This purpose of this proposal is to seek support for the 48th Annual Meeting of the Society for Leukocyte Biology (SLB), to be held at the Hilton North Raleigh, Raleigh, North Carolina, from September 27 to 29, 2015. The central theme of the 2015 meeting is Immunity in Health and Disease. SLB is the leading scientific society with a focus on facilitating research on leukocytes and their roles in the pathophysiology of acute and chronic diseases. As far as we are aware there are no other meetings or societies that specifically hone in on this important theme of the leukocyte and immunity. The annual meetings sponsored by SLB fill this void. The long term goal of the SLB and its annual meetings is to attract multi-disciplinary attendees from academia, industry, and health care organizations so as to maximize the exchange of ideas and foster research collaborations, with the over arching goal of accelerating progress in multi- and inter-disciplinary basic and translational research. The overall objectives of the 48th Annual SLB meeting are three-fold. Firstly, to provide an outstanding scientific program consisting of notable plenary, keynote and symposium speakers who have prominent national and international recognition. Secondly, to provide opportunities for promising new investigators to present their work during platform and poster sessions. Thirdly, the meeting strives to be inclusive by incorporating special thematic sessions focused on women and diversity, career development and networking for junior investigators and trainees. The 2015 meeting will continue this tradition of excellence by bringing together scientific researchers of all levels in an environment created to facilitate excellence in science, networking and career advancement. We will achieve these objectives through the following specific aims.
Aim 1 : To provide an innovative and scientifically progressive program in a collegial forum to address the latest developments relating to the leukocyte in Immunity in Health and Disease. The program committee has worked diligently to create a program that balances 5 plenary sessions, 8 concurrent mini-symposia, 2 poster sessions, and numerous networking sessions. The 5 Plenary sessions will include a) Autophagy, b) Epigenetics, c) Microbiome, d) Neuro-immune Interactions, and e) Metabolic Control of Immunity. With the support of the NIH we hope to support 6 of the 23 invited speakers.
Specific Aim 2 : To provide an opportunity for new investigators and student trainees to interact closely with established scientists, at the various networking, poster and oral sessions. With the support of the NIH, we hope to be able to fund 18 travel awards to the most meritorious junior and trainee applicants. The rationale for providing travel awards is that trainees will be encouraged to attend this meeting to exchange ideas with their peers and leaders in the field of leukocyte biology.
Specific Aim 3 : To foster the participation of women, minority, and disadvantaged scientists. Programming will include a Women and Diversity Workshop, networking and professional career development workshops that focus on individual development plans, grant writing, and publication skills.
The proposed application is relevant to public health because the annual meeting of the Society for Leukocyte Biology brings together scientists from diverse backgrounds and affords scientific opportunities and interactions pertinent to immunity in health and disease. The proposal is relevant to that part of NIAID's mission that pertains to dedicating funds to support scientific opportunities that address domestic and global health problems and diseases.
