The Rocket City will become Genome City when researchers gather here for the sixth annual Immunogenomics conference.

Leading immunology and genomics researchers from around the globe will convene at the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology Oct. 1-3 for the conference.

Immunogenomics lies at the intersection of immunology and genomics and explores the ways in which the human genome interacts with disease. Researchers, students and academics discuss what’s next in the field and how it will help shape the future of human health.

In its sixth year, the Immunogenomics conference is truly international, attracting science leaders, faculty and students from a dozen countries who have the opportunity to learn more about not only HudsonAlpha but also the Rocket City.

HudsonAlpha will host the sixth annual Immunogenomics Conference on Oct. 1-3.

“Everyone who comes here always talks about how great the city of Huntsville is and how they enjoyed being on the HudsonAlpha campus,” said Dr. Devin Absher, faculty investigator at HudsonAlpha and conference organizer. “And at no other conference will you be able to eat dinner under the Saturn V rocket at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center.”

Absher serves as a conference committee chair along with Dr. Jian Han, a HudsonAlpha faculty investigator and founder of associate company and conference sponsor, iRepertoire. The company offers reagents and services to amplify and sequence the immune repertoire – a “logbook” of all current and past infections someone has experienced.

“Immune repertoire is the best biomarker because our adaptive immune system uses these receptors as disease sensors in response to disease-specific antigens,” said Han.

Han will present during day three of the conference and discuss the latest research and developments from iRepertoire. In addition, conference attendees will hear keynote presentations from Dr. Jeff Bluestone of the University of California, San Francisco; Dr. Mark Davis of Stanford University; Dr. Ellen Rothenberg of the California Institute of Technology; and Dr. Cisca Wijemga of the University Medical Center Groningen.

Early registration rates are available now through Sept. 6. HudsonAlpha is also offering discounts for academics, students, and nonprofit and government employees. For information/registration, visit immunogenomicsconference.org.