Identifying the Common Beneficial Host/Pathogen Interaction

The Gordon Research Seminar on Immunology of Fungal Infections is a unique forum for graduate students, post-docs and young faculty from all over the world to build future collaborations, networking and foster interactions with senior scientists in an informal atmosphere.

Fungal infections pose an increasing threat to public health causing a global emerging disease concern and, imposing high costs on ecosystem health, hence the need to understand molecular mechanisms to reduce the incidence of fungal disease is greater than ever. The rational development of immunological interventions that are effective for treating or preventing fungal infections is still on its beginning. For decades, the majority of the studies on immune pathogenesis of fungal infections were mainly focused on the importance of inflammatory mediators. More recently, epidemiological and immunological researches have both highlighted the importance of immuno regulatory strategies to counteract fungal infections over immune activation. The main focus of this Gordon Seminar will be on the interface between these two different strategies that aim to maintain a beneficial immune homeostasis between the host and fungi. The program will promote discussions on fundamental concepts as well as new advances in the role of immune response in host resistance and pathogenesis of fungal diseases, with a final special training session on the recent insights into the molecular signaling biology. To foster networking and provide guidance, leading senior faculty from around the world has been chosen as Discussion Leaders. This seminar serves as an ideal setting to cross-pollinate researchers with broad interests, engage in cutting-edge discussions and form novel collaborations among the young fungal immunology community.