Past Events

Keynote Speaker: Dr. Dawn Bowdish: “The Myelopoiesis of @MsMacrophage – My Career in Microbes and Macrophages”

Oral Presentation Awards

• Mitchell Mumby, University of Western Ontario, “Phylogenetic reconstruction and functional characterization of the ancestral Nef protein of primate lentiviruses.” 1st Place Oral Presentation. Sponsored by Cedarlane Laboratories
• Andris Evans, University of Western Ontario, “Revealing the virus behind the curtain: The effects of Human Papillomavirus on the proinflammatory IL-18 signaling pathway in head and neck cancers.” 2nd Place Oral Presentation. Sponsored by STEMCELL Technologies

• Yiying Zhang, University of Western Ontario, “Understanding the Viral and Host Transmission Fitness Factors Associated with Different Modes of HIV-1 Subtype B Transmission.” 1st Place Poster Presentation (>6 months). Sponsored by Diamed Lab Supplies Inc
• Malcom Hill, University of Western Ontario, “Feline gammaherpesvirus protein F20 globally downregulates host gene expression.” 2nd Place Poster Presentation (>6 months). Sponsored by the Canadian Society for Virology
• MohdWessam Al Jawhri, University of Western Ontario, “The effects of Glucocorticoids on Th2 cell phenotype and function.” 3rd Place Poster Presentation (>6 months). Sponsored by the Canadian Society of Microbiologists
• Carla Maduta, University of Western Ontario, “Environmental regulation of Staphylococcus aureus toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1) by vaginal lactobacilli.” 1st Place Poster Presentation (<6 months). Sponsored by the Canadian Society of Microbiologists
• Joshua Yi, University of Western Ontario, “Role of ETV5 Driver Mutations in B Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.” 2nd Place Poster Presentation (<6 months). Sponsored by the Canadian Journal of Microbiology
• David Liu, University of Western Ontario, “Can struvite stones form in the absence of urease-producing bacteria?” 1st Place Poster Presentation (Undergraduate). Sponsored by the Canadian Journal of Microbiology

Keynote Speaker: Dr. Susan Kaech: "Immunological Memory: The Key To Returning To Normalcy"

Oral Presentation Awards

• Robert Kuiack, Western University, “Evaluating the role of GraS and novel fatty acid metabolic pathways in promoting Staphylococcus aureus adaptation to antimicrobial free fatty acids of human skin.” 1st Place Oral Presentation Award. (Sponsored by Canadian Journal of Microbiology)
• Jacklyn Hurst, Western University, “Echocardiogram confirms cardiac pathology following recurring acute Streptococcus pyogenes infection in mice” 2nd Place Oral Presentation Award. (Sponsored by Canadian Journal of Microbiology)

• Homaira Hamidzada, University of Toronto, “Single-cell RNA sequencing identifies three distinct macrophage subpopulations conserved across organs and species.” Best Overall 5 Minute Thesis. (Sponsored by Gilead)

• Audrey Kassardjian, University of Toronto, “Nanoparticle-Mediated Immunomodulation of B Cells in Malaria Immunization.” 1st Place 5 Minute Thesis (greater than 6 months). (Sponsored by Wisent Bioproducts).

• Jeremia Coish, Brock University, “Dengue virus antibodies: A trojan horse for zika virus infection of mast cells?” 2nd Place 5 Minute Thesis (greater than 6 months) (Sponsored by Wisent Bioproducts)

• Antony Lurie, Western University, “Inhibitors of the Nef-Kinase Interaction: Small Molecules to Enable an HIV-1 Cure.” 1st Place 5 Minute Thesis (less than 6 months). (Sponsored by Wisent Bioproducts)

Keynote Speaker: Dr. David Schatz: "Transposon molecular domestication and the evolution of the adaptive immune system"

Oral Presentation Awards:

