Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center
AGENDA
2nd Annual IBD Research Symposium
March 27, 2026
Eric P. Newman Education Center (EPNEC), Seminar Room B
7:30 am – 8:15 am
8:15 am – 8:30 am
Welcome Breakfast/Sign in
Introductory remarks: Parakkal Deepak and Matthew A. Ciorba
KEYNOTE PRESENTATION
8:30 am – 9:00 am
Postoperative Crohn’s Disease: Understanding who is high risk for disease progression and Recurrence
Mark Silverberg, MD, PhD
Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Mt. Sinai/University of Toronto
SESSION 1: IBD Epithelium Pathways to Therapeutics-Part 1
Moderator: Matt Ciorba, MD
9:00 am – 9:15 am
Targeting Epithelium in IBD
Matt Ciorba, MD
9:15 am – 9:30 am
A Novel Epithelial Junction Gene, CGNL1, is Associated with Very Early Onset IBD
Kaiming Ma, Research Technician
9:30 am – 9:45am
Fungal Microbiota and Intestinal Wound Healing
Umang Jain, PhD
9:45 am – 10:00 am
Potassium Ion Channel Flux in Goblet Cells
Vivian Gonzalez-Perez, PhD
10:00 am – 10:15 am
NAD+ regulates gut epithelial cell differentiation
Ta-Chiang Liu, MD, PhD, AGAF
10:15 am – 10:25 am
Discussion led by moderator
10:25 am – 10:35 am
BREAK
SESSION 2: Disease Monitoring in IBD
Moderator: Parakkal Deepak, MBBS, MS
10:35 am – 10:50 am
Improving the Precision of Management in Perianal Crohn’s Disease through Radiomics
Parakkal Deepak, MBBS, MS
10:50 am – 11:05 am
Anti-IL23 Biomarkers of Response to Therapy
Siyan Cao, MD, PhD
11:05 am – 11:20 am
Novel PET Radiotracers Imaging Inflammation-fibrosis Axis
Yongjian Liu, PhD
11:20am – 11:35 am
Application of PET & MR Imaging in Refractory IBD
David Ballard, MD
11:35 am – 11:45 am
Discussion led by moderator
11:45 am -12:00 pm
BREAK/ Lunch
12:00 pm – 12:05 pm
Introduction
KEYNOTE PRESENTATION
12:05 pm – 12:55 pm
Understanding the Role of the Lymphatic System in the Pathogenesis of IBD
Gwendalyn Randolph, PhD
Emil R. Unanue Professor, Department of Pathology & Immunology, WashU Medicine
12: 55 pm – 1:10 pm
Discussion led by moderator
SESSION 3: IBD Immunology Pathways to Therapeutics-Part 2
Moderator: Matt Ciorba, MD
1:10 pm – 1:25 pm
Role of B Cell-derived Lymphotoxin in Crohn’s Disease-associated Cachexia
Quazim Alayo, MD, MSc
1:25 pm – 1:40 pm
Regulation of Intestinal Inflammation by Neuro Enteric Glia
Xue-Yan He, PhD
1:40 pm – 1:55 pm
Applications of Nonlinear Optical Microscopy to Understand IBD Pathogenesis
Janet Sorrells, PhD
1:55 pm – 2:10 pm
Driving Toward Cell-based Therapies in IBD
ZeNan Chang,MD, PhD
2:10 pm – 2:25 pm
Lymphatic Endothelial Cell TNFR1 Mediates Lymphangitis-associated Tertiary Lymphoid Structure Formation
Heather Ruiz, T32 Scholar PhD Candidate
2:25 pm – 2:40 pm
Discussion led by moderator
2:40 pm – 2:55 pm
BREAK
SESSION 4: Novel IBD Therapeutics Strategies: Closer to the Bedside in the Near Future
Moderator: Parakkal Deepak, MBBS, MS
2:55 pm – 3:10 pm
Novel Mouse Models and Therapeutic Targets for Perianal Fistulizing Crohn’s Disease
Xin Yao, MD
3:10 pm – 3:25pm
Thereaputic Relief of ER Stress Treats Colitis
Matthew A. Ciorba, MD
3:25 pm – 3:40 pm
Modulation of Visceral Adipose Tissue Compartment in IBD
Parakkal Deepak, MBBS, MS
3:40 pm – 3:50 pm
Discussion led by moderator
3:50 pm – 4:00 pm
Wrap Up/Closing Remarks
4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Social Hour