Antibodies and complement : B cells, antibodies, complement functions & therapeutics
May 26-30, 2025 | Catania, Sicily, ITALY
ABSTRACT DEADLINE : FEB 14, 2025
About the meeting
The antibody response and the complement system are major effector arms of the immune system. They contribute to destruction of infectious invaders and unhealthy cells. Upon Fab binding, the antibody’s Fc region induces target cell clearance by recruiting proteins of the human complement system, which trigger a sequence of reactions that results in effective phagocytosis and direct target cell lysis.Next to their beneficial role in host defenses, antibodies and complement are also involved in a plethora of pathological conditions, including autoimmunity, allergy, infections and cancer.As the portfolio of antibody—and complement-effector function grow, high-end technological solutions are developed and novel therapeutic applications are proposed.
This 4th conference on Antibodies & Complement will focus attention on key advances in both fields with the aim at fostering discussions between antibody experts and complement experts. This edition will expand to antibody-producing cell (B & plasma cell) generation and vaccine development.This is the only meeting combining antibody and complement research.Some of the critical topics to be covered include:
*GERMINAL CENTERS, B CELL AND ANTIBODY DEVELOPMENT
*COMPLEMENT MEDIATED RESPONSES AND DRUGS
*ANTIBODY INDUCED COMPLEMENT ACTIVITY
*NOVEL THERAPEUTICS IN THE CLINIC
*VACCINES & DELIVERY SYSTEMS
Image credits: Joost Bakker (Scicomvisuals, Amsterdam) and https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24626930
Confirmed speakers
Michel Nussenzweig
The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
Carola Vinuesa
The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
Suzan Rooijakkers
UMC, Utrecht, The Netherlands
Jose Villadangos
University of Melbourne, Australia
Facundo Batista
Ragon Institute, MIT, USA
Ziv Shulman
Weizmann Institute, Rehovot, Israel
Hugo Mouquet
Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
Alex Sigal
African Health Research Institute, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Laura Walker
Moderna, Lebanon, NH, USA
UCSF, USA
Rick Kapur
Sanquin, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Wioleta Zelek
Cardiff University, UK
Anna Blom
Lund University, Sweden
Edward F. Patz
Grid Therapeutics, Durham, NC, USA
Esther Breij
Genmab, The Netherlands
Rony Dahan
Weizmann Institute, Rehovot, Israel
Brian Hie
Stanford, CA, USA
Jordan Dimitrov
Cordeliers Research Center, Paris, France
Leendert Trouw
Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, NL
GENERAL AGENDA
On May 26, 2025 (day 1), the day of the arrival, we start at the afternoon with a Plenary Lecture, 2 invited speakers and a short talk, both from the antibody and complement field. The three speakers (Plenary and 2 Invited) are leaders in the fields of antibodies and complement. After the opening session, all participants are invited to the welcome reception and joined dinner for networking.
On May 27, 2025 (day 2), we start with a morning session on germinal centers and antibody development. All participants will share lunch and will have time for networking. We will hold “Lunch with Speakers” where invited speakers will be meeting trainees and established researchers. During the break between lunch and the afternoon session, we will hold a workshop on challenges of women in science, that will encourage discussion to address the old and new barriers for women in the academia and industry world. In the afternoon, we have a session on Antibodies from patients, followed by 5 flash talks from Poster Session 1. There will be approximately 2 hours (6pm-8pm) for poster viewing, networking and informal discussion, following which all participants can continue discussing their ideas over dinner that will close the day.
On May 28, 2025 (day 3), we have a morning session on Antibody-induced Complement activity. Lunch will start earlier, at 12:15. From 1pm to 5pm there will be free time. Participants will be proposed to register and pay for a marvelous common excursion to the Etna Vulcano if they wish. This informal time together will foster informal interactions between participants of all seniority. In the afternoon session, from 5pm, we will discuss the role of Complement-mediated responses and drugs followed by 5 flash talks from Poster Session 2. There will be approximately 2 hours (6pm-8pm) for poster viewing, networking and informal discussion, following which all participants can continue for dinner that will close the day.