• Demitra Yotis, Western University, "KIM-1 mediates immune evasion in renal cell carcinoma" 1st Place Oral Presentation Award (sponsored by Canadian Journal of Microbiology)
• Cassandra Edgar, Western University, "HIV-1 Vpu downregulates Tim-3 from the surface of infected CD4+ T cells" 2nd Place Oral Presentation (sponsored by Canadian Journal of Microbiology)
• Stephen Tuffs, Western University, "Superantigens elicit pathogenic IFNγ production that promotes Staphylococcus aureus infection" 3rd Place Oral Presentation (sponsored by Canadian Journal of Microbiology)

Poster Competition Awards:

• Gerrit Stuivenberg, Western University, "In vitro clearance of the uremic toxin precursor p-Cresol by probiotic Bifidobacterium" Undergraduate Poster Award (sponsored by Wisent Bioproducts)
• Charles Carr, Western University, "What is Really in Your Bathroom Cabinet: The Contents of Expired Probiotics" Graduate Student Poster Award (less than 6 months) (sponsored by Wisent Bioproducts)
• Jaclyn Diamond, Western University, "Defining the FnBP-dependent mechanisms of ΔpurR S. aureus hypervirulence in vivo" Graduate Student Poster Award (less than 6 months) (sponsored by Wisent Bioproducts)
• Laura Baena, Western University, "Exploring overlapping reading frames in viral genomes" Graduate Student Poster Award (less than than 6 months) (sponsored by Wisent Bioproducts)
• Mariya Goncheva, Western University, "The role of Staphylococcus aureus purine biosynthesisin host invasion and intracellular replication" Graduate Student and Post-doctoral Poster Award (greater than 6 months) (sponsored by Wisent Bioproducts)
• Yodit Tesfagiorgos, Western University, "Meningeal B cells: their susceptibility to therapeutic depletion" Graduate Student and Post-doctoral Poster Award (greater than 6 months) (sponsored by Wisent Bioproducts)

Keynote Speaker: Dr. Ostrand Rosenberg: " "

Oral Presentation Awards:

• Mitchell Mumby, Western University, “Characterizing how patient HIV-1 Nef isolates function to antagonize the SERINC5 restriction factor” 1st Place Oral Presentation Award (sponsored by Sanofi Pasteur)
• Liam Brennan, Western University, "A Novel Antimicrobial Urinary Device For Combatting Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections" 2nd Place Oral Presentation (sponsored by Biolegend)
• Kate Parham, Western University, "Pre-germinal center interactions between anti-myelin B and T cells are short-lived and distinct from those in response to a foreign antigen" 3rd Place Oral Presentation (sponsored by Miltenyi Biotec)

Poster Competition Awards:

• Jehoshua Sharma, University of Guelph, "Using a CRISPR-Cas9 gene drive platform to characterize microbial resistance in the fungal pathogen Candida albicans" Undergraduate Poster Award (sponsored by Thermo Fisher Scientific)
• Blake Shannon, Western University, "Role of Streptolysin O and Streptolysin S in Streptococcus pyogenes Nasopharyngeal Infection" Graduate Student Poster Award (less than 6 months) (sponsored by WISENT Bioproducts)
• Thiago Fauerharmel-Nunes, Western University, "Investigation of the intracellular fate of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus USA300 in endothelial cells and macrophages" Graduate Student Poster Award (less than 6 months) (sponsored by VWR)
• Chanuka Wijewardhana, Western University, "Developing an Adjuvanting RNA for ACT-VEC–a Virus-like Particle Vaccine Against HIV" Graduate Student Poster Award (greater than 6 months) (sponsored by Bio-Rad Laboratories)
• Noor Salloum, Western University, "Elucidating the roles of HcpE and DsbK in the virulence of Helicobacter pylori" Graduate Student and Post-doctoral Poster Award (greater than 6 months) (sponsored by Bio-Rad Laboratories)
• Charles Yin, Western University, "Gene expression profiling of intima-infiltrating macrophages in early human atherosclerosis" Graduate Student and Post-doctoral Poster Award (greater than 6 months) (sponsored by ZEISS)

