Pathobiology for Investigators, Students, and Academicians (PISA)
Young Investigators Virtual Meeting

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Tuesday   |   Wednesday   |   Thursday  

Tuesday, October 28, 2025 

12:30 - 12:45 PM
Welcome to the PISA 2025 Virtual Meeting
Pilar Alcaide, PhD, ASIP President
University of Miami Miller School of Medicine

Organizers
Sarah Dooley, PhD • Medical University of South Carolina 
Maria Zambrano, BS • Tufts University

SESSION 1 - AI Driven Insights and Novel Approaches in Understanding Human Pathology
12:45 - 2:15 PM
Moderators: Lu Huang • Harvard Medical School 

Session Description: This session highlights advanced methodologies that combine artificial intelligence, multi-omics, and bioengineering to advance the study of human pathology. Presentations will cover deep learning–enabled cancer stratification, innovative diagnostic platforms, organoid models replicating tissue responses, and regenerative bio-inks. Collectively, these approaches yield mechanistic insights and inform the development of improved diagnostic and therapeutic interventions.

• 12:45 - 1:00 PM
  ABSTRACT 001 - Assessment of ERBB2 Copy Number Variant Detection by Whole Exome Sequencing in Breast Cancers
  Taylor Ticer, Parth Shah, Shrey S. Sukhadia, Joel A. Lefferts, Liam L. Donnelly, Jeremiah X. Karrs, Jonathan D. Marotti, and Laura J. Tafe
  Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH
• 1:00 - 1:15 PM
  ABSTRACT 002 - Deep Learning Stratifies Hepatocellular Carcinoma Using H&E Whole Slide Image
  Tyler M. Yasaka^1,2,3,4,5, Po-Yuan Chen⁵, Satdarshan P. Monga^1,2,4,5,6*, and Yu-Chiao Chiu^{4,5,6*
  1}Organ Pathobiology and Therapeutics Institute, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA; ²Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA; ³Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA; ⁴Pittsburgh Liver Research Center, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA; ⁵University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA; ⁶Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 
• 1:15 - 1:30 PM
  ABSTRACT 003 - Accelerating Microbiology Diagnostics: Culture Optimization and Early Testing Performance
  Janiece S. Glover, Bailey Demarest, Pam Foster, and Kendall A. Bryant 
  Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN
• 1:30 - 1:45 PM
  ABSTRACT 004 - Lipid Alterations and Oligodendrocyte Distribution in White Matter Hyperintensities in Alzheimer’s Disease
  Dana R. Julian¹, Anna Costa², Li Jinghang³, Jr Jiun Jean Liou³, Thomas Pearce¹, Julia K. Kofler^{1,4
  1}Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA; ²Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA; ³Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering, Pittsburgh, PA; ⁴Clinical and Translational Science Institute, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 
• 1:45 - 2:00 PM
  ABSTRACT 005 - Human IPSC-Derived Skin Organoids Recapitulate Cutaneous Responses to Inflammation and Injury In Vitro
  Anthony R. Sheets, Shannon M. McNamee, and George F. Murphy
  Program in Dermatopathology, Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA 
• 2:00 - 2:15 PM
  ABSTRACT 006 - Amniotic Fluid EVs for Counteracting Fibrosis in a Placental Collagen Hydrogel Challenge Model
  Fabiana Mastantuono¹, Samantha Ali², Pei Zhuang², Zongliang (Carl) Jiang³, and Mei He^{2
  1}Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL; ²Department of Pharmaceutics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL; ³Department of Animal Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL

SESSION 2 - Biomarker Discovery and Therapeutic Advances in Women's Cancers
4:30 - 6:00 PM
Moderators: Christine Wei, 

Session Description: This session showcases advances in biomarker discovery and therapeutic innovation for women’s cancers. Topics include predictors of breast cancer metastasis, genomic profiling to guide therapy in ovarian and endometrial cancers, AI-driven drug discovery for triple-negative breast cancer, and stromal pathways shaping immune responses in ovarian cancer.

