Upstate New York Immunology Conference
28th Annual Upstate New York Immunology Conference
Oct. 26-29, 2026
Conference Information
The 28th annual Upstate New York Immunology Conference will be held Monday, Oct. 26 through Thursday, Oct. 29, 2026, at the Lake Ontario Event and Conference Center in Oswego, New York, approximately 175 miles west of Albany. The ongoing goal of this meeting is to foster collaborations and interactions among participants and their institutions, and to provide opportunities for postdoctoral fellows and graduate students to present their research.
Jie Sun, PhD, from the University of Virginia School of Medicine will serve as a keynote speaker. Alissa Rothchild, PhD, from the University of Massachusetts Amherst will serve as our inaugural Rising Star keynote speaker.
Past keynote speakers have included Eugene Oltz, PhD, of The Ohio State University (2023), and Shabaana A. Khader, PhD, of The University of Chicago (2024), and Dario A. A. Vignali, PhD, of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine (2025). Their presentations have explored topics such as inflammation, innate immunity, cytokine function, and adaptive lymphoid cells.
Conference highlights include:
Welcome Reception
Keynote Speaker
Rising Star Keynote Speaker
Keynote Workshop
NIH Workshop
Symposia Presentations
Oral Poster Presentations
Poster Session and Vendor Fair Mixer
10 AAI Young Investigator Awards
10 NYIC Trainee Travel Awards
Drawing for two Apple iPads (registered trainees only)
Registration fees are based on the registration type and accommodation preference (single or double occupancy). The registration fee includes three nights lodging, group meals, break beverages (excluding alcohol), and conference materials. Due to the limited number of available rooms, early registration is recommended. All participants are encouraged to stay for the entire conference. Please note that childcare services are available upon request; please indicate on your registration if you require these services.
Cancellations must be received via email at nyic@amc.edu . To receive a refund, cancellations must be received no later than Friday, Aug. 28, 2026.
Poster Abstracts
Trainees are encouraged to submit poster abstracts for consideration for an AAI Young Investigator Award or an NYIC Trainee Award. To be eligible to receive an award, attendees must submit their registration form and poster abstract submission by 5 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 21, 2026 (extended deadline). See the Abstract Submission form or FAQ for detailed poster and abstract guidelines.
Our Scientific Advisory Board members select the award winners based on the scientific value of the submitted poster abstracts. Awards and certificates will be presented during the conference. Trainees who receive an award will also give an oral poster presentation during the conference.
Supporting Institutions and Organizations
The conference has been supported for 20 years by a National Institutes of Health National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases R13 grant. The views expressed in written conference materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services; nor does mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
Institutional financial supporters include Albany Medical College, Cornell University, Dartmouth College, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Trudeau Institute, University at Buffalo, and University of Rochester.
Contact Us
Feel free to reach out with any questions:
Ariella Sprague, Conference Coordinator
spragua@amc.edu, 518-262-7156
Ellinor Grinde, Conference Coordinator
grindee@amc.edu
Frequently Asked Questions
Please use our Registration to register as a sponsor! Be sure to select "Corporate Sponsor" as your registration type. Registration will remain open through Friday, August 21st, 2026.
Additionally, please review our Corporate Sponsor Invitation packet for details.
All trainee abstracts must be submitted by 5 p.m., Friday, Aug. 21, 2026 (extended deadline). These guidelines are also available in the Abstract Submission form.
All correctly formatted abstract submissions will be accepted for a poster presentation. All trainee-submitted abstracts will be automatically considered for an AAI Young Investigator Award or an NYIC Travel Award (if available) unless you opt out.
If your abstract is selected for an award and oral presentation, you will be notified by email by Sept. 3, 2026. Only posters requesting consideration for an award will give an oral presentation.
Abstract Guidelines
Abstracts must be formatted as outlined below. Abstracts formatted incorrectly or missing vital information will be returned (no exceptions). Abstracts submitted incorrectly a second time may be refused.
Page Set-up: 1" left and right margins
Title: Centered and bold text on first line of page (no period) followed by one blank line.
Contributors: List all contributors to this abstract/poster. The person presenting the poster should be underlined. Centered on page. No period. No blank line.
Institution(s): See example below, followed by two blank lines.
Body of text: Indentation for each paragraph, no blank lines between paragraphs. Unjustified text. Single line spacing. Limited to 400 words or what fits on one page, including all other requirements. Overflow of text will be deleted.
Font & Symbols: Use only Times New Roman 12 point font; special symbols may not transmit correctly if you use another font. Do not use a smaller size font or decrease margins to fit more text. To ensure meaning, please follow symbols by providing its corresponding word in parentheses (i.e., alpha, beta, etc.).
Format: Word documents only (.doc or .docx). All others will be returned and rejected.
Example of Correct Poster Format:
Regulate B Cell Functions & Development in New Ways
R.E. Jones, M.A. Mars, and J.K. Link
The Place Where Science is the Star, Anytown, NY
Conference administrators are not responsible for typographical errors or errors that occur during transmission. Author(s) are responsible for spelling and grammar.
Poster Guidelines
Poster size is limited to 42 x 48 inches. Both portrait and landscape orientations are permitted.
All posters must have an abstract to include in the conference program.
In most cases, assignment of poster numbers will be given in the order they are received.
The poster presenter’s name must be underlined on both the poster and abstract.
Posterboards will be numbered prior to displaying posters. Pushpins will be supplied. There are two poster sessions: Odd numbered posters will be viewed in the first session and will need to be removed at the end of this session at the time listed in the schedule. Even numbered posters will need to be displayed before the second session. Posters must be removed from poster boards when the event concludes. Neither the conference nor Lake Ontario Event and Conference Center are responsible for lost or discarded posters.
Poster numbers will be listed after Sept. 25, 2026.
Cancellations must be received via email at nyic@amc.edu . To receive a refund, cancellations must be received no later than Friday, Aug. 28, 2026.
Conference programs from previous years are available by contacting Ariella Sprague at spragua@amc.edu.
Corporate Sponsor Information
Please review our Corporate Sponsor Invitation packet for details on registration, sponsorship levels, and accommodations! This information is also available in our Registration form.
Location
Lake Ontario Event and Conference Center
26 East 1st Street
Oswego, New York
United States, 13126
Dates
Registration period:
April 15, 2026 - 3:26 PM EDT - September 4, 2026 - 11:59 PM EDT
Submission period:
April 15, 2026 - 9:00 AM EDT - August 28, 2026 - 5:00 PM EDT
Contact us
If you have any questions, please contact NYIC@amc.edu