Keynote Speaker: Dr. Ann C. Palmenberg: ""

Oral Presentation Awards:

• Charles Yini, Western University, “Rab17 mediates differential antigen sorting following efferocytosis and phagocytosis” $500 Thermo Fisher 1st Place Oral Presentation Award
• Ingrid Gan, Western University, “Endothelial cell necroptosis and cardiac allograft rejection can be regulated by mitochondrial dysfunction mediators” $200 Biolegend 2nd Place Oral Presentation Award
• Joshua Choi, Western University, “Glycolipid stimulation of invariant NKT cells mobilizes precursors of mature NK cells and potentiates their participation in immune surveillance against metastatic cancer” $100 Miltenyi Biotec 3rd Place Oral Presentation Award

Poster Competition Awards:

• Andrew MacDonald, Western University, “HcpE’s contribution to H. pylori’s virulence” $50 Undergraduate Poster Competition Winner Sponsored by Stemcell
• Oleksandr Prokopchuk, Western University, “Brain-specific and Systemic Inflammatory Responses Following Excitotoxic Traumatic Brain Injury in a Mouse Model” $100 Graduate (≤6 Months) Poster Competition Winner Sponsored by Promega
• Jason Knapp, Western University, “Investigation of HIV infection localized to the female genital tract in the absence of seroconversion” $100 Graduate (≤6 Months) Poster Competition Winner Sponsored by Canadian Science Publishing
• Chanuka Wijewardhana, Western University, “Development of a novel Immuno-assay for detection of induced HIV-1” $100 Graduate (>6 Months) and Post-Doctoral Poster Competition Winner Sponsored by The Society of Graduate Students at Western
• Benjamin Fuhrmann, Western University, “Regulation of NK cell cytotoxicity by TEC expression of Clr lectins in kidney ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI)” $100 Graduate (>6 Months) and Post-Doctoral Poster Competition Winner Sponsored by Thermo Fisher
• Yodit Tesfagiogris, Western  University, "Deciphering the differences between B and T cell recruitment to the inflamed CNS", $100 Graduate (>6 Months) and Post-Doctoral Poster Competition Winner Sponsored by Canadian Science Publishing
• Lauren Solomon, Western University, "Estrogen Effects on Th2 cell phenotype: Key to Severe Asthma in Women?" $100 Graduate (>6 Months) and Post-Doctoral Poster Competition Winner Sponsored by The Department of Microbiology and Immunology at Western

Keynote Speaker: Dr. Gary Kobinger: "How the Field Response to Ebola Outbreaks Influenced the Development of Vaccines and Therapeutics"

Oral Presentation Awards:

• Yodit Tesfagiorgis, Western University, “B and T Cells are Fundamentally Different in their Recruitment to the Inflamed CNS” $500 Stemcell 1st Place Oral Presentation Award
• Douglas Cheung, University of Toronto, “E3 Ubiquitin Ligase Cbl-b Regulates IFNy Dependant CD8+ T Cell Resistance Against Regulatory Cells” $200 CJM 2nd Place Oral Presentation Award
• Lauren Solomon, Western University, “The Role of PU1 in Differentiation, Metabolism, and Cell Cycle Arrest in the Myeloid Lineage” $100 Zeiss 3rd Place Oral Presentation Award

Poster Competition Awards:

