Upstate New York Immunology Conference

The registration deadline has been changed to 5 p.m. August 23, 2024.

Attention NYIC Immunology Conference Participants

Due to a technical error, if you sent your registration for the 2024 NYIC meeting prior to July 1, 2024, your registration may have been lost even if you received a submission confirmation. Please resubmit the appropriate PDF form(s) and send it directly to [email protected]. We apologize for the inconvenience.

26th Annual Upstate New York Immunology Conference

Oct. 21-24, 2024

The 26th annual Upstate New York Immunology Conference will be held Monday, Oct. 21 through Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024, at The Otesaga Resort Hotel located on Lake Otsego in Cooperstown, New York, approximately 80 miles west of Albany.

Shabaana A. Khader, PhD, of The University of Chicago, will be a keynote speaker.

Past keynote speakers have included Jeffrey C. Rathmell, PhD, of Vanderbilt University (2021), Jonathan C. Kagan, PhD, of Harvard Medical School (2021), De'Broski Herbert, PhD, of University of Pennsylvania (2022), Katrin D. Mayer-Barber, PhD, of NIAID/NIH (2022), and Eugene Oltz, PhD, of Ohio State University (2023). Topics have included inflammation, innate immunity, cytokine function, and adaptive lymphoid cells.

Participant registration

Please select the appropriate form from the links below:

Postdoctoral Fellow/Research Associate

Principle Investigator/MD/Technician/Other

Undergraduate/Graduate Students

Corporate sponsor and vendor registration

Conference highlights include:

Welcome Reception
Keynote Speaker
NIH Workshop
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. 9, 2024. 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.

To address and expand our commitment to diversity and inclusion and to encourage underrepresented minorities (URM) to pursue their interest in science, we will waive registration fees for up to three URM trainees per year. Interested parties must complete the URM application, conference registration (see links above), and poster abstract submission forms, and send their abstract to [email protected]. If there are more than three URM applications, Scientific Advisory Board members will select waiver recipients.

Registration fees are based on the registration type and accommodation preference (single/double). 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.

Cancellations: To receive a refund, cancellations must be received via email at [email protected] no later than Friday, Aug. 16, 2024.

Please check back for updates.

Previous Programs

Download the 2023 conference program. Conference programs from previous years are available by contacting Dawn Bellville at [email protected].

The conference has been supported for 18 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, McGill University, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, SUNY Upstate Medical University, University at Buffalo, University of Rochester, University of Vermont, and Wadsworth Center/UAlbany.

Contact Us

Feel free to reach out with any questions:

Dawn Bellville
[email protected]
518-262-5365

[email protected]

Poster Numbers Listing

Poster Number and Trainee

Mitchell J. Waldran
Helene Kristoffersen
Chad Gebo *
Rebecca M. Harman
Kelly A. Oxford
Nicholas J. Salgia *
Lauren Bahr
Celine S.C. Hardy
Anagha Betadpur **
Michelle Goldberg**
Sheta Biswas **
Bella Lee **
Esther I. Adekomi
Liz A. Kurtz **
Brian G. Morreale *
Ethan Laferriere
Hope Shearer
Kayla M. Borg
Justine B. Lam
Nicole Gubitosi
Victoria Zoccoli-Rodriguez *
Olivia Gannon **
Molly Niska
Tyler Scherzi
Gavin C. Twoey
Katya McDonald
Md Shanewaz Hossan
Elif Irmak Bektas **
Kimberly Fagan
Moloud Farrokhi
(Late withdrawal)
Akshayakeerthi Arthanarisami **
Sharon Shaughnessy
Chloe Kraft *
Sarah L. Eckl *
Adil Khan
Adam Geber
Kosha Y. Dholakia **
Gary Hannon
Subash Bhandari
Amanuel Asras
Zachary Boodoo
Christopher Guevarra
Ayomide Oloyede
Adrianna Stephenson **
Sophia Eliseeva *
Manuel Brace
Sarah C. Berman *
Myles Ford *
Anna Kolarzyk *
Mariah Marrero

** AAI Young Investigator Award * NYIC Trainee Travel Award

Schedule of Events

Monday, October 21

2-4 p.m. Conference Registration, Iroquois Room
3-5 p.m. Hotel Check-in, Lobby
5-6 p.m. Welcome Reception, Oak Room
6-8 p.m. Plated Dinner, Glimmerglass
8:15-9:30 p.m. Keynote Presentation - Shabaana Khader, PhD "Targeting the Lung for Novel Vaccines for Tuberculosis", Glimmerglass
9:30-11:30 p.m. Leisure gatherings, Hawkeye Bar & Grille

