Additional sessions will be added below as details become available.

Saturday, May 3 | 10:30 – 12:00 | Ballroom A

First Things First: Insiders’ Guide to IMMUNOLOGY2025™ (ticketed event)

Sponsored by the AAI Membership and Program Committee

This event is designed to help new members and first-time attendees learn how to navigate and make the most of the meeting: scientific program, social events, posters, exhibit hall, using the meeting app, and collaboration/networking opportunities. The first part of the event will be informational and then it will transition into a networking session. This is a can’t-miss event, whether it is your first or 51st AAI annual meeting!  

Saturday, May 3 | 12:30 – 14:30 | Room 311

Back to School: A Review of Four Fast-Moving Fields

Sponsored by the AAI Program Committee

Chairs:

• Chandrashekhar Pasare, Cincinnati Children’s Hosp. Med. Ctr., USA, AAI Program Committee Chair  
• Carrie Lucas, Yale Univ. Sch. of Med., USA 

Speakers:

• Alexander Hoffmann, UCLA, USA, Chromatin Accessibility, CUT and RUN, CUT and TAG etc. 
• Anna E. Beaudin, Univ. of Utah, USA, Bone marrow hematopoiesis
• Ingunn M. Stromnes, Univ. of Minnesota Med. Sch., USA, Immune engineering in cancer
• Dhananjay Bhaskar, Yale Univ., USA, Bioinformatics

Sunday, May 4 | 8:00 – 9:30 | Room 312

The State of U.S. Biomedical Science and Funding for Research: Significant Challenges, Far Greater Opportunities

Sponsored by the AAI Committee on Public Affairs

Join the AAI Committee on Public Affairs (CPA) for a compelling and timely session on strengthening the biomedical research enterprise. The event will feature two outstanding speakers: Mary Woolley, President and Chief Executive Officer of Research!America and co-author of the National Academy of Medicine’s report on “The State of the U.S. Biomedical and Health Research Enterprise” and Kasisomayajula Viswanath (“Dr. Vish”), Ph.D., Lee Kum Kee Professor of Health Communication at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and Chair of the National Academies Committee on Understanding and Addressing Misinformation about Science.  

These distinguished speakers will explore the strengths and vulnerabilities of the U.S. biomedical research enterprise, strategies to sustain the nation’s global preeminence in science, and opportunities to cultivate a strong pipeline of future scientific leaders in an era of great uncertainty. They will also address the crucial challenge of the rise of scientific misinformation including ways that the immunology community can help safeguard public trust in science. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain valuable insights and engage with the speakers during an interactive Q&A session.

Chair:

• Cherié Butts, Biogen, USA, AAI Committee on Public Affairs Chair 

Speakers:

• Mary Woolley, President and CEO, Research!America, USA  
• Kasisomayajula Viswanath, Professor of Health Communication, Harvard T.H. Chan Sch. of Pub. Health  

Sunday, May 4 | 11:45 – 13:45 | Ballroom A

Career Roundtables and Speed Networking Session (ticketed event)

Sponsored by the AAI Minority Affairs Committee

Career building and networking skills have never been more crucial to ensure success for trainees and early career scientists, including those traditionally underrepresented in biomedical research. At the session, while enjoying lunch, take advantage of the opportunity to meet in small-group format with established immunologists and others to hear how they have handled the career challenges you now face and learn what they believe will work for you today. Then practice networking in a relaxed environment offering a structured networking exercise and personalized feedback on communicating your scientific interests/objectives most effectively. Scientists and trainees of all backgrounds are encouraged to attend! 