• Jason Knapp, Western University, “Comparing the Entry Rate and Depletion of CD4+ T Cell Subsets of HIV-1 Isolates of Subtypes A, C and D” $50 Undergraduate Poster Competition Winner Sponsored by The Department of Microbiology and Immunology at Western University
• Micheal Raneri, McMaster University, “Stimulation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilm Formation in Response to Sub-Inhibitory Levels of Thiostrpton” $100 Graduate (≤6 Months) Poster Competition Winner Sponsored by PALL
• Brandan Daisley, Western University, “Mitigation of Pesticide-Induced Immunodeficiency Using Probiotic Lactobacilli” $100 Graduate (≤6 Months) Poster Competition Winner Sponsored by Sernova
• Aaron Johnson, Western University, “A Highly Conserved Residue in HIV-1 Nef Alpha Helix-2 Modulates Protein Expression” $100 Graduate (>6 Months) and Post-Doctoral Poster Competition Winner Sponsored by Sarstedt
• Corby Fink, Western University, “19 Fluorine Cellular Magnetic Resonance Imaging to Monitor in vivo Therapeutic Cell Migration and Distribution” $100 Graduate (>6 Months) and Post-Doctoral Poster Competition Winner Sponsored by VWR
• Sarah el Zahed, "Chemical Combinations Under Nutrient Limitations: A Platform to Study Intracellular Interactions" McMaster University, $100 Graduate (>6 Months) and Post-Doctoral Poster Competition Winner Sponsored by The Society of Graduate Students at Western University

Keynote Speaker: Dr. JoAnne Flynn: "Tuberculosis: predicting the future with imaging"

Oral Presentation Awards:

• Aaron Johnson, Western University, “Variable Nef expression results in differences in Nef-mediated downregulation of MHC I and CD4 between HIV-1 subtypes.” $500 VWR 1st Place Oral Presentation Award
• Colin Venner, Western University, “HIV-1 Group M Subtypes Display Differential Rates of CD4 T-Cell Decline and Viral Entry.” $200 Pall Life Sciences 2nd Place Oral Presentation Award
• Julie Kaiser, Western University, “Defining the role of BCAA transporters in S. aureus growth, virulence, and membrane fluidity.” $100 SARSTEDT 3rd Place Oral Presentation Award

Poster Competition Awards:

• Alejandra Lagos, McMaster University, “The Dynamics of Anti-Bacterial Immune Responses by Nasopharyngeal Epithelial Cells.” $50 Undergraduate Poster Competition Winner Sponsored by Miltenyi Biotec
• Tayler Farrell, Western University, “Tracking of Ferroportin in macrophages demonstrates that it is rapidly removed from the maturing phagosome.” $100 Graduate (≤6 Months) Poster Competition Winner Sponsored by Canadian Society for Microbiologists
• Jamie Halucha, Western University, “Function and cellular localization of RND efflux pumps in Staphylococcus aureus.” $100 Graduate (≤6 Months) Poster Competition Winner Sponsored by Sernova
• Emily Pawlak, Western University, “Investigating the role of membrane trafficking regulator sorting nexin proteins in HIV-1 Nef-mediated cell surface receptor downregulation.” $100 Graduate (>6 Monts) and Post-Doctoral Poster Competition Winner Sponsored by Fisher Scientific
• Ermela Paparisto, Western University, “Evolution-Guided Structural and Functional Analyses of the HERC Family of Proteins Reveals Novel Determinants of Anti-HIV-1 Activity.” $100 Graduate (>6 Monts) and Post-Doctoral Poster Competition Winner Sponsored by Sanofi Pasteur
• Trevor Lau, McMaster University, $100 Graduate (>6 Monts) and Post-Doctoral Poster Competition Winner Sponsored by The Department of Microbiology and Immunology at Western University

Keynote Speaker: Dr. Ronald N. Germain: "Using Computation and Imaging to Better Understand Host-Pathogen Interactions and Immunity"

Oral Presentation Awards:

• Tiffany Leighton, McMaster University, "Cysteine-disulfide cross-linking to study dynamics between PilN and PilO from the type IV pilus system of Pseudomonas aeruginosa." $500 Cedarlane 1st Place Oral Presentation Award
• Cason King, Western University, "An unhealthy relationship: manipulation of cellular protein kinase A by human adenovirus E1A." $200 Sernova Corp 2nd Place Oral Presentation Award
• Omar El-Halfawy, Western University, "A novel paradigm of interbacterial communication of antibiotic resistance mediated by conserved secreted bacterial lipocalins." $100 Fisher Scientific 3rd Place Oral Presentation Award

