The Antibody Society

the official website of the antibody society

The Adaptive Immune Receptor Repertoire Community of The Antibody Society

You are here: Home / Archives for AIRR Community

AIRR-C Meeting VII: A Landmark in AIRR Research!

by

The AIRR-C VII Meeting, held from June 3-6, 2024, at the Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, Portugal, was a triumph, highlighting the latest in AIRR research. We delved into “Fundamental Immunological Processes and Human Diseases” through dedicated and groundbreaking discussions. Challenge sessions included Germline Gene Diversity where we explored interindividual variability in AIRRs with major implications for disease and vaccine prediction and Machine Learning Approaches which showcased AIRRs’ potential in predicting disease outcomes and discovering new therapeutic targets. 

Key Highlights

The success of AIRR-C VII was bolstered by the generous support of our 19 sponsors and partners, whose contributions were instrumental. We extend our heartfelt thanks to all who supported us. The event drew a diverse global audience with 182 in-person attendees and 31 remote participants from 26 countries, marking an increase from 2022. Our exceptional program featured 16 invited speakers, 10 contributed talks, 96 research posters, 11 Working Group and Sub-Committee posters, and a dynamic mix of sessions including 10 lightning demos and 9 deep dive tutorials. Participants engaged in hands-on, one-hour “deep dive” tutorials and short 10-minute “lightning” demonstrations of innovative software and tools, enhancing their technical skills and knowledge.

Early career researchers and students actively participated in career development activities alongside the scientific program. “Networking is in the AIRR” featured a speed networking event connecting early career scientists with established AIRR researchers, fostering invaluable connections across sectors and research areas. A career development panel discussion offered insights into diverse career paths within AIRR research, complementing the scientific sessions and providing opportunities for direct engagement with experts.

As part of the Industry Networking Reception, a special “hot topics in the field” round table session provided a unique opportunity for industry partners and scientific researchers to engage in exciting discussions. Moderated by pairs of AIRR-C Working Group Co-leaders and Industry Partners, these sessions focused on future needs and challenges in key areas such as “Antibody Discovery,” “AIRR-seq epitope/antigen annotation,” “Datasets and applications/tools for mining the repertoire,” “Biological Standards/Controls/Methods,” and “Data sharing & data standards for AIRR analysis and software.” The goal of these discussions was to gather input and ideas to shape the future of AIRR research.

Looking Ahead

AIRR-C VII has set a new standard for excellence. We eagerly anticipate the AIRR-C VIII meeting in 2026, where we will continue driving the exciting advancements in immunogenetics.

For more information, visit [Event Website] or contact us at [Contact Information] or follow us at #AIRRC8.

Monday, June 3rd is the Big Day!

by

AIRR-C Meeting VII – Learnings and Perspectives is starting this Monday, June 3rd, at the Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto, in Porto, Portugal. This meeting is the regular main event of the AIRR Community and allows participants (both in-person and virtual)to enjoy a variety of scientific presentations, discussions, and poster sessions to stay up-to-date with the most recent developments in the field. It is also a great opportunity to engage with colleagues and industry sponsors, and to help early career researchers such as graduate students and post-docs learn more about possible opportunities. A huge thank you to all our sponsors who make this event possible. Your support is invaluable and greatly appreciated!

Check out the full agenda and more details on the meeting page: https://tinyurl.com/airrcmeeting7.

Use the hashtag #AIRRC7 in social media to follow and share content about AIRR-C Meeting VII.

AIRR Community Meeting VII 2024 Sponsors Infographic

Improve your BCR sequencing analysis with refined IG reference germline sets

by

An important aspect of the adaptive immune receptor repertoire analysis is the identification of the V, D, and J genes contributing to the rearranged sequences. Often, the identification of the specific genes requires the use of a reference set of known immune receptor allelic germline variants. Since early meetings of the Adaptive Immune Receptor Repertoire Community (AIRR-C), members of the community have expressed the need to have access to germline sets open to everybody (including industry) that didn’t present known issues in the available germline sets such as different nomenclatures and the requirement of buying licenses. In February 2024, the Germline Database Working Group (GLDB WG) published the manuscript “AIRR-C IG Reference Sets: curated sets of immunoglobulin heavy and light chain germline genes” introducing the AIRR-C human immunoglobulin germline gene reference. This reference is available for download at OGRDB and also available for use in IgBLAST. The AIRR-C IG Reference Sets follow the FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) and require a minimally restricted licence.

In episode 15 of the On AIRR podcast, Dr. William Lees (researcher at University of London and co-leader of the GLDB WG) and Dr. Corey Watson (associate professor at the University of Louisville) explain in detail the context and expectations of this effort, a major achievement of the group. Watson highlights the impressive effort that it has been for the community to get on the same page, and reach a consensus that could be materialized in these new reference sets, all during a time where the field has matured and evolved in multiple levels. “It has taken us a lot to think how to build a system that is able to accommodate all the elements and also be responsive to changes in the future. We have established a foundation that we can use to build on top of”, Watson says. Good traceability and reproducibility were also requirements from the community. In that sense, Lees explains that “the sets are free to use, can be downloaded through a REST API, they also have a DOI number, so every time a set changes, we create a new DOI, so it is a good reference to put in a paper”.

If you want to learn about the recent innovations and challenges in the generation, curation and analysis of antibody/B-cell and T-cell receptor repertoire data, and in particular in the development and use of germline resources, don’t miss the “AIRR-C Challenge Session: Using IG and TR germline resources for advancing immunobiology” in the upcoming hybrid “AIRR Community Meeting VII – Learnings and Perspectives”.

Registration Reminder for AIRR-C Meeting VII!

by

Register for AIRR-C Meeting VII! Once registered, remember to sign up for the workshops and tutorials through the Whova meeting app. Also, if you haven’t already, be sure to sign up for the fabulous Cálem Port Wine Cellars Tour & Group Dinner. Tickets are almost sold out!

We now also have some striking t-shirts available for purchase in our Porto collection.

April 25th AIRR-C seminar: antibody-antigen interactions in the spotlight

by

AIRR Community Seminar Series 2024 04 April

Registration for the April 25th (4:00 PM – 5:30 PM CET) AIRR-C Seminar Series session is open. Following the usual format of the series, an established and an early career scientist will discuss their AIRR-seq related research. Ivelin Georgiev, of Vanderbilt University Medical Center, will present “Antibody Discovery Using LIBRA-seq”. Next, Marta T. Borowska, of Stanford University, will present “Biochemical and biophysical characterization of natural polyreactivity in antibodies”. Register now!

Visit the AIRR Community Seminar Series website to learn more about this monthly series and access the recordings of past sessions.