The emerging field of neuroimmunology is one of the most exciting and fastest moving areas in biomedical research. Communication between the brain and the immune system play critical roles in neural development, homeostasis and disease. Emerging human genetics implicate innate and adaptive immune pathways in many neurological diseases; however, the disease mechanisms remain elusive. Intersections between the nervous and immune systems are complex and can have both beneficial and detrimental impact on brain function depending on the context. It is thus crucial that we understand the mechanisms that give rise to these divergent outcomes. The extraordinary depth and breadth of science is emphasized by the program and includes topics such as peripheral immunity, inflammation, and interactions between the brain and the periphery, microglia function and dysfunction, microbiome and gut-brain axis, immune mechanisms of synapse loss in development and disease, mechanisms of neuroimmune communication at brain borders, and glymphatic-lymphatic connections. The program will also include several workshops on new discoveries, tools and approaches to analyze and integrate big-data (omics) aspects of neuroimmunology research, and to model neural-immune signaling in different contexts, including human disease. 

This conference will bring together an interdisciplinary group of scientists to discuss these and other emerging topics in neuroimmunology, with emphasis on the mechanisms underlying neural-immune crosstalk in health and disease. A major goal is to cultivate cross-disciplinary research by bringing together cutting-edge researchers that represent the entire spectrum of the field, from pure neuroscience to pure immunology, with the emerging field of neuroimmunology in between them. The conference will also provide opportunities for outstanding senior leaders to inspire young scientists in the field to move in innovative directions.