Poster Competition Awards:

• Sahil Gupta, University of Toronto, "Up regulation of heat-shck protein 90 (HSP90) induces prolonged neutrophil apoptosis in septic patients." $50 Fisher Scientific Award for Best Undergraduate Poster Presentation
• Aaron Johnson, Western University, "Differences in Nef-mediated downregulation of MHC I and CD28 between major HIV-1 subtypes during pseudoviral infections." $100 Fisher Scientific Award for Best Graduate (Less than 6 months) Poster Presentation
• Brandon Oickle, Western University, "Investigating candidate glycoproteins and their functions in Helicobacter pylori." $100 Bio-Rad Award for Best Graduate (Less than 6 months) Poster Presentation
• Nyle Novakowski, McMaster University, "MARCO! POLO! In a pool of transcript variants; what can we learn about macrophage scavenger receptors?" $100 Cedarlane Award for Best Graduate Poster (Greater than 6 months) Presentation
• Lauren Soloman, Western University, "Genome-wide comparison of PU.1 and Spi-B binding sites in a mouse B lymphoma cell line." $100 BioLegend Award for Best Graduate Poster (Greater than 6 months) Presentation
• Jeremy Brozyna, Western University, "Iron acquisition mechanism employed by Staphylococcus lugdunensis." $100 eBioscience Award for Best Graduate Poster (Greater than 6 months) Presentation

Keynote Speaker: Dr. Hidde Ploegh: "New Tools to Study Host Pathogen Interactions: The Case of Flu."

Oral Presentation Awards:

• Stacey Xu, Western University, "Superantigen-mediated immune modulation in the liver during Staphylococcus aureus sepsis." $500 Award sponsored by Cedarlane/ATCC
• Michael Dorrington, McMaster University, "The role of scavenger receptor MARCO in the initiation of anti-Streptococcus pneumoniae immune response." $300 Gold Sponsor Second Place Oral Presentation
• Louis-Philippe Leroux, McGill University, "Characterization of excretory/secretory products of the pig whipworm Trichuris suis: insights on immunomodulation by intestinal parasites." $200 Gold Sponsor Third Place Oral Presentation

CIHR Institute of Infection and Immunity Poster Competition Awards:

• Avee Naidoo, McMaster University, "Demystifying inflammaging: Identifying the etiology behind the chronic inflammatory state." $200 Cedarlane/ATCC Best in Show People's Choice Poster Award
• Andrew Arifin, Western University, "Use of gallium conjugates as anti-staphylococcal agents." $50 Sernova Undergraduate Poster Award
• Matthew Wu, University of Toronto, "Calreticulin as an immunogenic cell death marker for mesothelioma." $100 Sernova Graduate Poster Award (Less than 6 months)
• Corby Fink, Western University, "Tracking and quantification of dendritic cell migration by cellular MRI using the 19F-perfluorocarbon contrast agent Cell Sense." $100 Gold Sponsor First Place Poster Award (More than 6 months)
• Ram Anantha, Western University, "Th2-polarized invariant Natural Killer T cells reduce disease severity in intra-abdominal sepsis." $100 Silver Sponsor Second Place Poster Award (More than 6 months)
• Tiffany Leighton, McMaster University, "Destabilization of the Pseudonomas aeruginosa type IV pilus assembly system." $100 Bronze Sponsor Second Place Poster Award (More than 6 months)

Keynote Speaker: Dr. Peter Palese: "Towards a universal influenza virus vaccine."

