“No child should die at the dawn of life.”
Danny Thomas’ inspiring credo continues to serve as motivation for researchers around the world to pursue discovery and translate it into life-saving therapies. The scientific pursuits centered on the riddles of T cell immunity embody Danny’s philosophy and have given the world a new way to combat cancer; immunotherapy.
St Jude Children’s Research Hospital and Technical University of Munich are proud to host the ‘ImmunoMemphis’ symposium where the immunological community will come together in Memphis, Tennessee to discuss fundamental mechanisms of T cell differentiation, and how these insights can be translated into durable immunotherapies for cancer and chronic viral infections.
Topics will include conceptual and technical advances that are reshaping our understanding of T cell immunological memory, current barriers in establishing T cells with tissue/tumor-homing properties, resistance to local-immunosuppression, and the capacity for establishing disease control with long-term immunological protection.
Our worldclass symposium will foster dialogue around the key unresolved questions in T cell biology with the goal of tuning T cells to give cancer the blues.
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Confirmed speakers and editorial presence
- Ahmed, Rafi
- Bergthaler, Andreas
- Bollard, Catherine
- Butterfield, Lisa
- Hongbo Chi
- Delgoffe, Greg
- Farber, Donna
- Gebhardt, Thomas
- Goldrath, Ananda
- Stephen Gottschalk
- Doug Green
- Harty, John
- Höfer, Thomas
- Hosen, Naoki
- Iannacone, Matteo
- Jameson, Steve
- Kallies, Axel
- Knolle, Percy
- Kuchroo, Vijay
- La Gruta, Nicole
- Levings, Megan
- Lugli, Enrico
- Mackay, Laura
- Masopust, David
- Oxenius, Annette
- Powrie, Fiona
- Prlic, Martin
- Rathmell, Jeff
- Rudensky, Alexander
- Sallusto, Federica
- Schoenberger, Stephen
- Schwartzberg, Pam
- Sharpe, Arlene
- Sun, Joe
- Turner, Stephen
- Wherry, John
- Caitlin Zebley
Editorial presence
- Science
- Nature
- Nature Immunology
- Immunity
- JEM
- Nature Reviews Immunology
- Science Immunology
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Tuesday, May 26
Time Event / Session 9:00 - 10:00 am Pre-Meeting Seminar Registration 10:00 am-12:30 pm Immunology Update Course: Seminar Session 1
Abul Abbas, MBBS, University of California San Fransisco
12:30-1:00 pm Lunch 1:00-3:00 pm Immunology Update Course: Seminar Session 2
Abul Abbas, MBBS, University of California, San Fransisco
3:00-4:40 pm Conference Registration 4:40-5:55 pm Opening Session: T Cellin' in Memphis
James R. Downing, MD, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Rafi Ahmed, PhD, Emory University
Arlene Sharpe, MD, PhD, Harvard University
6:00-8:00 pm Reception Wednesday, May 27
Starting Time Event / Speaker 8:15-8:55 am Breakfast 8:55-9:00 am Session 1 Introduction
Session Chair: Chris Derenzo, MD, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
9:00 am-10:30 am Session 1: Great Cells of Fire: Igniting the Power of T-Cell Therapy
Stephen Gottschalk, MD. St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Catherine Bollard, MD, Children’s National Hospital
Lisa Butterfield, PhD, University of Pittsburgh
Abstract TBD
10:30-10:50 am Coffee break 10:50-10:55 am Session 2 Introduction
Session Chair: Jordan Johnson, PhD, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
10:55 am-12:35 pm Session 2: Pride & Joy: The Biology Behind Successful T-Cell Therapies
Stephen Schoenberger, PhD, La Jolla Institute
John Wherry, PhD, University of Pennsylvania
Naoki Hosen, PhD, University of Osaka
Caitlin Zebley, MD, PhD, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
12:35-1:00 pm Lunch 1:00-1:55 pm Meet the Editor Session & Lunch
Yvonne Bordon, PhD, Senior Editor, Nature Reviews Immunology
Christina Fogg, PhD, Senior Editor, Science Immunology
Ching-yu Huang, PhD, Chief Editor, Nature Communications
Stephanie Houston,PhD, Senior Editor, Nature Immunology
Priscilla Kelly, PhD, Senior Editor, Science
Fabiola Rivas, PhD, Editor-in-chief, Immunity
Ursula Weiss, PhD, Senior Editor, Nature
1:55-2:00 pm Session 3 Introduction
Session Chair: Yong Feng, PhD, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
2:00-3:55 pm Session 3: The King of Regulation; Tregs and the Rhythm of Immune Tolerance
Alexander Rudensky, PhD, Sloan Kettering Cancer Institute
Megan Levings, PhD, University of British Columbia
Fiona Powrie, FRS, FMedSci, DBD, The Kennedy Institute
Matteo Iannacone, MD, PhD, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University
Abstract TBD
3:55-4:10 pm Coffee break 4:10-4:15 pm Session 4 introduction
