functions & Development in New Ways

R.E. Jones, M.A. Mars, and J.K. Link
The Place Where Science is the Star, Anytown, NY

Conference administrators are not responsible for typographical errors or errors that occur during transmission. Author(s) are responsible for spelling and grammar.

Poster Guidelines

Poster size is limited to 42 x 48 inches. Both portrait and landscape orientations are permitted.

All posters must have an abstract to include in the conference program.
In most cases, assignment of poster numbers will be given in the order they are received.
The poster presenter’s name must be underlined on both the poster and abstract.

Posterboards will be numbered prior to displaying posters. Pushpins will be supplied. There are two poster sessions: Odd numbered posters will be viewed in the first session and will need to be removed at the end of this session at the time listed in the schedule. Even numbered posters will need to be displayed before the second session. Both sessions will take place in the Canal and Riverfront Rooms. Posters must be removed from poster boards when the event concludes. Neither the conference nor Lake Ontario Event and Conference Center are responsible for lost or discarded posters.

Poster numbers will be listed on the schedule page after Sept. 19, 2025.

Conference Safety Plan

Albany Medical College
Conference Safety Plan

Commitment to Safety
Albany Medical College, part of the Albany Med Health System, is committed to providing a safe environment for this conference free of harassment, discrimination and retaliation. As a conference organizer and the recipient of an NIH R13 award, Albany Medical College is required to provide this Conference Safety Plan.

Conference Code of Conduct
It is expected that all conference participants, whether or not affiliated with Albany Medical College and regardless of their role, will conduct themselves with integrity, in a manner that enables everyone to work and learn with security and dignity, free from unwelcome, insulting, degrading or exploitive treatment or harassment. Potential violations of this Conference Code of Conduct should be made using one of the confidential channels set forth below.

Some examples of harassing, discriminatory and retaliatory behaviors include:

Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, touching or impeding movements.
Unwelcome comments or behavior in any medium related to an individual’s race, ethnicity, color, national origin, sex, disability, religion, age, gender, gender identity, disability, height, marital status, political persuasion, sexual orientation, veteran status, or weight.
Unwelcome teasing, joking, or flirting based on actual or perceived gender identity, gender expression, or sexual identity/orientation.
Threats or insinuations, either explicit or implicit, that an individual’s refusal to submit to or acquiesce in sexual advances or sexual conduct will adversely affect their education, employment, evaluation, wages, advancement, assigned duties, benefits or any other aspect of education, employment or career advancement.

Reporting Channels for Questions, Concerns & Complaints
Any conference participant who believes they have been subjected to conduct in violation of the Conference Code of Conduct or applicable policies, or who becomes aware of such conduct, is strongly encouraged to report it using one of the following confidential reporting channels:

In an emergency, call 911.
Conference Organizing Committee members will be available at the registration table during active conference hours.
Albany Medical Center Title IX Deputy Coordinator and Chief Compliance Officer Noel Hogan: 518-264-4692 or [email protected]
Albany Medical Center Director of Hospital Regulatory Affairs and Section 504 Coordinator Kara Ritschdorff:
518-262-3577; TDD or State Relay Number: 518-262-3756
Confidential Albany Medical Center TIPP Line: 518-264-8477 (anonymous optional)
Online at: https://amc.cqs.symplr.com/Portal/CreateForm/450012 (anonymous optional)
Email Albany Medical Center Corporate Compliance at [email protected]
Call Albany Medical Center Human Resources at 518-262-8414
For non-emergencies only, contact the Oswego, N.Y. Police Department at 315-326-1741 or in-person at John O’C. Conway Municipal Building, 169 West Second Street in Oswego.

Individuals may also notify the NIH (https://public.era.nih.gov/shape/public/notificationForm.era or 301-480-6701) or file a complaint with HHS Office of Civil Rights at the address below related to harassment, including sexual harassment, discrimination, and other forms of inappropriate conduct at NIH-supported conferences.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Office of Civil Rights
200 Independence Avenue, SW
Room 509F, HHH Building
Washington, D.C. 20201
1-800-368-1019, 800-537-7697 (TDD)
https://www.hhs.gov/ocr/complaints/index.html

Filing a complaint with Albany Medical College is not required before filing a complaint of discrimination with HHS OCR, and seeking assistance from Albany Medical College in no way prohibits filing complaints with HHS OCR.

How Albany Medical College Responds to Reports
Reports will be referred promptly to the appropriate Albany Medical College office for investigation, which includes the assessment of allegations in light of evidence collected, in accordance with the applicable policy and procedure. The confidentiality of individuals reporting possible instances of noncompliance will be protected to the extent possible. Upon completion of an investigation, Albany Medical College students and employees found to have engaged in acts of harassment, discrimination or retaliation will be promptly disciplined. If circumstances warrant, discipline for Albany Medical College students or employees may include suspension, expulsion, or termination. Consequences may be pursued related to individuals who are not Albany Medical College students or employees, which may include ineligibility to participate in future conferences organized by Albany Medical College.

Individuals making reports in good faith will not be retaliated against for having made the report regardless of whether noncompliant acts have occurred. Acts of retaliation or intimidation resulting from involvement in an investigation of potential instances of noncompliance are prohibited. All suspected acts of retaliation, intimidation, or other forms of harassment should be reported immediately to Albany Medical Center Corporate Compliance.

Albany Medical College’s Student Non-Discrimination and Harassment Policy and Complaint Procedure provides the grievance process for complaints alleging sexual harassment as defined by Title IX, as well as prohibited relationship violence, sexual misconduct, stalking and retaliation. Albany Medical College’s Personal Conduct/Harassment policy provides the grievance procedure for complaints alleging all other forms of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. Albany Medical College is responsible for receiving reports of discrimination, harassment or retaliation, and facilitating the filing of complaints under these policies, connecting affected individuals with supportive measures, accommodations, interim measures and other assistive resources, and for conducting investigations of alleged violations of both policies.

Additional Online Resources

New York State Combating Sexual Harassment in the Workplace:
https://www.ny.gov/PROGRAMS/COMBATING-SEXUAL-HARASSMENT-WORKPLACE

New York State Human Rights Law:
https://dhr.ny.gov/new-york-state-human-rights-law

U.S. E.E.O.C. Harassment:
https://www.eeoc.gov/harassment

U.S. E.E.O.C.:
https://www.eeoc.gov/

NIH Supporting a Safe and Respectful Workplace at Institutions that Receive NIH Funding:
https://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/harassment.htm

U.S. Department of Education Harassment Prevention Resources:
https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/frontpage/pro-students/har-resources.html

Thank you for your cooperation with this Conference Safety Plan.

Enjoy the conference!

Corporate Sponsors