Oral Presentation Awards:

• Lee Goneau, Western University, "Persister cell traits of uropathogenic bacteria." $500 Award sponsored by Cedarlane/ATCC
• Ram Anantha, Western University, "Elevated Frequency of Invariant Natural Killer T cells in Septic Patients." $500 Award sponsored by Novus Biological

CIHR Institute of Infection and Immunity Poster Competition Awards:

• Maria Goiko, Western University, "Cellular Mechanisms of Force Generation in Antibody-Mediated Phagocytosis." $200 Best in Show: People's Choice Award sponsored by Cedarlane/ATCC
• Fiona Whelan, McMaster University, "The Evolution of the class A Scavenger Receptors." $100 Award sponsored by Centre for Human Immunology
• Jean Macklaim, Western University, "Comparative meta-RNA-seq of the vaginal microbiota and differential expression byLactobacillus iners." $100 Award sponsored by Biolegend
• Jessica Sheldon, Western University, "Discovery of a novel iron-regulated citrate synthase: why does Staphylococcus aureus need two citrate synthases?" $100 Award sponsored by eBioscience
• Ali Abbas,Western University, "The transcrional regulation of PADI4 in rheumatoid arthritis." $100 Award sponsored by Bronze level sponsors
• Christina Valiaveettil , McMaster University,"Investigations IBSC regulation and biological function." $50 Award sponsored by Pall Corporation
• Rushi Gandhi, Western University, "Ectodomain Shedding by TACE/ADAM17 Regulates Kidney Injury Molecule-1 (KIM-1) mediated Phagocytosis of Apoptotic Cells." $50 Award sponsored by VWR

Keynote Speaker: Dr. Scott Halperin: "Vaccine Development and Utilization: the Tortuous Journey."

Oral Presentation Awards:

• Christine Watt, McGill University, "Examining the Role of Vesico-ureteric Reflux in the Development of E. Coli-induced Pyelonephritis and Reflux Nephropathy Using Mouse Models." $500 Award sponsored by Cedarlane
• Patrick Moynihan, University of Guelph, "Development of the First in Vitro Biochemical Assay for the Analysis of a Peptidoglycan O-Acetyltransferase." $300 Award sponsored by Novus Biological

CIHR Institute of Infection and Immunity Poster Competition Awards:

• Mohamad Hamad, Western University, "The Role of 4-Amino-L-Arabinose in the Outer Membrane Biogenesis and Viability of Burkholderia Cenocepacia." $200 Best in Show: People's Choice Award sponsored by Cedarlane/ATCC
• Ola Ismail, Western University, "Role of RhoA and Rac1 GTPases in Kidney Injury Molecule-1 Mediated Efferocytosis in Kidney Epithelial Cells." $100 Award sponsored by Sernova
• Michael Le, University of Toronto, "Identifying Novel Factors Responsible for Maintenance of B-cell Class Switch Recombination." $100 Award sponsored by Bio-Rad
• Chris Blom, Lawson Health Research Institute, "Blood Plasma Obtained from Severe Sepsis-Patiens Up-Regulates Pro-Inflammatory Phenotype in Human Cerebrovascular Endothelial Cells in Vitro." $100 Award sponsored by Sernova
• Kelcey Patterson, Western University, "Development of Streptococcal Superantigen-Derived Anti-Cancer Immunotherapeutics." $100 Award sponsored by Wisent
• Amy McMillan, Western University, "The Vaginal Metabolome." $100 Award sponsored by eBioscience
• Shahab Meshkibaf, Western University, "Lactobacillus Rhamnosus Gr-1 Preferentially Produces G-CSF Over TNFα Through Activating MyD88-Dependent Pathway but Suppressing JNKs Activation in Macrophages." $100 Award sponsored by eBioscience
• Ali Abbas, Western University, "Transcriptional Regulation of the Gene Encoding Peptidylargine Deiminase Type IV (PADI4) in Rheumatoid Arthritis." $50 Award sponsored by Diamed
• Ian Lobb, Western University, "Hydrogen Sulphide Improves Early Graft Function and Survival Following Transplantation of Syngeneic Renal Grafts Following Prolonged Cold Storage." Diamed Honorable Mention

Keynote Speaker: Dr. David Artis, "Regulation of Immunity and Inflammation Mucosal Sites."