• 2:15 - 2:30 PM
  ABSTRACT 007 - Breast Cancer Liver Metastasis: Histopathologic Features at Primary and Metastatic Diagnoses
  Hatun Duran Cete, Alexandra Bartlett, Michelle Ozaki, and Pepper Schedin
  Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR
• 2:30 - 2:45 PM
  ABSTRACT 008 - Discovering AI-Guided Targeted Therapeutic for Metastatic Triple Negative Breast Cancer
  Priyam Kumar¹ and Jayshree Mishra^{2
  1}Texas A&M University, College of Pharmacy, Kingsville, TX ²Texas A&M University, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kingsville, TX
• 2:45 - 3:00 PM
  ABSTRACT 009 - Evaluating Homologous Recombination Deficiency (HRD), Microsatellite Instability (MSI), and Tumor Mutational Burden (TMB) Biomarkers in Ovarian and Endometrial Cancer Patients
  Debopriya Chakraborty, Laura J. Tafe, Joel A. Lefferts, Donald C. Green, and Parth S. Shah
  Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH
• 3:00 - 3:15 PM
  ABSTRACT 010 - Investigating the Role of WT1-CD200 Axis and BRCA Status in Stromal Modulation of TLS Formation in High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer
  Swathi Suresh¹, Erika Lampert², Grace Gorecki³, Ian P. MacFawn⁴, Huda Atiya⁵, Tullia C. Bruno⁶, and Lan Coffman^{6,7
  1}Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA; ²Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA; ³Internal Medicine, Allegheny Health Network, Pittsburgh, PA; ⁴Department of Biology, Grove City College, Grove City, PA; ⁵Division of Hematology/Oncology, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA; ⁶Department of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA; ⁷Department of Pathology, Magee-Women’s Research Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA

3:15 - 3:20 PM
BREAK

Session: TBD
3:20 - 4:00 PM
Moderator: Cole Hladik

Session Description:  Epithelial ovarian cancer (OvCa) is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women, with high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC) accounting for over 75% of cases and representing the most lethal subtype. Standard first-line treatment involves cytoreductive surgery combined with platinum- and taxane-based chemotherapy, followed by targeted maintenance therapy in select patients. However, 60–80% of patients relapse within 12–18 months due to the development of chemoresistance. Doublecortin-like kinase 1 (DCLK1), a serine/threonine kinase has been implicated in malignant progression, metastasis, stemness, drug resistance, and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in multiple cancers. Despite these findings, the role of DCLK1 in HGSOC pathophysiology, chemotherapeutic response, and recurrence remains largely unexplored.

• 3:20 - 3:50 PM
  DCLK1 as a Mediator of Chemoresistance and Recurrence in High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer
  Samrita Dogra, PhD • The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
• 3:50 - 4:00 PM
  Q&A

SESSION 3 - Microbs, Metabolites, and Models of Diseases
4:00 - 5:15 PM
Moderators: Carla Martinez

Session Description: This session brings together diverse perspectives on how microbial activity and host responses shape health. Topics range from bacterial oxygen depletion in wounds to metabolite production in the neonatal gut and cross-feeding that prolongs C. difficile infection.  Complementary studies explore new models for pediatric hepatic encephalopathy and gestational diabetes. Together, these talks highlight mechanisms at the interface of microbiology, metabolism, and medicine.

• 4:00 - 4:15 PM
  ABSTRACT 011 - Microbial Oxygen Consumption as a Driver of Anaerobic Niche Formation in Burn Wounds
  Subhomitra Ghoshal¹, Erin Chard¹, Anna Tingler¹, Selene Shore¹, Aly Gutierrez¹, Jessica Hartman², Deepak Ozhathil³, and Mindy Engevik^{1
  1}Department of Regenerative Medicine & Cell Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC; ²Department of Biochemistry, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC; 3Department of Surgery, Akron Children’s Hospital, Akron OH
• 4:15 - 4:30 PM
  ABSTRACT 012 - Metabolomic Insights into Lactobacillus Responses to Breast Milk: Unravelling the Role of Hydroxyphenyllactic Acid in the Gut 
  Alyssa Gutierrez¹, Katherine Chetta^2,3, Thomas Horvath^4,5, and Melinda Engevik^{1,6 
  1}Department of Regenerative Medicine & Cell Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC; ²Department of Pediatrics, C.P. Darby Children’s Research Institute, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC; ³Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital, Charleston, SC; 4Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX; 5Department of Pathology, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, TX; 6Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
• 4:30 - 4:45 PM
  ABSTRACT 013 - Establishment of a Novel Model of Pediatric Type C HE in Rodents
  Kathryn Rhodes , Julie Venter, Jace Tyson, Mihika Patankar, Yubo Wang, Patrick Mireles, Brandy Routh, Kiersten Bell, Laura Fonken, Kimberly Nixon, and Sharon DeMorrow
• 4:45 - 5:00 PM
  ABSTRACT 014 - Glucocorticoid Receptor Deficiency Impairs Gestational β-Cell Compensation and Contributes to Gestational Diabetes
  Hsuan Yeh , Taofeek Usman, Chenglin Pan, Wen Quan Zheng, Goma Chhetri, and Henry Dong
• 5:00 - 5:15 PM
  ABSTRACT 015 - Akkermansia Muciniphila Enables Persistent Clostridioides Difficile Colonization Through Mucin-Derived Cross-Feeding in Antibiotic-Perturbed Mice
  Katherine Psenka and Melinda A. Engevik