Chair:

• Beth Tamburini, Univ. of Colorado Sch. of Med. USA, AAI Minority Affairs Committee Chair

Table Topics: Grad Student: Finding a Mentor, Setting Sights on Postdoc Training; Navigating Challenges Unique to International Grad Students and Postdocs; The Physician-Scientist Career Path; Postdoc: Finding a Mentor, Setting Sights on a Faculty Position; Junior Faculty: Preparing for Promotion and Tenure; Academia or Industry: How to Decide (or Switch Sides); Government Agency Careers (including Grant Review); Beyond the Bench Science Careers: Entrepreneurship; Nonprofits/Foundations; Science Consulting; Science Policy; Scientific Patent Law/Technology Transfer; and Scientific Publishing/Science Writing

Sunday, May 4 | 12:00 – 14:00 | Room 316C

Taking the Next Steps: Engaging with Industry to Move Research Findings to the Clinic

Sponsored by the AAI Clinical Immunology Committee

Monday, May 5 | 8:15 – 10:15 | Room 316C

The Therapeutic Potential of Myeloid Cells

Sponsored by the AAI Clinical Immunology Committee

Monday, May 5 | 9:15 – 10:30 | Room 316B

Unlocking the Future of Medical Immunology: Revealing and Refining Learning Objectives

Sponsored by the AAI Education Committee

The AAI Medical Immunology Curriculum Task Force was established to develop recommendations for the immunology content taught in U.S. medical schools. The primary audience for this effort is the medical education community, with downstream effects on medical students throughout their pre-clinical and clinical training. This effort is driven by iterative, grassroots surveys of medical immunology educators. As of April 2024, faculty from all U.S. medical schools (both M.D. and D.O. programs) were invited to participate in the initial research survey. Approximately 30% of the invited participants responded, with 25% from D.O. programs and 75% from M.D. programs, which reflects the population distribution of these schools. This session will follow presentation of our initial findings, including the core content identified by the participating faculty, along with various demographic and opinion-based metrics, at the Immunology Teaching Interest Group. Based on these initial findings, the Task Force developed specific learning objectives (LOs) for each core area of content. A secondary survey focused on the refinement of the LOs will be distributed nationwide for feedback. During this session, we will present the LOs and solicit input from the audience to collaboratively advance this educational endeavor.

Chairs:

• Nicholas A. Pullen, Univ. of Northern Colorado, USA, AAI Education Committee Chair
• Aimee Pugh-Bernard, Univ. of Colorado Anschutz Med. Campus, USA

Monday, May 5 | 11:45 – 14:15 | Ballroom A

Careers in Science Lecture and Roundtables (ticketed event)

Sponsored by AAI Committee on the Status of Women

At this popular session, attendees will have the opportunity to meet with experienced scientists to explore specific career issues important to today’s scientists. Gain insights into issues you are confronting in your own career. Topics include international opportunities in science, succeeding in graduate school, tips on grant writing, considerations for scientists in M.D.-Ph.D. careers, and exciting careers beyond the bench. Topics include building productive mentor/mentee relationships; overcoming self-doubt; and tackling gender biases in recruitment, research, and leadership; and navigating work/life issues, such as balancing careers with family and transitioning from specific career stages, which may be relevant to any work environment (academic research, biotech industry, governmental agencies, nonprofit). Don’t miss this great opportunity! 

Chair:

• Louise D’Cruz, Associate Director, Scientific Affairs, BD

Table Topics: New PI (mentoring effectively, recruiting students and postdocs, preparing for promotion, early career self-promotion); Succeeding in Graduate School; Graduate Student to Postdoc; Postdoc to PI; Work/Life Balance; Building Networking Skills; Biotech and Industry; Careers in Science Policy; Grant Writing for PIs; Grant Writing for Fellowships; Research from the M.D., Ph.D. Perspective/The Physician Scientist; Careers in Veterinary Immunology; International Opportunities; How to Build Productive Mentor/Mentee Relationships; Balancing Teaching Responsibilities with Research; Opportunities for Teaching and Research/ predominantly undergraduate institutions; How to Negotiate for Better Self-Promotion; Challenges for Women Mentors and PIs; Academia versus Industry; Tackling Gender Biases in Recruitment, Research, and Leadership; Careers in Government Agencies; Scientific Publishing; and Opportunities for Scientists in Non-profits/Foundations

Monday, May 5 | 12:00 – 14:00 | Room 316

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI): Cross Species Perspectives on Infection and Immunity

Sponsored by the AAI Veterinary Immunology Committee and AKIA

Monday, May 5 | 15:00 – 16:00 | Executive Boardroom

Corporate Recognition Reception (by invitation only)