GRC Immunoengineering Ventura CA 2022 recap
A week in mid-July was spent in the cool seaside town of Ventura, California, for the Gordon Research Conference on Immunoengineering. Unlike the long-running Immunobiology and Immunochemistry conference, this was the inaugural meeting on this topic. In the past decade or so immunology has spilled into almost all aspects of biomedical science, and so it is fantastic that the greater scientific field has recognized the growth of a body of researchers that use engineering applications to solve immunology problems.
It was 108 degrees at my lab in Scottsdale, but 70 and Sunny in Ventura.
Writing at Singing Sun Coffee
Though I feel that my identification as an immunoengineer is yet aspirational at this stage of my career, it certainly encapsulates where my trajectory is directed. I make it a point to tell my students that every scientist is unique, because our skills are composed of our many different experiences. As a teen, I considered myself an artistic or creative person, and I was under the assumption that this precluded any desire to pursue science or technology (it was the 90s, and left brain/right brain dichotomy was dispensed as fact). However, I became interested in science when on a whim I decided to take the college biology class intended for majors rather than the basic course. From there, I decided not to continue my literature major and contemplated a career in the health sciences, such as nursing. Flipping through the university course catalog, I found a description of bioengineering as a discipline that uses principles from the hard sciences for medicine. I dimly remembered that I really enjoyed math, and though I didn't really understand what I was getting myself into, the college guidance counselor was happy to transfer me into the new major. The classes were a lot harder than I expected but I stubbornly saw it through. Though I had also claimed pre-med, after a few hospital volunteer stints the clinical environment did not seem as attractive to me as the laboratory. I did not end up going to medical school but instead continued on to get my doctorate in bioengineering. Afterwards, I joined an immunology lab for my postdoctoral fellowship, bringing my background in quantitative science and optics to a young lab. In immunology, I found tremendous beauty in biological mechanisms that to me, seemed to tell stories: what happens to our bodies when under real or perceived attack. I found this romantic idea echoed back to me by one of the eminent speakers at the conference, Dr. Mark Davis, who described immunology as the work of magicians or shamans, who must give everything a name in order to hold power over it.
As an aspiring immunoengineer, it is the long-term goal of my lab to find ways to improve the aging immune system. In developing my ideas, I found that I do not have the technical language to describe some of the physical aspects of aging. Namely, I have suspected that aging is changing the mechanical properties of immune tissues, but I could only express this in a general way. This was a primary reason for me to attend this conference, and I definitely was not disappointed. Experts in lymphatic transport, tissue regeneration, and wound healing gave me some terrific advice, and were also excited to learn that some of the phenomena they study are so relevant to my aging study. At the poster session, I really enjoyed talking with the other scientists and engineers. It was so invigorating to know that people find my work to be potentially significant!
One of my favorite parts of this conference was the chance to interact with other early career investigators. There is no 1 way to start a lab, and it can be a lonely time: missing the daily camaraderie as we are no longer one of the lab staff, now responsible for the direction and funding of the group, and still uncertain about whether the actions we take will lead to a productive and happy career. Most scientists have really missed the chance to interact with others in person, whether through organized sessions at the conference, over posters, or even waiting in line at the buffet, and I relished this chance to learn from others and also pass on my story.
Like the GRC Immunobiology, the scientific program was astounding. I am so amazed at what is being done and wish I could be a part of all the newest advances. Among my favorite speakers at the conference:
Darrell Irvine: using molecules to chemically direct drugs into tissues
Marco Colonna: role of innate immune cells in Alzheimer’s Disease
Paul Macklin: user-friendly interfaces for mathematical modeling of cellular systems
Edward Botchwey: biomaterials to modulate immune cells in the course of wound healing
Krishnendu Roy: heroic commitment to scaling-up the manufacturing of immunotherapy products (also, one of my PhD committee faculty from my days at Univ of TX!)
John Hickey: sophisticated analysis of complex cell neighborhoods in whole tissue
I had submitted an abstract to the conference, and was so honored to be picked to give a short podium talk. I was the last speaker of the last session, “New Frontiers: Spatially Resolved Analysis for Immunology.” I was anxious to cover a lot of ground, especially with our preliminary data, so I don’t feel completely satisfied with the quality of my talk—it didn’t feel as polished since I had rushed to fit in the 15 min allotted time slot, plus I was tired from the conference and for having to present at 9 PM. As always though, presenting beautiful videos of immune cells in motion is always exciting. I also realized that this was my very first in-person presentation as a junior faculty, having been giving virtual presentations for the past 2 years.
View from the speaker’s stage.
This was a tremendous conference and I thank the organizers and attendees for making history. I hope to be of service to the greater research community and to the burgeoning field of immunoengineering. Having been held in California, I felt a greater connection to U.S. scientists than I was able to in the GRC held in Spain, and so it was a nice balance to the previous conference. I am looking forward to GRC Immunoengineering 2024!
Editor’s note: Husband and Baby Daughter tagged along to California and there were just too many amazing pics not to share…
Street art in Ventura.
She went to the beach at least once every day. We couldn’t tear her away.
HIking in Malibu, the Ray Miller area.
Baby daughter didn’t like the stinky La Brea Tar Pits, but did love all of the dinosaur skeletons.