2026 Lymphocyte Antigen Receptor Signaling Workshop

About This Grant

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT This application seeks partial funding for the Lymphocyte Antigen Receptor Signaling Workshop (LARSW), to be held June 21-25, 2026, at the Certosa di Pontignano, in Tuscany, Italy. The major goal of this conference is to provide a comprehensive survey of recent advances in antigen receptor signaling and the implications of these advances for health and disease. This meeting will be the sixth occurrence of the LARSW, which has garnered widespread interest in research institutes, academia, and industry because of its outstanding speaker rosters, the cutting-edge nature of the work presented, and its translational relevance. Additionally, since most mainstream immunology meetings do not provide an in-depth focus on antigen receptor signaling mechanisms, the LARSW has attracted leaders in immune signal transduction worldwide, as well as new investigators and students. The particular emphasis of this iteration of the LARSW is autoimmunity, which will be the subject of three meeting sessions, including the Keynote address. Other topics will include antigen receptor structure, signal transduction from the membrane, metabolic regulation of lymphocyte function, lymphocyte mechanobiology, lymphocyte differentiation, and cancer immunology. These topics represent the technical and conceptual breadth of modern immunological research, and we anticipate that they will appeal to researchers in both basic and translational science. We have ensured that new ideas and research areas will be addressed in 2026 by featuring 26 new invited speakers (out of 28). We have also prioritized representation of women (15) among the invited speakers. In addition, most sessions will have space for two short talks (for a total of 14), which will be selected from abstracts. Priority for short talks will be given to new investigators, postdoctoral fellows and students from groups in which PIs are not presenting. This will ensure a wide ranging group of topics at the meeting. The overall objectives of the meeting are: 1) To provide a critical and intensive overview of the recent advances in antigen receptor signaling and related topics; 2) To bring together a varied group of senior scientists, young investigators, and trainees (including postdoctoral fellows and students), in a stimulating and supportive atmosphere involving formal presentations and informal discussions; and, 3) To advance rapidly research on the molecular mechanisms and translational implications of antigen receptor signaling by broadly disseminating information and recent breakthroughs. We anticipate that this LARSW will build upon the success of past conferences in charting the course of antigen receptor signaling research.