The American Association of Immunologists

AAI members: Nominate exceptional colleagues for career honors. The AAI career awards recognize excellence in immunology research, service, and mentorship at all career levels. Submit your nominations by September 10: ow.ly/aqQI50WyNIu. #AAICareerAwards #Immunology #Immunologists

Thank you for joining us!!

Catarina Hioe (Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai) closed out the Advanced Course with a dynamic lecture on “Vaccines,” covering lessons from COVID-19 mRNA vaccines, how both immune and non-immune factors shape vaccine responses, and the elusive goal of HIV vaccines.

AAI is delighted that Senate Appropriations Committee has recognized the critical importance of biomedical research by increasing funding for the NIH in fiscal year FY 2026. Read our full statement: ow.ly/qBEC50WyLzS.

In her lecture, Megan Cooper @washumedicine.bsky.social explored the diversity of inborn errors of immunity, discoveries made through patient investigation, & what the future holds for uncovering their underlying mechanisms and developing treatments. #AAIcourses

Joanne L. Viney (Seismic Therapeutic) opened the final day of the Advanced Course with her lecture, “Drug Discovery and Development: Immunotherapeutics for Autoimmune Disease,” sharing insights into the challenging yet rewarding path of developing new therapies. #AAIcourses

In his “Engineering T Cell Immunity” lecture, Nathan Singh (@washumedicine.bsky.social) discussed how advances in protein engineering, gene therapy, and antigen selection are transforming cancer treatment. #AAIcourses

In her “Immune Response to Viruses” lecture, Sara Cherry (@upenn.edu Perelman School of Medicine) outlined the stepwise coordination of antiviral defenses—while warning that viruses have evolved strategies to counter and evade every line of immune attack.

In his “Neuroimmunology” lecture, @jonykipnis.bsky.social (@washumedicine.bsky.social) questioned what makes the CNS “immune privileged” if its antigens reach T cells via lymphatics and meningeal APCs—reshaping how we think about brain-immune interactions. #AAIcourses

In her lecture on the “Effect of the Microbiome on Immunity,” Cathryn Nagler (@uchicagomedicine.bsky.social) highlighted how the gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) distinguishes friend from foe—tolerating beneficial microbes while mounting immune responses against pathogens. #AAIcourses

🚨 AAI is proud to announce the launch of the AAI RESTORE Grants Program, an $8M emergency funding initiative to support scientists whose immunology-focused federal research grants were abruptly terminated or frozen in 2025.

🔗 ow.ly/rwMU50Wy3Mp

#AAIRESTORE

In his “Tumor Immunology” lecture, Robert D. Schreiber (@washumedicine.bsky.social) outlined foundational concepts in tumor-immune interactions — from tumor antigens and immune evasion to the requirements for effective anti-tumor responses. #AAIcourses

In her “Immunometabolism” lecture, Erika L. Pearce (Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine) highlighted cutting-edge research revealing how immune cell function is tightly linked to — and can even reshape — whole-body metabolism. #AAIcourses

In his “T Cell Tolerance and Autoimmunity” lecture, Mark S. Anderson (@ucsfmedicine.bsky.social) explored how T cell tolerance is acquired—and how perturbations in this process can lead to autoimmune disease. #AAIcourses

Stephen Jameson (University of Minnesota Medical School) gave a comprehensive lecture on “T Cell Memory,” highlighting how memory T cells differ from naïve T cells, the diverse subsets of memory T cells, and the mechanisms behind the generation and long-term maintenance of memory T cells.

Julie Zikherman (@ucsfmedicine.bsky.social) gave a lecture on “B Cell Tolerance & Autoimmunity,” exploring the mechanisms that maintain B cell tolerance—and how failures in these processes can lead to autoimmunity. #AAIcourses

We have joined 39 other organizations representing thousands of biological research stakeholders signing a letter sent to NIH expressing concerns with the implementation of “Improving the Safety and Security of Biological Research” Executive Order 14292: ow.ly/Y56x50WxmYl. #AAIadvocacy

Lawrence P. Kane (University of Pittsburgh) closed Day 3 with a deep dive into “Antigen Receptor Signaling,” exploring how T cells discriminate between ligands, models of TCR signal initiation, and the spatial regulation of TCR signaling. #AAIcourses

In his lecture on “T Cell Development,” @averyxaugust.bsky.social (@cornelluniversity.bsky.social) explained how thymic epithelial cells guide T cell maturation—covering MHC restriction, positive and negative selection, and the emergence of diverse, self-tolerant T cell populations. #AAIcourses

Apply today to participate in the AAI Peer-Review Mentorship Program! This program is designed to provide mentorship from seasoned professionals to develop your skills as a peer reviewer of manuscripts submitted to AAI journals. Learn more: ow.ly/qLyn50WuPxA.

In his lecture on “MHC-restricted Antigen Presentation to T Cells,” Kai W. Wucherpfennig, @danafarber.bsky.social, highlighted antigen presentation as a cornerstone of vaccine efficacy—and a promising therapeutic target in autoimmunity and cancer. #AAIcourses #AdvancedImmunology

Stephanie Eisenbarth (Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine) opened Day 3 of the Advanced Course with a lecture on “Dendritic cells, related cells and initiation of adaptive immunity,” highlighting why dendritic cells are the immune system’s most efficient antigen-presenting cells.

Ali H. Ellebedy, @washumedicine.bsky.social, closed Day 2 with a deep dive into “B Cell Development,” emphasizing the goal: to generate a diverse, functional pool of B cells—each uniquely specific, but free of harmful self-reactivity. #AAIcourses #AdvancedImmunology

In his lecture on “The Generation and Modification of Lymphocyte Antigen Receptor Genes,” Eugene Oltz, @ohiostatemed.bsky.social, described how chromatin accessibility controls where V(D)J recombination occurs during immune cell development. #AAIcourses

In his lecture on “Molecular and Cellular Regulation of Inflammation,” Ivan Zanoni @harvardmed.bsky.social @bostonchildrens.bsky.social explained how phagocytes detect virulence factor activity to kickstart inflammation. #AAIcourses #AdvancedImmunology

Join us for Faculty Breakout Sessions from 11:20–11:50 AM, and connect directly with this morning’s speakers for an informal Q&A and discussion. Don’t miss this chance to engage with experts and deepen your understanding of the day’s topics!

In her “Innate Immunity: Gene Regulation” lecture, Susan Carpenter @ucsantacruz.bsky.social explored how chromatin architecture shapes the expression of inflammatory genes—highlighting a key layer of immune system control. #AAIcourses

Claudia Jakubzick opened Day 2 of the AAI Advanced Course in Immunology with a lecture on “Myeloid Cells in Immune Responses.” Describing how macrophage gene expression and function vary by the tissue in which they reside, and how monocytes influence diverse immune processes.

Course Director Wayne M. Yokoyama (Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO) closes Day 1 of the AAI Advanced Course with a lecture on “Innate Immunity and NK Cell Responses to Pathogens and Tumors,” bookending the talk with an overview of the course and the latest in NK cell biology.

Day 1 of the 2025 Advanced Course in Immunology concludes with a Networking Reception. Connect with attendees and faculty and unwind and share your passion for #immunology.

📍 Outside the America Ballroom
🕕 5:00 – 6:00 PM

Cheers to new ideas, connections and an exciting week ahead! #AAICourses