On May 29, 2025 (day 4), the morning session is dedicated to AI and novel approaches for improving antibodies and complement drugs. All participants will share lunch. We will hold “Lunch with Speakers” where invited speakers will be meeting trainees and established researchers. Alternatively, we will hold “Lunch with Editor” where the editors of The Journal of Experimental Medicine and of Science Translational Medicine will meet with scientists. During the break between lunch and the afternoon Session 7, we will hold a “Career Table: From postdoc to independence” available for early career researchers. 4 established panelists each will share their story and the participants will be encouraged to discuss and ask questions. The last conference session at the afternoon session focuses on Autoimmunity, inflammation and cancer. We conclude day 4 with a gala dinner for all participants.
On May 30, 2025 (day 5), is departure. All participants will depart the venue before noon.
Registration (early bird prices until Feb 14, 2025)
STUDENT / POST-DOC / ENGINEER
700€
- Registration
- Double occupancy hotel room
- All meals & coffee breaks
ACADEMIC
1000€
- Registration
- Single occupancy hotel room
- All meals & coffee breaks
INDUSTRY
1300€
- Registration
- Single occupancy hotel room
- All meals & coffee breaks
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- Registration to the conference (all oral presentations, poster session & discussions)
- Housing for 4 nights at the 4* hotel venue (May 26-30, 2025):
- single occupancy for academic & industry registrants
- double (shared) occupancy for student/post-doc/engineer registrants. Room sharing will be posted one month before the meeting start to allow participants to choose their co-participant. Random room sharing will be organized by sex: female/female or male/male.
- Full board: all meals & coffee breaks from the first session to the breakfast on departure day, refreshments during poster sessions
- Note: Guest registration (partner/husband/spouse) is possible at €400 and includes shared accommodation with the primary registrant, food and coffee breaks, but does not include participation in the workshop program nor does it allow access to the sessions. For participants traveling with <18 year old children or infants, please contact the organizers for financial arrangements and access to sessions.
SELECTION CRITERIA (Poster/short-talk)
Abstracts for poster presentations are reviewed and selected by the organizers based solely on the quality of scientific content. All abstracts are assigned a poster number for presentation during the poster session at the meeting.
≥18 short-talks will be chosen from the selected abstracts by session chairs for oral presentations.
ABSTRACT GUIDELINES (Deadline for submission Feb 14, 2025)
Exclude email addresses, phone numbers, hyperlinks, keyword lists, comments, text or image boxes.
Maximum 2200 characters including spaces. Also includes title, authors, affiliations, references and funding.
One abstract per submitting author per meeting. Submitting author and account name must match. Submitting author must be underlined.
POSTER SPECIFICATIONS
Each poster will have 1 m by 1 m (3.3 ft by 3.3 ft) of space available for display.
TRAVEL GRANTS / PRIZES
We expect to grant up to 5 travel grants or prizes to registered students/post-docs following a selection by the organizers based on the submitted abstract. These travel grants / prizes will be announced during the meeting, and distributed on site or after the meeting.
ONLINE PAYMENTS
The organizers have enabled online credit card payments. Please see the Payments section, above, for details.
Organizers
Venue
Four Points by Sheraton Catania Hotel & Conference Center
Via Antonello da Messina 45, Aci Castello, Catane, Italy, 95021
Phone : +39 095-7114111
ACCOMMODATION
Students/post-docs registration: 2 person room sharing
Academic/Industry registration: single room
TRANSPORT
The venue is located only 13km form the Catania-Fontanarossa Airport, and 7km form the Catania train station.
Travelling by train is possible from the Messina train station to the Catania train statio (2h).
Transportation from the Catania Airport or Train station might be shared between participants. A list of attendees with their arrival/departure times will be posted online 2 weeks before the meeting to allow particpants to contact each other and share taxis (20min ride, <20€). Participants can also take the REG local train (towards TAORMINA-GIARDINI) from the airport or catania train station and exit the train at the Cannizzaro train station, situated 1km away from the hotel (fare <4€).
ABOUT THE AREA
The Sheraton Hotel is located close to the Catania city center. The clear Mediterranean sea surrounds the area. The Etna volcano is 1 hour North by bus/car and will be proposed as an excursion during the conference.