Tuesday, October 22

7-8:30 a.m. Breakfast Buffet at Leisure, Glimmerglass
8:15-8:45 a.m. Upload all Oral Poster Talks, Kingfisher/Council Rock
9-10:30 a.m. Poster Talks (Group A): Infection, Kingfisher
- 9-9:15 a.m. Chad Gebo, BS (SUNY Upstate Medical University) “B cell receptor dependent enhancement of dengue virus infection” (#3)
- 9:15-9:30 a.m. Anagha Betadpur, MS (University at Buffalo) “Sex-Based Differences in Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine Efficacy” (#9)
- 9:30-9:45 a.m. Chloe Kraft, BS (University of Rochester) “IL-27 is Mediated by IL-17 to Elicit Sustained Protection Against Staphylococcus aureus Osteomyelitis” (#34)
- 9:45-10 a.m. Adriana Stephenson, BA (University of Pennsylvania) “Bi-directional relationship between Nippostrongylus brasiliensis & TRPV1+ sensory neurons during percutaneous infection” (#45)
- 10-10:15 a.m. Sophia Eliseeva, MS (University of Rochester) “IFN-γ induced microglial reprogramming” (#46)
9-10:30 a.m. Poster Talks (Group B): Cancer, Council Rock
- 9-9:15 a.m. Nicholas J. Salgia, BS (Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center) “Interrogating Tertiary Lymphoid Structures to Untangle the Paradoxical Immune Responsiveness of Sarcomatoid Renal Cell Carcinoma” (#6)
- 9:15-9:30 a.m. Brian G. Morreale, MS (Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center) “Novel Tri-therapy Regimen Elicits Robust Antitumor Response” (#15)
- 9:30-9:45 a.m. Sarah L. Eckl, BS (University of Rochester) “SBRT/IL-12: A Novel Approach to Counteract T Cell Exhaustion in PDAC” (#35)
- 9:45-10 a.m. Sarah C. Berman (Dartmouth College) “Investigating Cytokines That Shape the Phenotype of Infiltrating Virus-Specific CD8 T Cells in Glioblastoma Tumors” (#48)
- 10-10:15 a.m. Myles Ford, BS (Dartmouth College) “Tissue resident memory T cells established via different routes of infection functionally differ in their ability to protect against a model of melanoma brain metastasis” (#49)
10:30-11 a.m. Coffee Break, Kingfisher Foyer
11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Poster Talks (Group C): Inflammation
- 11-11:15 a.m. Sheta Biswas, MS (University at Buffalo) “Tlr9-Deficiency Exacerbates Disease in a Mouse Model of Primary Sjogren’s Disease in a Sex-Biased Manner” (#11)
- 11:15-11:30 a.m. Olivia Gannon, PhD (Albany Medical College) “Aging alters hematopoietic response to therapeutic lipid lowering in atherosclerosis” (#22)
- 11:30-11:45 a.m. Elif Irmak Bektas, BS (Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center) “Air pollutant mediated type 2 immune response drives fibrosis in lung cancer” (#28)
- 11:45 a.m.-Noon Kosha Y. Dholakia, MS (University of Rochester) “Imaging single leukocyte kinetics in living mouse eye in response to inflammation” (#38)
- Noon-12:15 p.m. Anna Kolarzyk, MS (Cornell University) “Investigating the role of VEGF-A induced lymphatic vessel remodeling and its implication for immune cell trafficking in pancreatic cancer” (#50)
11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Poster Talks (Group D): Adaptive Immunity
- 11-11:15 a.m. Michelle Goldberg, MS (University at Buffalo) “Transcription factor Ets1 regulates the expression of CD122 (IL-2/15Rβ (beta) subunit) in developing thymic Vγ(gamma)5+ dendritic epidermal T cell (DETC) progenitors” (#10)
- 11:15-11:30 a.m. Bella Lee, BS (Ohio State University) “The epigenetic role of vitamin C in tissue-resident memory CD8 T cell development and function” (#12)
- 11:30-11:45 a.m. Liz A. Kurtz, MS (SUNY Upstate Medical University) “The scaffold protein CasL is required for efficient T cell migration” (#14)
- 11:45 a.m.-Noon Victoria Zoccoli-Rodriguez, BS (SUNY Upstate Medical University) “Glycolysis regulates gut IgA+ plasma cell antibody secretion” (#21)
- Noon-12:15 p.m. Akshayakeerthi Arthanarisami, BS (Cornell University) “The role of a novel scavenger receptor (CD163L1) in CD8+ T cells” (#32)
12:30-1:30 p.m. Lunch Buffet, Ballroom
1:30-2 p.m. Display Odd Number Posters, Glimmerglass
2-6:30 p.m. Cash Bar Set-up, Ballroom
2-3:30 p.m. Odd Number Posters/Vendor Mixer, Ballroom
3:30-4 p.m. Remove Odd Number Posters and Display Even Number Posters/Break, Ballroom
4-5:30 p.m. Even Number posters/Vendors, Ballroom
5:30-9 p.m. Clear posters/vendor tables, Ballroom
6:15-7:45 p.m. Buffet Dinner/BD Biosciences Presentation, Glimmerglass
7:45-8:15 p.m. Awards Presentation & Photos, Glimmerglass
8:30-11 p.m. Leisure gatherings, Hawkeye Bar & Grille

