George Washington University Hospital - Auditorium
or Virtual*
mitm [at] gwu.edu (mitm[at]gwu[dot]edu)
Join us for a collaborative session between the Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Tropical Medicine (MITM) and the Department of Medicine. This event will showcase six speakers from both departments, each presenting a lightning talk that highlights cutting-edge research and innovative ideas. Whether you are joining in-person or remotely, please register now.
In Person:
George Washington University Hospital - Auditorium
900 23rd Street, NW
Washington DC 20037
Virtual Option:
For those attending virtually, the Zoom link will be provided via email closer to the event date. Please ensure you register ahead of time to receive the link and further instructions.
If you have any questions, please contact mitm@gwu.edu.
Featured Speakers
Jeffrey Bethony, PhD, Professor, MITM
Topic: "Seamless Science: Integrating Basic and Clinical Research in Vaccines"
Learning Objective(s)
This set of learning objectives is based on 20 years of research linking basic and clinical researchers in the context of interventional studies, such as clinical trials, particularly in cancer research supported by the National Cancer Institute (NCI). It highlights the dynamics between basic science and clinical protocols, focusing on the integration and challenges faced in translational research.
- Understand the role of clinical protocols in bridging basic and clinical research, with clinical protocols taking precedence, and focus on regulatory requirements such as endpoints and reporting.
- Recognize the differences in research approaches between clinical protocols (outcome-driven) and basic research (hypothesis-driven) in translational research.
- Explore the collaborative strategies necessary for clinical and basic researchers to effectively integrate hypothesis-driven basic research into clinical protocols, ensuring alignment with outcome measures and maintaining regulatory compliance while fostering scientific discovery.
- Identify the challenges faced by basic researchers in supporting cancer clinical trials, particularly in correlative studies with the NCI’s CTEP, and understand the distinction between integral, integrated, and exploratory outcomes.
Rebecca Lynch, PhD, Associate Professor, MITM
Topic: “Studying antibody responses against flaviviruses to aid clinical treatments”
*Presenting jointly with Dr. Aileen Chang
Learning Objective(s)
- Our collaboration links clinical outcomes with antibody functionality in unique samples.
Pedro Gazzinelli, PhD, Assistant Professor, MITM
Topic: “Heterogeneity and Molecular Mechanisms of Type 2 Immunity”
Learning Objective(s)
- To explore the plasticity and specificity of effector Th2 cells driven by helminth antigens.
- To understand the role of the effector Th2 subsets in the establishment of tissue Type-2-mediated inflammation using controlled human infection models.
Aileen Chang, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine
Topic: “Studying antibody responses against flaviviruses to aid clinical treatments”
*Presenting jointly with Dr. Rebecca Lynch
Learning Objective(s)
- Our collaboration links clinical outcomes with antibody functionality in unique samples.
Pavani Chalasani, MD, MPH, Division Director, GW Cancer Center
Topic: “Reversing Hypoxia to improve chemo-immunotherapy response in Tripe Negative Breast Cancer”
Learning Objective(s)
- Tumor hypoxia
- Strategies to reverse hypoxia
Huimin (Mindy) Yu, MD, PhD, Associate Professor, Medicine
Topic: “The impaired gut-fat axis in Chron's disease”
Learning Objective(s)
- Understand the relationship between Crohn’s disease and “creeping fat”
- Identify the current treatments for Crohn’s disease, possible new approaches
- Introduce my research findings regarding the “crosstalk” between mesenteric fat and intestinal epithelium in Crohn’s disease.