5B: Immunomodulatory Biomaterials 2

Date: Friday, March 27, 2026
Time: 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM

Room: Centennial I

Description

This session will highlight recent advances in the design and application of biomaterials that actively shape immune responses for therapeutic benefit. These biomaterials will span natural and synthetic materials engineered to modulate both innate and adaptive immunity in contexts including tissue repair, regenerative medicine, autoimmune disease, allergies, cancer immunotherapy, and transplantation. Topics will include, but are not limited to, the delivery of immunomodulators and imaging agents, antigen delivery, scaffolds for immunomodulation, microbiome modulation, combination therapies, cell-based therapies, and hydrogels for driving immune cell recruitment and polarization.

Moderators:

Dr. Brian Kwee
Assistant Professor
University of Delaware

Yaoying Wu
Assistant Professor
Biomedical and Chemical Engineering
Syracuse University

Muhammad Rizwan
Assistant Professor | Biomedical Engineering | Ophthalmology
UT Southwestern Medical Center

8:15 AM. 226. Porous and Compressible Alginate Cryogel for the Mitigation of Cytokine Release Syndrome.Kexin Zhang, M.S.1, Yuchen Jiang, M.S.1, Kyle Vining, D.D.S., Ph.D.1 1University of Pennsylvania
8:30 AM. 227. Engineered Immunological Niche Reveals Immune Signatures of Islet Allograft Rejection.Jyotirmoy Roy1, Abdalmonam Nejma2, Mohammad Tarique2, Shengli Wu2, Brianna Ha1, Esma Yolcu2, Lonnie Shea1 1University of Michigan, 2University of Missouri
8:45 AM. 228. Development of a Regulatory Vaccine (REGvak) for Dendritic Cell Modulation and Rheumatoid Arthritis Immunotherapy.Kevin Smith, B.S.1, Jamal Lewis, Ph.D.1 1University of Florida
9:30 AM. 231. Harnessing Mitochondrial Danger Lipids in mRNA Nanoparticles to Program Tumor-Localized Immune Responses.Ashish Kulkarni, Ph.D.1 1University of Massachusetts Amherst
9:45 AM. 232. A Supramolecular Cancer Vaccine Induces Cross Presentation and Immune Activation.Benjamin Keselowsky, PhD1, Gregory Hudalla, PhD1, Stephen Michel1, Elias Sayour, MD, PhD1 1University of Florida

Description

8:15 AM. 226. Porous and Compressible Alginate Cryogel for the Mitigation of Cytokine Release Syndrome.Kexin Zhang, M.S.1, Yuchen Jiang, M.S.1, Kyle Vining, D.D.S., Ph.D.1 1University of Pennsylvania

8:30 AM. 227. Engineered Immunological Niche Reveals Immune Signatures of Islet Allograft Rejection.Jyotirmoy Roy1, Abdalmonam Nejma2, Mohammad Tarique2, Shengli Wu2, Brianna Ha1, Esma Yolcu2, Lonnie Shea1 1University of Michigan, 2University of Missouri

8:45 AM. 228. Development of a Regulatory Vaccine (REGvak) for Dendritic Cell Modulation and Rheumatoid Arthritis Immunotherapy.Kevin Smith, B.S.1, Jamal Lewis, Ph.D.1 1University of Florida

9:30 AM. 231. Harnessing Mitochondrial Danger Lipids in mRNA Nanoparticles to Program Tumor-Localized Immune Responses.Ashish Kulkarni, Ph.D.1 1University of Massachusetts Amherst

9:45 AM. 232. A Supramolecular Cancer Vaccine Induces Cross Presentation and Immune Activation.Benjamin Keselowsky, PhD1, Gregory Hudalla, PhD1, Stephen Michel1, Elias Sayour, MD, PhD1 1University of Florida