In April 2026, we attended IMMUNOLOGY2026, the annual meeting of the American Association of Immunologists, in Boston. We spoke with delegates about their research and impressions of the meeting, including why they attended, the most memorable science they encountered, and their experiences in Boston.

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This special episode was recorded in front of a live audience at IMMUNOLOGY2026 in Boston. Brenda and Jason sit down with Dr. Charles Sentman, Director of the Center for Synthetic Immunity at Dartmouth College, and Dr. Giulia Escobar, Director of Pre-Clinical Research at Massachusetts General Hospital, to explore new strategies aimed at overcoming the unique challenges of treating solid tumors. They focus on real-world challenges in CAR T and NK cell therapies, including barriers to treating solid tumors, manufacturing and accessibility hurdles, and emerging applications beyond oncology, such as autoimmunity and neurodegenerative disease.

Image courtesy of [Drs. Charles Sentman and Giulia Escobar]

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In April 2026, we attended IMMUNOLOGY2026, the annual meeting of the American Association of Immunologists in Boston, and recorded daily episodes discussing highlights of the previous 24 hours. Here is the last of five special episodes from the meeting. Jason and Brenda discuss highlights from sessions on advances in translational immunology, including immune-targeting strategies for autoimmune disease, as well as new insights into emerging technologies to map T cell receptor specificity.

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In April 2026, we attended IMMUNOLOGY2026, the annual meeting of the American Association of Immunologists in Boston, and recorded daily episodes discussing highlights of the previous 24 hours. Here is the fourth of five special episodes from the meeting. Jason and Brenda discuss highlights from talks about immunometabolic dysfunction in disease and neuroimmune interactions in inflammation and allergy.

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In April 2026, we attended IMMUNOLOGY2026, the annual meeting of the American Association of Immunologists in Boston, and recorded daily episodes discussing highlights of the previous 24 hours. Here is the third of five special episodes from the meeting. Brenda and Jason discuss highlights from sessions on obesity, immunometabolism, microbiome-driven immunity, antigen presentation, and new immunotherapy strategies.

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In April 2026, we attended IMMUNOLOGY2026, the annual meeting of the American Association of Immunologists in Boston, and recorded daily episodes discussing highlights of the previous 24 hours. Here is the second of five special episodes from the meeting. Jason and Brenda cover new insights into microbiome–immune interactions, including bacterial influences on cancer and inflammatory disease, as well as advances in mucosal and early-life immunity.

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In April 2026, we attended IMMUNOLOGY2026, the annual meeting of the American Association of Immunologists in Boston, and recorded daily episodes discussing highlights of the previous 24 hours. Here is the first of five special episodes from the meeting. Brenda and Jason discuss highlights including advances in high-throughput proteomics and multi-omics integration for understanding immune regulation, as well as new insights into respiratory and mucosal immunology.

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Dr. Amanda Lund is an Associate Professor at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine. She discusses how the lymphatic vasculature serves as a critical and dynamic interface between tissues and the immune system, challenging the traditional view of lymphatics as passive conduits. She highlights how lymphatic vessels actively regulate immune responses by controlling fluid flow, antigen transport, and cell migration during infection and cancer, and explores their emerging roles in shaping immunity and tissue biology.

MHC I Shapes CD4 Immunity– MHC class I unexpectedly regulates CD4+ T cell cytotoxicity by protecting target cells from ferroptosis.

Re-Emergence of Oropouche Virus – Scientists have mapped the resurgence and long-term burden of Oropouche virus, revealing widespread infection across Latin America.

Scalable In Vivo T Cell Engineering – A new in vivo CRISPR-based system enables precise, stable generation of CAR T cells.

Gut–Brain Axis in Autoimmunity – Intestinal epithelial cells initiate autoimmune neuroinflammation via TH17 cell responses that migrate to the central nervous system.

Image courtesy of Dr. Amanda Lund.

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Dr. Mansour Haeryfar is a Professor in the Department of Microbiology & Immunology at Western University. The Haeryfar Lab is dedicated to advancing our understanding of both conventional and innate-like invariant T cell responses in health and disease. Their research focuses on mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells, with particular emphasis on exploring their therapeutic potential across a range of conditions.

Immune Imprinting Limits Flu Protection – Early flu infections imprint the immune system, biasing later responses and reducing effectiveness against new strains.

Maternal Immunity Protects Newborns – Newborns with E. coli sepsis lack protective maternal antibodies, and maternal priming can provide protection.

Building the Anti-Carbohydrate Repertoire – Anti-carbohydrate antibodies develop after birth into a diverse, antigen-shaped B cell repertoire.

Engineering Better CAR T Responses – CAR T resistance to checkpoint therapy can be overcome by restoring c-Jun alongside PD-L1 blockade.

Image courtesy of Dr. Mansour Haeryfar.

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Dr. Daniel Peeper is a Professor in Functional Oncogenomics at VU University Amsterdam, heading the Department of Molecular Oncology & Immunology and chairing the Research Faculty Council Board at the Netherlands Cancer Institute. His lab employs function-based, genome-wide screens and other advanced technologies to develop concepts for rational combinatorial cancer treatment, targeting both cancer and immune cells more effectively.

Genomic Insights into EBV – Researchers used genome sequencing data to identify genetic and lifestyle factors linked to control of persistent Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) infection and its association with autoimmune diseases.

Cholinergic Control of B Cells – Acetylcholine signaling in germinal center B cells helps regulate their selection and differentiation to shape high-affinity antibody responses.

Targeting Persistent HIV Clones – Persistent HIV reservoir T cell clones resist immune clearance but remain vulnerable to sustained cytotoxic T cell pressure.

T Cell Engagers in Autoimmunity – CD19×CD3 and BCMA×CD3 T cell engagers improved disease outcomes in patients with treatment-refractory antisynthetase syndrome and systemic sclerosis.

Image courtesy of Daniel Peeper

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