Countdown to Pathobiology 2024: Mechanism of Disease

Mark your calendars for this highly anticipated meeting in Baltimore, MD, April 20-23, 2024.

Welcome from the Program Chair

On behalf of the American Society for Investigative Pathology (ASIP), I am very excited to invite you to the ASIP Annual Meeting, April 20-23, 2024, in Baltimore, MD.  In the past, our annual meeting has been held in conjunction with other societies. However, this year we are hosting a stand-alone meeting that will leverage our society’s unique strengths in the understanding of cellular and molecular mechanisms of disease.

A dynamic and exciting lineup of basic, clinical, and translational research presented by both well-known senior and up-and-coming junior scientists have been organized by the ASIP Program Committee in collaboration with our membership, Scientific Interest Groups (SIGs), and the following societies: American Physician Scientists Association (APSA), National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME), Società Italiana di Patologia e Medicina Traslazionale/Italian Society of Pathology and Translational Medicine (SIPMeT), The Histochemical Society (HCS), The Society for Cardiovascular Pathology (SCVP), and the Society of Toxicologic Pathology (STP).

The annual meeting includes symposia and workshops communicating cutting edge scientific sessions, commingled with educational and professional development sessions appealing to trainees and junior faculty. Reflecting the ASIP membership, there will be a strong emphasis on:

• Liver Pathobiology
• Neuropathology
• Gene Expression
• Inflammation
• Immunopathology
• Vascular Biology
• Neoplasia
• Endothelial and Epithelial Cell Biology
• Cancer Pathobiology
• Fundamental Cell Biology

Here are a few highlights:

• One major theme of the meeting is cutting-edge technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI). Two related symposiums will be held back to back on this topic. The first will feature talks on AI tools in biomedical research, while the second will focus on the impact of AI on research integrity and scholarly publishing. There will also be an educational session on the practical applications of AI. Continuing with the theme of technological advances, there will be a symposium on spatial transcriptomics in human specimens, as well as one on molecular, cellular, and tissue engineering.
• Inflammation, immunity, and infectious disease topics will be strongly represented at the meeting. There is a symposium on cell death and survival in inflamed tissues, and another on exploring the mechanisms of host-pathogen interactions. Another session features the timely topic of post-acute SARS-CoV-2 infection. There will also be symposia on microbiome and disease, Innate immune cells in tissue injury and resolution, and a minisymposium on infectious disease which will consist of abstract-driven short talks. Several award lectures will also focus on these topics, including the Cotran Early Career Investigator Award Lecture, which will be given by Melinda Engevik on the role of commensal microbes in intestinal health and infection. Asma Nusrat, recipient of the Rous-Whipple Award, will be speaking about plasticity of the mucosal barrier. Stephen Galli will receive the Gold-Headed Cane award and give a talk on the role of mast cells as a defense against venom and staphylococcus aureus. And please be sure to attend the President’s Symposium on microbiota regulation of pathobiology, immunity, and disease.
• Several sessions will cover cancer-related topics, including a symposium on cancer and obesity. There is also a breast cancer workshop that focuses on cutting edge technologies for prevention, detection, and screening. A minisymposium focused on cancer pathobiology will feature abstract-driven talks on cancer-related topics. Finally, the Outstanding Investigator Award Lecture, which will be given by Qing Zhang, will be on oxygen sensing in cancer.
• There are several liver pathobiology- related sessions, including a symposium on metabolism and cell-cell crosstalk in chronic liver disease and cancer. There will also be a workshop on liver zonation and consequences for metabolic disease. A minisymposium with abstract-driven talks will round out the liver-related sessions.
• Career development sessions include discussions on how to build a positive and productive research laboratory culture. The Trailblazers session features selected short talks from young investigators. Other sessions that may be of interest to trainees include the Women in Pathology session on connecting, collaborating, and building confidence, and an educational session on recognizing racism in the graduate and medical curriculum.

Fundamental components of the four-day program are multiple ASIP-sponsored abstract-driven minisymposia and poster sessions. ASIP's strong commitment to supporting young investigators and trainee members means that the program also provides special opportunities to trainees and junior faculty. One important mechanism of support is the ASIP Trainee Scholar Award Program, which recognize excellence in research and helps offset the financial burden of travel expenses. ASIP Trainee members (including undergraduate students) and Junior Faculty who submit abstracts to ASIP Topic Categories are eligible to be considered for these awards.  Please see details about the many opportunities at https://www.asip.org/membership-community/awards-honors/trainee-scholar-awards/.

As members of the investigative pathology community, your participation in the ASIP Annual Meeting is a critical part of the Society's success. We invite you to join us in staying abreast of leading scientific research in deciphering the pathways of health and pathology that will lead to disease diagnosis, prevention, and treatment.

One last note: besides participating in the Annual Meeting, any faculty (senior or junior) or trainee with interest in the many ASIP-related educational, career development, research, and leadership opportunities should feel free to contact me (knnst5@pitt.edu),  Bill Coleman (wbcoleman@asip.org), or Lisa McFadden (lmcfadden@asip.org) at the ASIP office for more information on how to become involved.

We look forward to seeing you at the ASIP meeting in Baltimore!

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