On this page:
About the symposium
“Breakthroughs in Innate Immunity and Cell Death”, was the 4th annual Symposium hosted by the Center of Excellence for Innate Immunity and Inflammation (CoE-III) at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, TN, on Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
The innate immune system plays a critical role in infectious, inflammatory and autoimmune diseases and cancer. Despite its importance, our understanding of how the innate immune system recognizes and responds to diverse pathogens and danger signals remains incomplete. These processes drive host defense, eliminate cancerous cells, regulate cell death pathways, control cytokine production and engage the adaptive immune response. In addition, inborn errors in innate immune genes and dysregulated signaling pathways are key drivers of disease, yet the underlying molecular mechanisms are not fully understood, limiting the ability to therapeutically target these processes.
The 2026 symposium brought together an international group of leading experts to share recent discoveries in innate immunity and cell death. Topics included the basic biology of innate immunity, interactions with adaptive immunity, the molecular diversity of immune mechanisms, immuno-oncology, neuroimmunology, the pathophysiology of inflammation, therapeutic applications and more. The event facilitated discussion and collaboration to advance basic and translational research and support the development of new cures.
Speakers
- Kate Fitzgerald, PhD, UMass Chan Medical School
- Gil Mor, MD, PhD, Wayne State University
- Jenny Ting, PhD, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Ezra Burstein, MD, PhD, UT Southwestern Medical Center
- Cornelia M. Weyand, MD, PhD, Mayo Clinic
- Michael Gale, Jr., PhD, University of Minnesota
- Laurence Morel, PhD, The University of Texas at San Antonio
- Vojo Deretic, PhD, University of New Mexico Health Sciences
- Adrian T. Ting, PhD - Mayo Clinic
- Dmitry M. Shayakhmetov, PhD – Emory University
Overview
Event: Breakthroughs in Innate Immunity and Cell Death
Location:
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Memphis, Tennessee, USA
Event hosts:
Center of Excellence for Innate Immunity and Inflammation
Thirumala-Devi Kanneganti, PhD
Director, Center of Excellence for Innate Immunity and Inflammation
Vice Chair and Member of Immunology
Rose Marie Thomas Endowed Chair
Event contact:
CoE-III_Symposium@StJude.org
Agenda
| Time | Event/Presenter | Title | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8:30 – 9:15 a.m. | Breakfast | MTC atrium | |
| 9:15 – 9:30 a.m. | Douglas Green, PhD | Welcome address | James R. Downing, MD Auditorium |
| Session 1: Innate Immune Drivers in Disease | |||
| 9:30 – 10:00 a.m. | Laurence Morel, PhD | Metabolic and microbial determinants of lupus pathogenesis | James R. Downing, MD Auditorium |
| 10:00 – 10:30 a.m. | Cornelia M. Weyand, MD, PhD | Panoptotic macrophages: A new paradigm in rheumatoid arthritis | James R. Downing, MD Auditorium |
| 10:30 – 11:00 a.m. | Gil Mor, MD, PhD | Mechanisms of immune regulation in ovarian cancer | James R. Downing, MD Auditorium |
| 11:00 – 11:30 a.m. | Dmitry M. Shayakhmetov, PhD | “Reparative call” response limits the efficacy of virotherapy of lung cancer | James R. Downing, MD Auditorium |
| 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. | Lunch | MTC atrium, Board Room | |
| Session 2: Cell Death and Innate Immune Sensing | |||
| 1:00 – 1:30 p.m. | Adrian T. Ting, PhD | Pathogen-restriction hypothesis: How T cells carry out paracrine killing of antigen-less targets in a discriminatory manner | James R. Downing, MD Auditorium |
| 1:30 – 2:00 p.m. | Kate Fitzgerald, PhD | Small molecule control of inflammasomes: From mechanism to therapeutic modulation | James R. Downing, MD Auditorium |
| 2:00 – 2:30 p.m. | Jenny Ting, PhD | Importance of innate immune receptors in inflammatory diseases | James R. Downing, MD Auditorium |
| 2:30 – 3:00 p.m. | Break | MTC atrium | |
| Session 3: Innate Immune Mechanisms Regulating Inflammation | |||
| 3:00 – 3:30 p.m. | Vojo Deretic, PhD | Membrane atg8ylation and its role in immunity | James R. Downing, MD Auditorium |
| 3:30 – 4:00 p.m. | Ezra Burstein, MD, PhD | Commander: endolysosomal regulation meets innate immunity | James R. Downing, MD Auditorium |
| 4:00 – 4:30 p.m. | Michael Gale, Jr., PhD | Mapping a crossroad of innate immunity and inflammation | James R. Downing, MD Auditorium |
| 4:30 – 4:45 p.m. | Thirumala-Devi Kanneganti, PhD | Closing remarks | James R. Downing, MD Auditorium |
Registration deadlines & fees
Registration deadline: October 26, 2026
Capacity is limited. Registration will close once maximum capacity is reached.
Fees:
- St. Jude employees and trainees: Free
- Non-St. Jude trainees (students and postdoctoral fellows): $35
- Non-St. Jude principal investigators, research staff, industry professionals: $100
Accommodations
For your convenience, we have curated a selection of hotel options placing you in the heart of Memphis. Please note, these properties offer/require valet parking. While these recommendations provide a range of accommodations to suit different preferences, guests are not limited to these options.