Wednesday, October 23

7-8:15 a.m. Breakfast Buffet at Leisure, Glimmerglass
8:15-8:30 a.m. Upload Presentations & Announcements, Ballroom
8:30-9:30 a.m. Symposium I: Cancer Immunity, Ballroom
- 8:30-9 a.m. Dr. Pawel Kalinski (Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center) “Lessons from DC Biology for T Cell Therapies of Solid Tumors”
- 9-9:30 a.m. Xue Han, PhD (The Ohio State University) “Target PD-1H (VISTA) in the Tumor Microenvironment of Acute Myeloid Leukemia”
9:30-10 a.m. Break, Iroquois
10-11:45 a.m. Workshop I – “NIH Grants – From Idea to Funding” Dr. Scott Jakes and Dr. Timothy Gondre-Lewis, Ballroom
Noon-3 p.m. Off-site Activities (Lunch on own)
3:15-5:15 p.m. Beverage Break, Iroquois
3:30-5 p.m. Symposium II: Molecular Immunity, Ballroom
3:30-4 p.m. Jim Drake, PhD (Albany Medical College) “MCH Class II Conformers: Structure, Function, Peptidomes and Beyond”
4-4:30 p.m. Andreas Koenig, PhD (SUNY Upstate Medical University) “GPI Anchor Synthesis Defect Impairs Mitochondrial Metabolism of Monocytes”
4:30-5 p.m. Lee Ann Sinha-Garrett, PhD (SUNY at Buffalo) “Sequences Within and Upstream of Ets 1 Gene Drive High Level Expression in B cells, But Are Not Sufficient for Consistent Expression of T cells”
5-5:15 p.m. Beverage Break, Iroquois
5:15-6:15 p.m. Workshop II – “Leadership Skill in Science: How to steward the ship” Dr. Shabaana Khader, Ballroom
6:30-8 p.m. Buffet Dinner, Glimmerglass
8-11 p.m. Leisure gatherings, Hawkeye Bar & Grille

Thursday, October 24

7-8:30 a.m. Breakfast Buffet at Leisure, Glimmerglass
8:30-9 a.m. Upload presentations/Morning announcements, Ballroom
9-10:30 a.m. Symposium III: Adaptive Immunity, Ballroom
- 9-9:30 a.m. Sarah Caddy, PhD (Cornell University) “The Maternal Antibody Paradox”
- 9:30-10 a.m. Heather Melichar, PhD (McGill University) “Checkpoints and Balances: Regulation of T cell Function by CD271”
- 10-10:30 a.m. Kristin Scheible, MD (University of Rochester) “Determinants and Consequences of Early Adaptive Immune (Mal)Development in Human Infants”
10:30-10:45 a.m. Beverage Break (available 9-11 a.m.)
10:45-11:45 a.m. Symposium IV: Mucosal Immunity, Ballroom
- 10:45-11:15 a.m. Chen Liao, PhD (Dartmouth College) “The Meaning of Oral Bacteria in Feces”
- 11:15-11:45 a.m. Theresa Montgomery, PhD (University of Vermont) “Lactobacillaceae Differentially Impact Butyrate-Producing Gut Microbiota to Drive CNS Autoimmunity”
11:45 a.m.-Noon Closing Announcements, Ballroom
Noon Depart from Conference

Poster and Abstract Guidelines

All abstracts must be submitted by 5 p.m., Friday, Aug. 9, 2024.

All correctly formatted abstract submissions will be accepted for a poster presentation. All trainee-submitted abstracts will be 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. 16, 2024. 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.

Format

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”w x 48”h in portrait orientation.

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 Ballroom. Posters must be removed from poster boards when the event concludes. Neither the conference nor The Otesaga are responsible for lost or discarded posters.

Poster numbers will be listed on the schedule page after Sept. 15, 2024.

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 supporting this conference, 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 (Dawn Bellville, Katherine MacNamara, and Michael Robek) 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, anonymous Albany Medical Center TIPP Line: 518-264-8477; via email to [email protected]; or online at: https://amc.cqs.symplr.com/Portal/CreateForm/450012
Albany Medical Center Human Resources: 518-262-8414
For non-emergencies only, contact the Cooperstown, N.Y. Police Department: 607-547-2500, 22 Main Street, basement of village library, at Fair Street entrance

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 Ave. 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
https://www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/filing-a-complaint/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
Sexual harassment policy for New York State employers:
https://www.ny.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/StatewideSexualHarassment_PreventionPolicy.pdf

New York State human rights law:
https://dhr.ny.gov/system/files/documents/2023/06/human-rights-law-printable.pdf

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

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

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