SESSION 4 - Molecular and Therapeutic Insights into Retinal Degeneration
5:15 - 6:00 PM
Moderators: Joseph Maggiore

Session Description: This session examines how immune dysregulation and vascular remodeling drive retinal degeneration. Presentations include novel strategies to preserve visual function by restoring immune balance, blocking endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition and angiogenesis, and mapping synergistic cytokine networks that shape endothelial dysfunction in age-related macular degeneration.

• 5:15 - 5:30 PM
  ABSTRACT 016 - Unraveling Transcriptomic Crosstalk of Inflammatory and Angiofibrotic Cytokines in Primary Human Retinal Microvascular Endothelial Cells
  Fergus C. McLellan¹, Kelvin Huang¹, Michele C. Madigan^1,2, Yichuan G. Liang³, Andrew J.R. White^1,3, Pei Qin Ng⁴, Pete A. Williams⁵, and Daisy Y. Shu^{1
  1}School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; ²Save Sight Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; ³Centre for Vision Research, Westmead Institute for Medical Research, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; ⁴Department of Plant Science, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, UK; ⁵Division of Eye and Vision, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, St. Erik Eye Hospital, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
• 5:30 - 5:45 PM
  ABSTRACT 017 - Immune Homeostasis Re-establishment by IGFBPL1 Preserves Retinal Function in Experimental Dry AMD
  Lu Huang^1,2, Anton Lennikov², Farris Elzaridi², Wai Lydia Tai², Kin-Sang Cho², Ajay Ashok², Grace Coyne², Karen Chang², Hio Tong Kam², Qingfeng Li¹, and Dong Feng Chen^{2
  1}Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; ²Department of Ophthalmology, Schepens Eye Research Institute of Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
• 5:45 - 6:00 PM
  ABSTRACT 018 - Targeting Angiogenesis and EndMT in Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Therapeutic Potential of VAS2870
  Yuting Jin1, Michele C. Madigan¹, Peter R. Wich², Tushar Kumeria³, and Daisy Y. Shu^{1 
  1}School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; ²School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; ³School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

6:00 PM
Closing Remarks/Meeting Adjournment

 

Wednesday, October 29, 2025

SESSION 5 - Therapeutic Modulation in Liver Disease
12:35 - 1:50 PM
Moderators: Tyler Yasaka

Session Description: This session will provide important insights into novel and innovative therapeutic strategies aimed at targeting liver injury, fibrosis, and metabolic dysfunction. These talks will span molecular targets and pharmacologic interventions that reprogram hepatocyte and cholangiocyte responses, restore cellular homeostasis, and improve regenerative capacity in chronic and acute liver diseases. These findings will offer critical insights into mechanisms, preclinical evidence for therapeutic modulation of liver disease, and offer promising avenues for translation into patient care.

