There is a growing appreciation that immunosenescence is a central driver of dysfunction across a wide spectrum of diseases, from chronic infections and autoimmune disorders to cancer, metabolic disease and the frailty associated with ageing. As a result, interventions to prevent, reverse or therapeutically target immune ageing are in high demand. Yet progress is hindered by the substantial cost, complexity and time required to accurately characterise immunosenescence, particularly given that many widely used readouts capture only a fraction of the underlying biology. These limitations have slowed the discovery of targeted mechanisms that could alleviate chronic age-associated disease.
This meeting, organised by the BSI Immunosenescence Affinity Group, aims to address this gap by bringing together leading experts in immune-ageing and next-generation technologies that could advance the measurement, understanding and ultimately the treatment of immune ageing. It will be held at the University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey, GU2 7XH.
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Programme
13:00 | Registration and refreshments
13:50 | Welcome
SESSION 1
Chair: Dr Sian Henson (University College London, UK)
14:00 | Keynote speaker: Dr Keiko Kono (Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Japan)
Plasma membrane damage and aging
15:00 | Selected abstract talk: Dr Amy Morgan (University of Salford, UK)
Modelling the interplay between cholesterol, vitamin D, and inflammation across
the life-course trajectory
15:15 | Selected abstract talk: Dr Yolanda Corripio-Miyar (Moredun Research Institute, UK) and
Dr Ianna Sonegheti Borloti (University of Edinburgh, UK)
Understanding individual variation in immune ageing in wild sheep
15:30 | Refreshment break
SESSION 2
Chair: Dr Emma Chambers (Queen Mary University of London, UK)
16:00 | Invited speaker: Professor John Connelly (Queen Mary University of London, UK)
Modelling inflammageing within an immunocompetent skin-on-chip platform
16:30 | Selected abstract talk: Shuwei Zhang (Queen Mary University of London, UK)
Using an immune-responsive human skin equivalent ageing model to dissect
cutaneous immune-ageing
16:45 | Selected abstract talk: Lauren B Colborn (Hull York Medical School, UK)
Spatial transcriptomic profiling reveals IL1β⁺ macrophages as major drivers of
senescence in chronic wounds
17:00 | Selected abstract talk: Dennis Affram (University of Surrey, UK)
Beta-2 adrenergic regulation of the aged immune system
17:15 | Invited speaker: Dr Ghada Alsaleh (University of Oxford, UK)
Aging beyond earth: From immune senescence to autophagy
new ways to understand cellular decline and renewal
17:45 | Networking and buffet dinner (included in the registration fee)
Day 2
09:30 | Refreshments
10:00 | Welcome
SESSION 3
Chair: Dr Catarina M Henriques (University of Sheffield, UK)
10:10 | Dr Niharika Duggal (University of Birmingham, UK)
Mapping the gut–immune axis as we age: from mechanisms to interventions
10:40 | Selected abstract talk: Samuel Stagg (University of Surrey, UK)
Diurnal variation and group differences in NULISA250-assessed (Neuro)inflammatory proteins:
A 24-hour time series in aging and dementia
10:55 | Selected abstract talk: Dr Katrin Pape (Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, Germany)
Senescent KLRG1⁺ T Cells in CSF show neuroinflammatory signatures in multiple sclerosis
11:10 | Selected abstract talk: Dr Stephanie Watkins (University of Surrey, UK)
Adrenergic regulation of immunosenescence and cognitive function across the life course: preliminary data
11:25 | Selected abstract talk: Victoria Richardson (King's College London, UK)
Scavenger receptors SR-A and MARCO are novel regulators of macrophage senescence
11:40 | Selected abstract talk: Alexandra Sanchez-Martinez (University of Surrey, UK)
Age-related impairment of innate immune activation by liposome-based vaccine adjuvants
11:55 | Invited speaker: Dr Qibo Zhang (University of Surrey, UK)
An immune organoid system for studying age-associated immune profile and vaccine
response in children and adults
12:30 | Lunch and networking
SESSION 4
Chair: Dr Natalie Riddell (University of Surrey, UK)
14:00 | Invited speaker: Dr Joan Chang (University of Manchester, UK)
(Circadian) control of collagen homeostasis – new tools and insights
14:30 | Keynote speaker: Professor Chrissy Hammond (University of Bristol, UK)
The rising cost of living: Innate immune dysfunction in ageing zebrafish
repair and regeneration
15:30 | Closing remarks
15:45 | Meeting close
Registration
Registration is now open, book your place here.
BSI members benefit from reduced registration fees at this meeting and other BSI events, as well as free access to our journals, grants, career development activities and much more. You can sign up to become a member online. For current BSI members, your reduced fee will be applied automatically if you are logged in to your account. All fees include VAT.
Fees
Early bird registration (closes 23:59 on Wednesday 6 May 2026):
| BSI member | Non-member | |
| Full | £123 | £180 |
| Early Career/Clinician in training (read the criteria) | £123 | £180 |
| Postgraduate (anyone studying a PhD or Masters) | £92 | £134* |
| Senior (retired) (read the criteria) | £92 | £134 |
| Discounted membership/rate (read the criteria) | £92* | £134* |
| Undergraduate (membership is free) | £61 | - |
Late registration:
| BSI member | Non-member | |
| Full | £146 | £215 |
| Early Career/Clinician in training (read the criteria) | £146 | £215 |
| Postgraduate (anyone studying a PhD or Masters) | £107 | £161* |
| Senior (retired) (read the criteria) | £107 | £161 |
| Discounted membership/rate (read the criteria) | £107* | £161* |
| Undergraduate (membership is free) | £68 | - |
*If this fee applies to you, please contact meetings@immunology.org for a discount code prior to registering
BSI grants to support your attendance at this event
As part of our career development package, we have two grants available to BSI members to support your attendance at this event.
- BSI Regional & Affinity Group Conference Grants: BSI members can apply for up to £100 to contribute towards their travel costs in attending this conference. In this scheme, we have 10 grants available for this conference and they will be allocated on a first come, first served basis to eligible BSI members. Deadline: Wednesday 29 April 2026. Find out more and apply.
- BSI Regional & Affinity Group Carers' Grants: BSI members can apply for up to £100 to contribute towards extra care arrangements costs they incur during the conference, for example, childcare costs, or for additional care for the applicant themselves. Deadline: Wednesday 29 April 2026. Find out more and apply.
Abstract submission
Abstract submission is now closed.
Sponsorship
Thank you to our sponsors who are supporting this event.
If you are interested in sponsoring this event, please contact our Events & Corporate Engagement Manager, Becky Dempsey, at b.dempsey@immunology.org