{"id":459,"date":"2026-04-16T15:29:12","date_gmt":"2026-04-16T19:29:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fs.wp.odu.edu\/csteel\/?page_id=459"},"modified":"2026-04-20T10:52:40","modified_gmt":"2026-04-20T14:52:40","slug":"aai-2026","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/fs.wp.odu.edu\/csteel\/aai-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"AAI 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>In April 2026, I attended the American Association of Immunologist&#8217;s annual Immunology conference. This page is a summary list of the sessions I attended, principally for my BIOL 302 Introductory Immunology students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/fs.wp.odu.edu\/csteel\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/166\/2026\/04\/AAI-2026-Badge.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"565\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/fs.wp.odu.edu\/csteel\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/166\/2026\/04\/AAI-2026-Badge-565x1024.jpg\" alt=\"AAI 2026 Badge\" class=\"wp-image-461\" srcset=\"https:\/\/fs.wp.odu.edu\/csteel\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/166\/2026\/04\/AAI-2026-Badge-565x1024.jpg 565w, https:\/\/fs.wp.odu.edu\/csteel\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/166\/2026\/04\/AAI-2026-Badge-165x300.jpg 165w, https:\/\/fs.wp.odu.edu\/csteel\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/166\/2026\/04\/AAI-2026-Badge-768x1393.jpg 768w, https:\/\/fs.wp.odu.edu\/csteel\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/166\/2026\/04\/AAI-2026-Badge.jpg 835w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 565px) 100vw, 565px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Wednesday, Apr 15<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Neutrophil NETosis and cell-free DNA suppress T cell responses in glioblastoma (Katayoun Ayasoufi)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Monocyte-Derived ADA2 Regulates Myeloid-T Cell Crosstalk and Drives Pro-Inflammatory Responses Linked with Intestinal Inflammation in Crohn&#8217;s Disease (Silpa Tiwari-Heckler)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Immune resilience after pediatric cancer treatment (Smrithi Sugumaran Menon)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Stem-like and effector peripheral helper T cells orchestrate distinct local immune responses in rheumatoid arthritis (Yuki Masuo)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>President&#8217;s Address: Immunology in Space and Time (Ulrich von Andrian)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Thursday, Apr 16<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Reduced BCMA Signaling Disrupts the BAFF\/APRIL Axis and Promotes Inflammatory Cytokine Production by B Cells in Multiple Sclerosis (Gaurav Kumar)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The antigen-specific immunotherapy, AKS-107, selectively depletes anti-insulin B lymphocytes in the pancreas and reduces insulitis in T1D-prone mice (Tyler Jenkins)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Functional dichotomy of GC-Derived Memory B Cells in Lupus: A Role for FCRL5+ MBCs in ASC Differentiation (Ajitanuj Rattan)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A Six-month Ketogenic Diet Alters The Immune And Metabolic Landscape In Multiple Sclerosis (Wesley Godfrey)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Impact of a Modernized Immunology CURE on Undergraduate Student Learning and Scientific Literacy (Jesus Segovia)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Contemplating immunology: using contemplative pedagogy practices to build critical thinking skills and confidence in data analysis and interpretation (Natalie Steinel)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Powering health literacy with STEAM: Using an infographic project to teach the public about complex topics in immunology<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Bridging the Gap in Flow Cytometry Training: A Practical Workflow for Teaching Autofluorescence Management in Immunology (Alina Moriarty&#8211;FROM ODU\/EVMS)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Skull bone marrow is an early source of antiviral CD8 T cell priming and expansion during neurotropic virus infection (Asma Hassani)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>HSV-2 Infection Induces Lasting Transcriptional and Functional Changes in Vaginal Tissue NK Cells (Sarah Vick)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A Tonsil Organoid Model for Epstein-Barr Virus-Host Immune Interactions in Germinal Centers (Yizhe Sun)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Immune Cell Derived 1,25(OH)2D3: A Critical Defense Against Influenza Infection (Nicole Froelich)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Regulatory maturation of cDC1 accelerates effector CD8 T cell contraction after severe influenza A virus infection (Xinran Wang)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Antigen-specific CD8 T cells are primed in the bone marrow by migratory myeloid DCs bringing antigen from the brain following inflammatory injuries (Eliese Moelker)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Friday, Apr 17 (this was my day for tourism)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>AAI-Recommended Immunology Content Learning Objectives for Undergraduate