Organizers: Mark H. Kaplan, PhD and Daniella M. Schwartz MD
Although IL-9 was first described in the late 1980s, its regulation and functions are still not well defined. Initially identified as a mast cell and T cell growth factor, IL-9 was subsequently reclassified as a type 2 cytokine after extensive data implicated it in atopic dermatitis, food allergy, and allergic asthma. Enthusiasm for the role of IL-9 in allergy peaked in the mid-2010s and then waned after two negative trials of IL-9-blocking antibodies in asthma. Over the subsequent decade, however, additional data emerged implicating IL-9 as a major player in autoimmunity and antitumor immunity. More recently, new endotype-based classification systems have led many investigators to speculate that “IL-9-high” endotypes have clinically relevant translational applications to precision medicine treatments of allergic, autoimmune, and malignant conditions.
To highlight this renaissance in IL-9 biology, the ICIS will be hosting a symposium at the 2024 FOCIS Annual Meeting. The symposium, entitled “IL-9: from birth to breath” will be held on June 18, 2024 – immediately before the FOCIS Opening Keynote Address. A series of short talks will cover the multifaceted roles of IL-9 across a broad range of human diseases, as well as basic mechanisms regulating IL-9 expression in various microenvironments. Invited speakers will include Joslyn Cho, Lionel Apetoh, Paula Licona Limón, Nardhy Gomez-Lopez, and Matthew Olson. We hope to see you all in San Francisco for this exciting ICIS-sponsored session, the first symposium focused on IL-9! Read More