Keynote Speakers

Dr. Joana Carneiro da Silva, Professor of Microbiology and Immunology; Associate Professor, Institute for Genome Sciences; Associate Member, Center for Vaccine Development and Global Health, Malaria Research Program, University of Maryland School of Medicine

Dr. Carneiro da Silva’s group applies evolutionary genetics and genomic sciences to basic and translational research of parasitic infectious diseases.

Dr. Stuart Levitz, Professor, University of Massachusetts Medical School

Dr. Levitz’s research focuses on the mechanisms by which the immune system controls specific fungal pathogens and the strategies that fungi utilize to circumvent host defenses. Particular areas of interest include how fungal glycosylation influences immune responses, inflammasome stimulation by chitosan, the mechanisms by which plasmacytoid dendritic cells mediate protection against Aspergillus fumigatus, and the development of vaccines against Cryptococcus neoformans and other pathogens.

Dr. Balaji Narasimhan, Director of Nanovaccine Institute, Anson Marston Distinguished Professor and Vlasta Klima Balloun Chair, Chemical and Biological Engineering, Iowa State University

Dr. Narasimhan’s research focuses on the molecular design of nanoparticle-based platform technologies that can be broadly used to prevent and treat diseases. His work is at the intersection between materials chemistry, nanotechnology, and medicine. A second area of focus is the design of novel amphiphilic materials for stabilization of fragile biomacromolecules such as proteins and enzymes.

Dr. Richard Plemper, Professor, Georgia State University

Dr. Plemper specializes in myxovirus pathogenesis and the development of therapeutics against myxovirus infection. His research is primarily focused on understanding how RNA viruses of the myxovirus families (influenza virus and human pathogens of the paramyxovirus family) enter cells and replicate their genetic information, and applying this insight to the development of novel antiviral therapeutic strategies.