Host-Pathogen Interactions CoBRE Symposium
UND faculty, staff, and students are invited to attend the Annual Host-Pathogen CoBRE Symposium to be held at the Gorecki Alumni Center.
Tuesday, October 4, 2022 | 8:00 a.m. - 6 p.m.
The Center for Biomedical Research Excellence (CoBRE) for Host-Pathogen Interactions is inviting researchers and clinicians interested in infection, immunity, and inflammation to participate in the Seventh Annual Host-Pathogen CoBRE Symposium to be held as an in person event Tuesday, October 4, 2022 at the Gorecki Alumni Center, with a virtual option for off-campus participants. Registration and poster submissions are open until September 15th, 2022, registration is necessary to attend the symposium.
There will also be oral presentations from local investigators and a poster session that is open to all (now accepting abstract submission for posters until September 15).
This event aims to promote interaction and collaboration among researchers in the area and provide opportunities to learn about cutting-edge tools, approaches, and resources to advance their research in broad areas of infection and inflammation.

Cathryn Nagler, Ph.D.
Bunning Family Professor in Biological Sciences Division
The University of Chicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering and The College
Dr. Nagler’s Laboratory investigates the mechanisms governing tolerance to dietary antigens. Her group was one of the first to identify a link between resident intestinal bacteria and the regulation of mucosal immunity. During the last fifteen years, her work has focused on examining how commensal bacteria regulate susceptibility to allergic responses to food. They have proposed that the striking generational increase in food allergies can be explained, in part, by alterations in the composition and function of the commensal microbiome.
Dr. Nagler obtained her Ph.D. from the Vilcek Institute of Biomedical Science at New York University and continued her postdoctoral training at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She was an Associate Professor of Pediatrics (Immunology) at Harvard Medical School prior to joining the University of Chicago in 2009. She serves in leadership roles for many national and international organizations, including the American Association of Immunologists, the Society for Mucosal Immunology, and the Federation of Clinical Immunology Societies.

Steven Varga, PhD
Professor of Microbiology and Immunology
University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine
Dr. Varga’s laboratory studies the role of virus-specific T lymphocytes in mediating immunity and immunopathology during virus infections. The laboratory uses mouse models to study several respiratory viruses including, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), influenza A virus (IAV) and (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). A major focus of the lab is examining the host response to RSV infection, the most common cause of bronchiolitis and pneumonia in young children worldwide. His current work involves the development of a nanoparticle-based RSV vaccine.
Dr. Varga received his Ph.D. in Immunology from the University of Massachusetts Medical School. After completing his postdoctoral training in Pulmonary Immunology at the University of Virginia, he accepted a faculty position at the University of Iowa, where he is currently a Professor and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Graduate Student Development.
Registration
Free event registration is required.
This event is organized and funded by the Center of Biomedical Research Excellence (CoBRE) for Host-Pathogen Interactions at UND.