Session Chair: Piyush Sharma, PhD, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
4:15-5:55 pm Session 4: St. Louis Blues and Immune Memory: Holding the Note in T-Cell Therapy
Joe Sun, PhD, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Steve Jameson, PhD, University of Minnesota
Annette Oxenius, PhD, ETH Zurich
John Harty, PhD, Univerity of Iowa
5:55-6:00 pm Closing remarks
Ben Youngblood, PhD, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Dietmar Zehn, PhD, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
6:00-8:00 pm Dinner & Networking Thursday, May 28
Starting Time Event / Session 8:15-8:55 am Breakfast 8:55-9:00 am Session 5 Introduction
Session Chair: Bo Hu, PhD, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
9:00-10:30 am Session 5: T Cells Bringing Signal Back
Vijay Kuchroo, DVM, PhD, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Harvard Medical School
Pam Schwartzberg, MD, PhD, National Human Genome Research Institute
Stephen Turner, PhD, Monash University
Abstract TBD
10:30-10:50 am Coffee break 10:50-10:55 am Session 6 Introduction
Session Chair: Allison Norman, Student, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
10:55 am-12:35 pm Session 6: R.E.S.P.E.C.T: Metabolic Control of Immune Responses
Jeff Rathmell, PhD, University of Chicago
Andreas Bergthaler, PhD, Medical University of Vienna
Hongbo Chi, Phd, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Greg Delgoffe, Phd, Univerity of Pittsburgh
12:35-1:55 pm Lunch & Poster Session 1:55-2:00 pm Session 7 Introduction
Session Chair: Lindsay Talbot, MD, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
2:00-3:55 pm Session 7: Sittin' in the Cells of the Bay: T-Cell Homing and Residency
David Masopust, Phd, University of Minnesota
Laura Mackay, PhD, Doherty Institute
Thomas Gebhardt, MD, PhD, University of Melbourne
Ananda Goldrath, PhD, University of California
Abstract TBD
3:55-4:10 pm Coffee break 4:10-4:15 pm Session 8 Introduction
Session Chair: Tae Gun Kang, PhD, Yonsei University
4:15-5:55 pm Session 8: Ring of Tire(d): T Cell Exhaustion and Dysfunction
Dietmar Zehn, MD, PhD, Technical University of Munich
Doug Green, PhD, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Axel Kallies, PhD, University of Melbourne
Ben Youngblood, PhD, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
5:55-6:00 pm Closing remarks
Caitlin Zebley, MD, PhD, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Anna Schulz, PhD, Technical University of Munich
6:00-8:00 pm Dinner & Special Performance Friday, May 29
Starting Time Event / Session 8:15-8:55 am Breakfast 8:55-9:00 am Session 9 Introduction
Session chair: Yunlong Zhao, PhD, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
9:00-10:30 am Session 9: T Cell Responses: Hunk of Burning T Cells
Donna Farber, PhD, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
Percy Knolle, MD, PhD, Technical University of Munich
Enrico Lugli, PhD, Humanitas Research Hospital
Thomas Hofer, PhD, German Cancer Research Center
10:30-10:50 am Coffee break 10:55-11:00 am Session 10 Introduction
TBD
11:00 am-12:35 pm Session 10: T Cell Responses: Can't Help Responding to You
TBD
SJTBD
Martin Prlic, PhD, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
Federica Sallusto, PhD, Institute for Research in Biomedicine, USI and ETH Zurich
12:35-1:00 pm Closing Remarks
Ben Youngblood, PhD, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Dietmar Zehn, PhD, Technical University of Munich
1:00 pm Lunch 4:00-6:00 pm Riverboat Cruise -
Registration
Registration Fee:
All attendees are required to register for the ImmunoMemphis in May conference. The registration is $650 per person. There is no charge for St. Jude employees.What the Registration Fee Includes:
- Full access to all symposium sessions and keynote presentations
- Daily breakfast, lunch, and refreshment breaks
- Evening receptions featuring dinner or hors d’oeuvres
- Access to the poster session and networking events throughout the conference
- Access to the Meet the Editor session
Attendance Format:
Please note that this is an in-person event only. There will be no virtual or hybrid attendance option. -
Abstracts
Call for Abstracts
The ImmunoMemphis Symposium aims to create a unique forum for the dissemination and advancement of scholarly work in the field. Abstracts submitted for this symposium will undergo peer review. All planning to attend are encouraged to submit an abstract, regardless of role or level of training. We are committed to promoting the career development of multi-disciplinary trainees and junior faculty. Abstracts selected for podium presentations or poster presentations will require in-person attendance.