Oral Presentation Awards:

• Matthew Woods, Western University, "Interferon-induced HERC5 restricts multiple stages of HIV-1 particle production" $500 Award sponsored by Cedarlane
• Alyx Holden, Carleton University,"Surviving Freezing: Impacts on the immune system" Second place runner-up

CIHR Institute of Infection and Immunity Poster Competition Awards:

• Sarah Furlong, The Western University, "Investigation of the highly conserved VFMGD motif in  the Escherichia coli sugar-phosphate transferase WecA" Cedarlane/ATCC People's Choice "Best in Show"
• Matthew Miller, The Western University, "Functional Studies of the Human Adenovirus Subgroup C 55R E1A Protein" $100 Award sponsored by Wisent
• Biljana Todorovic, The Western University, "Systematic analysis of the roles of solvent-exposed residues in the CR3 region of the HPV 16 E7" $100 Clinically relevant award sponsored by Sernova Corp
• Stacey Xu, The Western University, "The role of superantigens in Staphylococcus aureus nasal colonization and disease" $100 Award sponsored by Diamed
• Andrew Pepper, Sernova, "A Subcutaneous Cell Pouch™ as an Alternative to Intraportal
• Infusion of Islets of Langerhans to Restore Carbohydrate Control in the Diabetic Recipient" $100 Award sponsored by eBioscience
• Benjamin Koestler, Michigan State University, "Examining the Environmental Control of c-di-GMP  Synthesis in Vibrio cholerae" Invitrogen honourable mention award
• Fiona Whelan, McMaster University, "Functional and bioinformatic study of MARCO as a novel signalling receptor" Biorad award
• Michael Dorrington, McMaster University, "MARCO plays a key role in bacterial clearance in the upper respiratory tract" eBioscience award
• Michael Tang, University of Toronto, "A Novel in vitro Method of Generating Murine Dendritic Cells using   Culture Supernatants Containing Flt3-Ligand" Invitrogen honourable mention award

Keynote Speaker: Dr. Victor Nizet, University of California, San Diego: "Exploring the Pathogen-Host Interface for Novel Therapeutic Strategies"

Oral Presentation Awards:

• Jai Ablack, The Western University, "Negative Regulators at the Reigns: The Role of Cellular Repressors in E1A Conserved Region Three Dependent Activation of Transcription Across Human Adenovirus Subgroups" $500 Award sponsored by Pall Life Sciences
• Danielle Visschedyk, University of Guelph, "Photox: Illuminating the actin- targeting family of mono-ADP-ribosyltransferases" $500 Award sponsored by Cedarlane

CIHR Institute of Infection and Immunity Poster Competition Awards:

• Darah Christie, The Western University, "The role of stomatin-like protein 2 in mitochondrial biogenesis" $100 Award sponsored by eBioscience
• Ana M. Tomljenovic, McMaster University, "Regulatory network expansion in Salmonella Typhimurium and its implications for intracellular virulence and pathoadaptation" $100 Award sponsored by eBioscience
• Fred Beasley, The Western University, "Analysis of staphyloferrin A biosynthetic and transport mutants in Staphylococcus aureus" $100 Award sponsored by VWR
• Gregory Fonseca, The Western University, "Adenovirus E1A targets the H2B ubiquitin ligase Bre1/RNF20" $100 Award sponsored by The Department of Microbiology and Immunology
• Johnson Cheung, The Western University, "Molecular characterization of staphyloferrin B biosynthesis in Staphylococcus aureus" Biorad Award for Best New Project
• Tony Kwon, The Western University, "Allium sativum as a potential antimicrobial against Streptococcus pyogenes' Diamed Award for Undergraduate Poster Presentation