Medical Education in the U.S.A. (Aimee Pugh-Bernard)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Beyond Memorization: Active and Adult Learning Strategies in Undergraduate Immunology (Nurcan Kilic)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Computer-Based Models to Teach Immunology from the Undergraduate to Professional and Graduate Level (Louis Justement)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Immunology and Infection Biology in Cinema: An Interdisciplinary  Undergraduate Course (Raffaella Ghittoni)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Immunology Integration and Team-Based Learning (TBL) Enhance Comprehension in a Foundations to Medicine Module (Ivo Boudakov)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>[Breakout session] 3D &#8211; Design, Discover, Decipher: Integrating Experimental Design in Didactic Immunology Teaching (Parameswaran Ramakrishnan)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Saturday, Apr 18 (this was my neuroimmunology day)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Sensory interogan neuroimmune circuits (Brian Kim)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Neuro-immune circuits regulate mucosal inflammation (David Artis)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The enteric nervous system shields colon cancer from immunosurveillance (Ademi Zhakyp)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Neuronal control of cutaneous inflammation (Daniel Kaplan)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Tumor-innervating nociceptors drive immuno-suppressive differentiation to prevent T cell-mediated anti-cancer immunity (Pavel Hanc)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Neuroimmune circuits in allergy immunity (Caroline Sokol)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>From the lab to FDA-approval: clinical translation of the inflammatory reflex (Kevin Tracey)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Systemic CXCL13 as a possible sex-dependent biomarker to identify neuroinflammation in subclinical food allergies (Dilini Ekanayake)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In Vivo Dynamics of Memory CD8+ T Cell Activation using a Fluorescent Timer Protein of TCR Signaling (John Cintron)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Oxysterol-Mediated Modulation of NF-kB-Linked Systemic Inflammatory Response in a Neonatal Mouse Model of Intestinal Perforation (Aswathy Sailaja)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Double positive (DP) developing thymocytes regulate the development of neuronal cell bodies within the thymus (Katayoun Ayasoufi)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Adrenergic Signalling Drives Accumulation of Myeloid-derived Suppressor Cells in the Liver During Stress (Agetha Mahendran)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Kupffer cell identity, phenotype, and function rely on continual hepatic sympathetic nerve output (Raymond Shim)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>AAI Education: Recommended Immunology Learning Objectives for MedEd, Sponsored by the AAI Edu. Comm.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>President&#8217;s Symposium: Going Places: The Multi-Step Adhesion Cascade-35 Years and Counting\n<ul>\n<li>The many steps to an understanding of leukocyte homing\u00a0(Eugene Butcher)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Integrin agonists: new tools for organoids (Timothy Springer)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Linking T cell differentiation and trafficking (Federica Sallusto)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Recruitment of immune cells from vascular and avascular sites to altered tissues (Paul Kubes)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Counting to 9: the amazing adventures of the 9th interleukin (Mark Kaplan)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In April 2026, I attended the American Association of Immunologist&#8217;s annual Immunology conference. This page is a summary list of the sessions I attended, principally for my BIOL 302 Introductory Immunology students. Wednesday, Apr 15 Thursday, Apr 16 Friday, Apr 17 (this was my day for tourism) Saturday, Apr 18 (this was my neuroimmunology day)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":311,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/P6BLeS-7p","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fs.wp.odu.edu\/csteel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/459"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fs.wp.odu.edu\/csteel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fs.wp.odu.edu\/csteel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fs.wp.odu.edu\/csteel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/311"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fs.wp.odu.edu\/csteel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=459"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/fs.wp.odu.edu\/csteel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/459\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":467,"href":"https:\/\/fs.wp.odu.edu\/csteel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/459\/revisions\/467"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fs.wp.odu.edu\/csteel\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=459"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}