Abstracts can present findings from original research, education, and quality improvement projects. Data driven abstracts, including works-in-progress, will be prioritized.
Work that has been submitted or presented elsewhere is eligible for submission, provided that it has not been published in manuscript form prior to the submission deadline.
Why Submit an Abstract?
- Advance the future of Pediatric Immunology by sharing innovative research and academic work that drives progress in the field and advances the care of children and families
- Gain recognition and connect with leading experts in the field
- Network with multi-disciplinary scholars, exchange insights, and receive valuable feedback from key thought leaders
- Your registration fee may be reimbursed if your abstract is selected and among the highest rated!
Deadlines
- Oral submissions will be accepted until 11:00 pm CT, Friday, February 27, 2026.
- Abstract submissions will be accepted until 11:00pm CT, Friday, April 24, 2026.
- Decisions regarding abstract acceptance will be communicated by Early May 2026.
We appreciate your participation and desire to share your research/academic work.
Abstract Guidelines
Your abstract should use the following structure to provide a concise summary of your work. Please describe the background, methods, results and conclusions of your scholarly project (these headers are required). Describe experimental methods briefly (including relevant numbers of patients, etc.). Statistical analyses should be used when appropriate to support the conclusion. Define all concepts and abbreviations upon first use.
Abstract submissions should be 400 words or less, excluding title and authors. While not required, a maximum of two images (table and/or figure) are permitted. References are not required but should not exceed 5 if included.
Abstracts should be uploaded as a Word document (.docx) and formatted as below:
- Title
- Author(s) and Affiliations
- Background
- Methods
- Results
- Conclusion
- Table/ Figure (if submitting)
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Travel and Accommodations
We've partnered with The Westin and the historic Peabody Hotel located in downtown Memphis, just minutes from the symposium venue.
Note: The final day to receive a group rate reservation is March 26, 2026. Rooms are limited, so we recommend booking early to secure your stay.
Peabody Hotel Details:
- Start Date: Sunday, May 26, 2026
- End Date: Saturday, May 30, 2026
- Group Rate: $230.00 USD per night
- Reservation Deadline: Saturday, April 4, 2026
Westin Memphis Beale Street Details
- Start Date: Sunday, May 25, 2026
- End Date: Saturday, May 30, 2026
- Group Rate: $179.00 USD per night
- Reservation Deadline: Monday, May 11, 2026
Memphis International Airport (MEM)
- Address: 2491 Winchester Rd, Memphis, TN 38116
- Distance from hotel to airport: 11 Miles
- Estimated drive time: 16 Minutes
- Airport Shuttle: N/A
- Taxi: Approximately $30
- Uber: Approximately $26 or higher, depending on timing
Weather/Conference Attire
Temperatures push into the mid-80s for highs (84°F+) and mid-to-upper 60s for lows (67°F+). Meeting room temperatures tend to be cool, so attendees may want to bring a light sweater or jacket for indoor activities.
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Visitor Information
Please review our hospital guest policy, which includes important infection control information. A campus map is also available.
The travel tab above contains more information regarding travel and hotel information.
Questions?
If you have any questions or need to alter or cancel your registration, please contact ImmunoMemphis@stjude.org.