Aspen Lung Conference: Bridging the Gap between Innate and Adaptive Immunity in the Lung

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PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT With an emphasis on the integration of basic, translational, and clinical approaches, the 64th annual Aspen Lung Conference will focus on a central question: how can knowledge of the immunologic mechanisms that underlie lung disease enhance our understanding of disease development and be translated into effective approaches to treat lung disease? To address this central question, the program is organized into a series of thematic sessions, with State of the Art speakers framing the topic. The thematic sessions will focus on (i) the role of innate immunity via mononuclear phagocytes and its impact on inflammatory lung disease, (ii) bridging the gap between the innate and adaptive immune responses in the lung focusing on the host-microbe interactions, (iii) evaluating the interface between the innate and adaptive immune response in COVID and other lung diseases, (iv) the role of adaptive immunity in the development of autoimmunity and autoimmune lung disease, (v) understanding lessons learned from immunologic cancer treatments and approaches, and (vi) defining future treatment options to harness the immune system for generation of novel. By addressing these topics, we seek to accomplish the following: 1) provide an international forum for leading basic, translational, and clinical researchers to exchange ideas regarding the role of the immune system in the development and progression of chronic lung disease; 2) stimulate interactions between scientific fields to identify emerging and shared interests that may lead to more efficient and productive research; 3) enhance the likelihood of success in translation of preclinical scientific advances into direct patient benefit by developing novel strategies to better understand disease pathogenesis and implement scientific advances in treatment of chronic lung diseases; and 4) challenge and stimulate the scientific interests of trainees and attract a new generation of junior investigators into the field of innate and adaptive immunity in the lung. We have identified 12 outstanding thought leaders to present State of the Art lectures (35 min) on these topics. Each presentation will be followed by 25 minutes of discussion - a hallmark of the Conference. The program continues the Aspen Lung Conference’s dedication to diversity and inclusivity: n=6/13 (54%) of State of the Art speakers/Summarizer are women, and at least 6 of our speakers are from underrepresented racial/ethnic groups. Participation of trainees and junior faculty is facilitated by two 15-minute oral abstracts, selected from submitted abstracts, following each State of the Art speaker (24 total). There will be two evening poster sessions for further presentation opportunities by junior faculty and trainees. The final presentation is provided by a Conference Summarizer, who reviews the impact and common themes of the Conference. The Conference Summary will be published for widespread dissemination, to serve as a “think tank” that not only summarizes the current state of the field, but also identifies key future directions for basic, translation, and clinical research. Finally, and notably, registration for the Aspen Lung Conference is free, encouraging participation from a wide spectrum of trainees and early career investigators.