• 12:35 - 12:50 PM 
  Abstract 019 - The Histone Deacetylase Inhibitor MS-275 Mitigates Hepatobiliary Injury by Maintaining Cell Quiescence and Metabolic Reprogramming in a Murine Model of Cholestatic Liver Disease
  Tony (Chun-Cheng) Chiang^1,3, Donghun Shin^2,3, and Kari Nejak-Bowen^{1,3
  1}Organ Pathobiology and Therapeutics Institute, Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA; ²Center for Integrative Organ Systems, Department of Cell Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA; ³Pittsburgh Liver Research Center, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA
• 12:50 - 1:05 PM 
  Abstract 020 - Dysbiosis in the Gut-Liver Axis is Associated with Low Bone Mass During Murine Cholestasis
  Brooke Hutchison¹, Jamie Forsnaglio², Pam Cornuet¹, Fu-Ying Qin³, Xiaochao Ma³, Kari Nejak-Bowen¹, and Matthew D. Carson^{1
  1}Organ Pathobiology and Therapeutics Institute, Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Pittsburgh Liver Research Center, University of Pittsburgh and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA; ²Department of Biology, Seton Hill University, Greensburg, PA; ³School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
• 1:05 - 1:20 PM
  Abstract 021 -  Role of DEK as a Cell Death Switch Molecule in Liver Fibrosis
  Ramsey Rohner, Kamal Baral, Leah Spade, Haitao Zhang, and Bilon Khambu
  Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA
• 1:20 - 1:35 PM
  Abstract 022 - Beta-Catenin Regulates Autophagy in Acute Hepatic Porphyria
  Anu Balogun and Kari Nejak-Bowen
• 1:35 - 1:50 PM
  Abstract 023 - TET1 Guards Against the Development of Alcohol-Associated Liver Fibrosis
  Muhammad Azhar Nisar^1,2,*, Hongze Chen^1,4,*, Kevin Cao³, Xinjin Li^1,2, Shaolei Lu⁵, Zhaoli Sun¹¹, Brandon James Peiffer¹¹, Xiao-Ming Yin¹, Wenke Feng⁹, Tung-Sung Tseng⁶, Hui-Yi Lin⁶, Peng-Sheng Ting⁸, Wei-Ting Lin¹⁰, Tomilola Olaolu¹, Zhijin Wu⁸, Shang Wu¹, Layla Schechner¹, Jenna Copes¹, Sonali Notani¹, Xuewei Bai^3,4, and Chiung-Kuei Huang^{1,2
  1}Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA; ²Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY; ³Liver Research Center, Division of Gastroenterology and Liver Research Center, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University and Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI; ⁴Department of Pancreatic and Biliary Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Heilongjiang Province, China; ⁵Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI; ⁶School of Public Health, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center; ⁷Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Brown University, Providence, RI; ⁸Department of Medicine, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA; ⁹Department Structural Cellular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA; ¹⁰Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA; ¹¹Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD; *co-first authors

SESSION 6 - Genetic Models Revealing Mechanistic Pathways in ECM Organization, Hormone Signaling, Stress Response, and Multi-Organ Biology
2:05 - 3:10 PM
Moderator: Sarah Dooley

Session Description: Discover how cutting edge genetic models are unraveling the mechanisms that drive extracellular matrix organization, hormone signaling, stress response, and multi-organ development. From rare connective tissue disorders to cardiovascular health, kidney disease, and hormone–immune interactions, this session showcases innovative approaches revealing pathways with broad implications for human health and disease.

• 1:50 - 2:05 PM 
  ABSTRACT 024 - A Knock-In Mouse Model of Dermatosparaxis Ehlers–Danlos Syndrome Reveals Impaired Collagen Processing and ECM Disorganization
  Taylor Petrucci1², Emma Mach¹, Cortney Gensemer^1,2, Matthew Huff¹, Cara Virgin¹, Maggie Osterhaus¹, Kathryn Byerly¹, Erika Bistran¹, Sydney Severance¹, Jan Guz¹, Fu Lei Tang¹, and Russell A. Norris^{1,2
  1}Department of Regenerative Medicine and Cell Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC; ²Department of Neurosurgery, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
• 2:05 - 2:25 PM 
  ABSTRACT 025 - CREBRF Regulates Cardiomyocyte Function and Stress Response
  Zana M. Ross, Aneta Kowalski, Divya Gupta, Mahesh Basantani, and Erin E. Kershaw 
  Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
• 2:25 - 2:40 PM 
  ABSTRACT 026 - Beyond Bile Ducts: Investigating Kidney Injury and Multi-Organ Effects in Foxa3-Cre YAP Knockout Mice
  Akshita Piedy^1,2, Jia-Jun Liu³, Silvia Liu^2,3, Jianhua Luo², Minakshi Poddar³, Sucha Singh³, Pamela Cornuet³, Laura Molina^4,5, and Kari Nejak-Bowen^{1,2
  1}Department of Molecular Pharmacology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA; ²Pittsburgh Liver Research Center, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA; ³High Throughput Genome Center, Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Pittsburgh, PA; ⁴Pathology Residency Training Program, Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA; ⁵Department of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA
• 2:40 - 2:55 PM
  ABSTRACT 027 - Progesterone and Sex Hormone Regulation of LUVA Mast Cells: Impacts on Viability and Degranulation
  Sydney Severance¹, Chloe Meyer¹, Roman Fenner¹, Cortney Gensemer^1,2, Russell A. Norris^{1,2
  1}Department of Regenerative Medicine and Cell Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC; ²Department of Neurosurgery, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC

2:55 - 3:00 PM
BREAK

Session  - TBD
3:00 - 3:30 PM
Moderators: Anu Balogun and Anna Tingler

Session Description: TBD

• 3:00 - 3:15 PM
  Title TBD
  Evan Delgado, PhD
• 3:15 - 3:30 PM
  Title TBD
  Barry Wakefield, PhD

SESSION 7 - Inflammation and Injury
3:45 - 5:00 PM
Moderator: Anna Tingler

Session Description: From neonatal infections to brain tumors, host barriers and immune systems are constantly challenged by pathogens and microenvironmental stress. This session examines the mechanisms by which microbes and tumors manipulate host defense.

• 3:45 - 4:00 PM 
  ABSTRACT 028 - Clostridioides Difficile Toxins Trigger a Macrophage-ILC3 Axis That Drives IL-22 and Mucin Induction
  Erin Chard, Rachel Stuber, Anna Tingler, Selene Shore, Amy C. Engevik, and Melinda A. Engevik
  Department of Regenerative Medicine and Cell Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
• 4:00 - 4:15 PM 
  ABSTRACT 029 - Clostridium perfringens Exhibits Different Pathogenesis when Exposed to Different Types of Formula
  Margaret Largent, Alyssa Gutierrez, and Melinda A. Engevik
  Department of Regenerative Medicine and Cell Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
• 4:15 - 4:30 PM 
  ABSTRACT 030 - TNFAIP6 Drives Glioblastoma Stem Cell Growth via EGF Signaling and Macrophage Reprogramming
  Zhe Zhu¹, Kailing Yang², Junxia Zhang³, Xiuxing Wang³, and Jeremy N. Rich^{4
  1}Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, NY; ²Department of Radiation Oncology, Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA; ³Institute for Brain Tumors, Jiangsu Key Lab of Cancer Biomarkers, Prevention and Treatment, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Personalized Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China; ⁴University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Department of Neurology and UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Chapel Hill, NC
• 4:30 - 4:45 PM
  ABSTRACT 031 - Elucidating the Impact of Rotavirus Infection on Intestinal Cell Responses
  Kayla McGary, Ana G. Pettijohn, and Kristen A. Engevik
  Department of Regenerative Medicine and Cell Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
• 4:45 - 5:00 PM
  ABSTRACT 032 - Histamine-HRH1 Signaling Regulates Mucus Secretion and Is Disrupted by Clostridioides Difficile Toxins
  Selene Shore, Anna Tingler, Ana Pettijohn, Rachel Edens-Valentine, Amy C. Engevik, Kristen A. Engevik, and Melinda A. Engevik
  Department of Regenerative Medicine and Cell Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC

SESSION 8 - From Genetic Models to Therapeutic Strategies in Vascular Biology
5:00 - 6:00 PM
Moderator: TBD

Session Description: This session highlights innovative approaches linking molecular mechanisms to therapeutic strategies in vascular biology. Talks will cover how heme and thrombin disrupt angiogenic balance in sickle cell pregnancies, the role of lymphatic YAP1 in hypoxia-induced vascular remodeling, Drosophila models of SERPINE1 deficiency and longevity, and anti-fibrinolytic strategies that enhance liver regeneration and reduce post-hepatectomy liver failure.