Keynote Speaker: Dr. Luis P. Villarreal, The University of California, Irvine: "Sources of Self: Genetic parasites and the origin of adaptive immunity"

Oral Presentation Awards:

• Dr. William Britnell, The Western University, "Anti-citrullinated peptide antibodies in rhematoid arthritis patients are arthritogenic" $500 Award sponsored by Roche
• Matthew Miller, The Western University, "Efficient onset of human cytomegalovirus replication requires the presence of an intact vimentin cytoskeleton $500 Award sponsored by VWR

CIHR Institute of Infection and Immunity Poster Competition Awards:

• Soumaya Zlitni, McMaster University, "Probing novel pathways in Escherichia coli using small molecules" $100 Award sponsored by eBioscience
• Katrina Huszarik, Western University, "Characterization of the ole of Reg2 in Islet Regeneration" $100 Award sponsored by eBioscience
• Andrew Pepper, Western University, "Measuring oxygen consumption rates/islet index as a predictor Islets of Langerhans' viability prior to transplantation" $100 Award sponsored by Qiagen
• Patricia Taylor, McMaster University, "Structure-function Relationship of Escherichia coli GmhB, a Novel Target of Antibiotic Adjuvants in Gram-negative Pathogens" $100 Award sponsored by The Department of Microbiology and Immunology
• Wendy Furlong, Western University, "Identification of potiential binding partners of human cytomegalovirus glycoprotein US9" Award for Best New Project
• Kyle Walker, Western University, "Prevention and treatment of autoimmune rheumatoid arthritis in mice by a glycolipid agonist of iNKT cells" Award for Best Undergraduate Poster Presentation

Keynote Speaker: Dr. Jonathan W Yewdell: "Virus Induced tRNA Misacylation: A New Innate Immune Mechanism?"

Oral Presentation Awards:

• Caitlin Lemke, Western University, "The impact of stomatin-like protein-2 (SLP-2) expression on T cell activation and effector functions" $500 Award sponsored by Roche
• Caleb Zavitz, McMaster University, "Influenza virus compromises host defence against Bordetella parapertussis" $500 Award sponsored by VWR

CIHR Institute of Infection and Immunity Poster Competition Awards:

• Federico Beasley, Western University, "Evidence for production of a second siderophore by Staphylococcus aureus"
• Karim Khan, Western University, "Serpin Protease Inhibitors and Endogenous Resistance of Tubular Epithelial Cells to Granzyme B Injury"
• Andrew Martins, Western University, "Expression of granulocyte-colony stimulating factor in human intestinal tissue"
• Matthew Miller, Western University. "Human cytomegalovirus entry in host cells: A role for vimentin?"
• Sakina Thawer, Western University, "Differentiating hematogenous versus microglial macrophage populations after Spinal Cord Injury using the lys-EGFP-ki mouse model."

Keynote Speaker: Dr. Norma W. Andrews: "Intracellular pathogens: New turns in the road to lysosomes."

Oral Presentation Awards:

• Michelle McCully, Western University, "Up-regulation of receptor interacting protein 2 correlates with rapid resolution of peritoneal dialysis-associated peritonitis." $500 Award sponsored by Roche

CIHR Institute of Infection and Immunity Poster Competition Awards:

• Carla Bauer, McMaster University, "Cigarette smoke impairs induction of Type 1 interferons in primary lung fibroblasts."
• Katarina Kaluzny, University of Guelph, "Investigation of wzy alpha and beta O antigen polymerases in Pseudomonas aeruginosa."
• W. Monty McKillop, Western University, "Characterization of CD11d leukocyte integrin expression."
• Ryan Noyce, McMaster University, "Characterization of the IRF3-mediated antiviral response to virus particle entry."
• Alanna Watson, Western University, "Regulation of growth factor-stimulated chemotaxis and chemokinesis of primary murine keratinocytes."