• 5:00 - 5:15 PM 
  ABSTRACT 033 - Lymphatic YAP1 in Hypoxia-Induced Vascular Remodeling
  Priscilla Kyi^1,2, Mikaela Scheer¹, Tadanori Mammoto^1,3, and Akiko Mammoto^{1,2
  1}Department of Pediatrics, ²Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, and ³Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI
• 5:15 - 5:30 PM 
  ABSTRACT 034 - Heme and Thrombin Disrupt Angiogenic Balance in vitro: Potential Driver of Placental Dysfunction in Sickle Cell Disease Pregnancies
  Kylie Hutchison, Nirupama Ramadas, Ashlyn Lowery, Karissa Law, Joshua Dutton, and Erica Sparkenbaugh
  Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Blood Research Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
• 5:30 - 5:45 PM
  ABSTRACT 035 - Spn42Dd Genetic Manipulation in Drosophila as a Model for Human SERPINE1 Deficiency
  Michelle Thayer and Marit Nilsen-Hamilton
  Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Molecular Biology, Iowa State University, Ames IA
• 5:45 - 6:00 PM
  ABSTRACT 036 - Anti-Fibrinolytic Strategies Improve Liver Regeneration and Prevent Post-Hepatectomy Liver Failure in Mice and Patients
  Zhihao Li^1,*, Zimu Wei^2,*, Dafna J. Groeneveld², Amy W. Strilchuk³, Matthew J. Flick⁴, Yawen Dong¹, Vanja Podrascanin¹, Mark J. Truty¹, Michael L. Kendrick¹, Sean P. Cleary⁵, Susanne G. Warner¹, Rory L. Smoot¹, Alice Assinger⁶, Christian J Kastrup³, Paul Karanicolas⁷, James P. Luyendyk², and Patrick P. Starlinger^{1
  1}Department of Surgery, Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreas Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN; ²Pathobiology and Diagnostic Investigation, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI; ³Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada; ⁴Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC; ⁵Department of Surgery, University Health Network, Toronto, Canada; ⁶Center of Physiology and Pharmacology, Institute of Vascular Biology and Thrombosis Research, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; ⁷Division of General Surgery, Sunnybrook Health Science Centre, Toronto, Canada; *Co-first authors

6:00 PM
Closing Remarks/Meeting Adjournment

 

Thursday, October 30, 2025

SESSION 9 - Modulators of Disease: Microbiota, Mucus, and Intestinal Remodeling
12:35 - 1:35 PM
Moderators: Selene Shore, PhD, Maria A. Zambrano

Session Description: This session will examine how environmental factors such as diet and antibiotics influence epithelial health and disease risk through interactions with the microbiota and host signaling. Talks will highlight how high-fat diets drive gastric epithelial metaplasia by reshaping mucus-producing lineages and fostering a pro-inflammatory niche. Additional presentations will show how antibiotic-induced microbiota changes impair goblet cell function and weaken the mucus barrier in cystic fibrosis. Finally, mechanistic insights from Drosophila models will illustrate how V-ATPase driven endocytic control of signal transduction regulates intestinal restitution.

• 12:35 - 12:50 PM 
  ABSTRACT 037 - High-Fat Diet Induces Mucus-Producing Metaplasia in Gastric Epithelium of Mice
  Makenna Grozis, Charulekha Packirisamy, and Amy C. Engevik
  Department of Regenerative Medicine and Cell Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
• 12:50 - 1:05 PM 
  ABSTRACT 038 - High Fat Diet Creates a Pro-Inflammatory Niche Promoting Gastric Metaplasia
  Charulekha Packirisamy¹, Annika Matthiesen², Pooja Pradeep², Janet Boggs², Sarah A. Dooley¹, Rachel Edens-Valentine¹, Piper McKee¹, Makenna Grozis¹, Catrina Robinson², Kristen A. Engevik¹, Melinda A. Engevik¹, and Amy C. Engevik^{1
  1}Department of Regenerative Medicine and Cell Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC; ²Department of Neurology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC
• 1:05 - 1:20 PM
  ABSTRACT 039 - V-ATPase Activity Regulates Intestinal Restitution Through Endocytic Control of Signal Transduction in Drosophila
  Doug Terry, Liping Luo, Josh Lee, and Brian Robinson
  Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA
• 1:20 - 1:35 PM
  ABSTRACT 040 - Antibiotic-Driven Microbiota Changes Disrupt Goblet Cell Function and the Mucus Barrier in Cystic Fibrosis
  Anna Tingler¹, Rachel Bernard², Rachel Edens-Valentine¹, Jennifer K. Spinler^4,5, Thomas D. Horvath^4,5, Numan Oezguen^4,5, Lisa S. Zhang³, Anthony M. Haag^4,5, Amy C. Engevik¹, Daniel C. Payne⁷, Maribeth R. Nicholson³, and Melinda A. Engevik^{1,6
  1}Department of Regenerative Medicine and Cell Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC; ²Pediatric Gastroenterology Ochsner Medical Complex, Baton Rouge, LA; ³Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Monroe Carell Junior Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, Nashville TN; ⁴Department of Pathology, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston TX; ⁵Department of Pathology and Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX; ⁶Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC; ⁷Division of Infectious Diseases, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH

1:35 - 1:40 PM
 BREAK

Session  - Career Talk: Finding Your Fir in Science Careers
1:40 - 2:40 PM
Moderators: Sarah Dooley, PhD

Session Description: Many trainees feel uncertain about what comes after graduate school or a postdoc, especially if they know academia is not the right fit. In this session, Chloe Kirk, PhD, will share her own experiences navigating career pivots and highlight lessons learned along the way.

She will discuss how to recognize transferable skills, explore opportunities outside traditional academic tracks, and make intentional choices rooted in personal values. The session will provide encouragement, perspective, and practical advice for graduate students and early-career researchers who want to build careers that feel both meaningful and sustainable.

• 1:40 - 2:30 PM
  Title TBD
  Chloe Kirk
• 2:30 - 2:40 PM
  Q&A

SESSION 10 - Liver Metabolism and Injury
2:40 - 4:10 PM
Moderators: Taylor Petrucci, Anu Balogun, PhD

Session Description: This session will examine how environmental factors such as diet and antibiotics influence epithelial health and disease risk through interactions with the microbiota and host signaling. Talks will highlight how high-fat diets drive gastric epithelial metaplasia by reshaping mucus-producing lineages and fostering a pro-inflammatory niche. Additional presentations will show how antibiotic-induced microbiota changes impair goblet cell function and weaken the mucus barrier in cystic fibrosis. Finally, mechanistic insights from Drosophila models will illustrate how V-ATPase driven endocytic control of signal transduction regulates intestinal restitution.

• 12:35 - 12:50 PM
  ABSTRACT 041 - The Role of β-Catenin-Serotonin Signaling Axis in Hepatocyte Reprogramming During Cholestatic Liver Disease
  Rithwik Aggarwal, Pamela Cornuet, Matthew D. Carson, Chhavi Goel, and Kari Nejak-Bowen
  Organ Pathobiology and Therapeutics Institute, Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Pittsburgh Liver Research Center, University of Pittsburgh and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA
• 12:50 - 1:05 PM 
  ABSTRACT 042 - Zone-Specific β-Catenin Expression Is Required for Maintenance of Liver Zonation and Regeneration After Partial Hepatectomy
  Prerna Chakkingal, Chang Kyung (Joanna) Kim, Minakshi Poddar, Sucha Singh, and Satdarshan P. Monga
  Organ Pathobiology and Therapeutics Institute, Department of Medicine, Pittsburgh Liver Research Center, University of Pittsburgh and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA
• 1:05 - 1:20 PM
  ABSTRACT 043 - The β-Catenin/Liver X Receptor Axis Regulates Cholesterol Metabolism and Inflammation in Murine Cholestasis
  Ridgeway Case¹, Chhavi Goel¹, Jack Drda¹, Rong Zhang¹, Silvia Liu^2,4, Matthew D. Carson², Joseph Locker⁴, Pamela Cornuet², Fu-Ying Qin³, Laura Molina¹, Xiaochao Ma^3,4, and Kari Nejak-Bowen^{2,4
  1}Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA; ²Organ Pathobiology and Therapeutics Institute (OPTIn), University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA; ³Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy, Pittsburgh, PA; ⁴Pittsburgh Liver Research Center, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA
• 1:20 - 1:35 PM
  ABSTRACT 044 - Loss of Cholangiocyte β-Catenin Supports Angiogenesis and Hepatocyte Reprogramming Through NF-κB-Mediated Signaling During Murine Cholestasis
  Matthew D. Carson^1,2,3, Jamie Fornsaglio⁴, Laura Molina⁵, Pamela Cornuet¹, Jia-Jun Liu^1,3, Silvia Liu^1,2,3, and Kari Nejak-Bowen^{1,2,3
  1}Organ Pathobiology and Therapeutics Institute, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA; ²Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA; ³Pittsburgh Liver Research Center, University of Pittsburgh and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA; ⁴Department of Biology, Seton Hill University, Greensburg, PA; ⁵Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA
• 12:35 - 12:50 PM 
  ABSTRACT 045 - Imaging Cytokine Profiles Reveal Hepatocyte-Specific Cytokines and Their Potential Role In Chronic Liver Disease
  Shadie Shrestha, Arya Chandrashekar, Ramsey Rohner, Kamal Baral, Leah Spade, and Bilon Khambu
  Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA
• 12:50 - 1:05 PM
  ABSTRACT 046 - CYP2E1 Mediates Glyoxalase-1 Expression
  Alexandra A. Tomasevich, Reagan M. Roberts, Kristina M. Stayer, Hyland C. Gonzalez, and Jessica H. Hartman
  Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC

SESSION 11 - Cancer Molecular Pathways and Therapeutic Strategies in Diverse Cancers
4:10 - 5:25 PM
Moderators: Shehnaz Bano, Cole Hladik

Session Description: This session explores diverse molecular drivers of cancer progression and therapeutic resistance. Presentations highlight purinergic signaling in colorectal cancer, strategies to resensitize anoxic melanoma to targeted therapy, microbial and epigenetic regulation of cancer-associated genes, fibroblast-driven remodeling in HPV-related cancers, and β-catenin–mediated immune evasion in hepatocellular carcinoma.

• 4:10 - 4:25 PM 
  ABSTRACT 047 - Fibroblast-Mediated ECM Remodeling and Lymphangiogenic Shift in HPV-Driven Cancer Cells
  Harsh Nitin Dongre^1,2, Lorena Larios Salazar¹, Neha Rana¹, Rammah Elnour¹, Siren Fromreide¹, Olav K. Vintermyr³, J. Silvio Gutkind⁴, Line Bjørge^5,6, Diane R. Bielenberg², and Daniela Elena Costea^{1,3
  1}The Gade Laboratory for Pathology and Centre for Cancer Biomarkers CCBIO, Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Bergen, Norway; ²Vascular Biology Program, Boston Children's Hospital, Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA; ³Department of Pathology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway; ⁴Moores Cancer Centre, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA; ⁵Centre for Cancer Biomarkers CCBIO, Department of Clinical Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Bergen, Norway; ⁶Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute of Clinical Science, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
• 4:25 - 4:40 PM 
  ABSTRACT 048 - Microbes, Methylation, and Motors: Acinetobacter’s Role in Silencing Rab8A in Colorectal Cancer
  Rachel Edens-Valentine, Sarah A. Dooley, Melinda A. Engevik, and Amy C. Engevik
  Department of Regenerative Medicine and Cell Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston SC
• 4:40 - 4:55 PM
  ABSTRACT 049 - Mechanistic Investigation of Mutated β-Catenin Regulation of POU2F1/OCT1 in Hepatocellular Carcinoma
  FNU Shahjahan¹, Junyan Tao^1,2, and Satdarshan P. Monga^{1,2
  1}Organ Pathobiology and Therapeutics Institute, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, ²Pittsburgh Liver Research Center, University of Pittsburgh and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA
• 4:55 - 5:10 PM
  ABSTRACT 050 - Resensitizing Therapy-Resistant Anoxic Metastatic Melanoma Cells
  Daryl Forney¹, Mariella Andrews², Tejaswini Kannan¹, Gustavo Untiveros², and Luigi Strizzi^{1,2
  1}College of Osteopathic Medicine, and ²College of Graduate Studies, Department of Pathology, Midwestern University, Downers Grove, IL
• 5:10 - 5:25 PM 
  ABSTRACT 051 - Understanding the Consequences of P2Y1 Purinergic Signaling in Colorectal Cancer
  Ana G. Pettijohn, and Kristen A. Engevik
  Department of Regenerative Medicine and Cell Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston SC

5:30 - 6:00 PM
Closing Remarks/Announcement of Award Recipients
Pilar Alcaide, PhD, ASIP President, ASIP President
Sarah Dooley
Maria Zambrano

7:00 PM
Meeting Adjournment