The Lymphatic Forum 2025 (LF2025) is the sixth iteration of this biennial event that brings together researchers from around the world to present and discuss studies of lymphatics in health and disease.
The meeting has been organized by Tsutomu Kume, Northwestern University, Jan Kitajewski and Hyun Min Jung, University of Illinois at Chicago.
Abstracts are due March 24, 2025 – Click here to submit your abstract.
Registration Rates
Early Bird Discount ends April 14, 2025
| NAVBO and LE&RN* Regular Members | $550USD |
| NAVBO Trainees and LE&RN* Students and Postdocs | $400USD |
| Non-Members | $700USD |
| Faculty at Northwestern or University of Illinois, Chicago | $450USD |
| Trainees* at Northwestern or University of Illinois, Chicago | $350USD |
*LE&RN members will need to enter a promo code in order to receive the member discounts. This promocode will be provided to you by LE&RN. Contact [email protected] to get your code.
Regular Rates apply from April 15 through June 10, 2025 (after June 10, onsite registration only)
| NAVBO and LE&RN Regular Members | $600USD |
| NAVBO Trainees and LE&RN Students and Postdocs | $450USD |
| Non-Members | $750USD |
| Faculty at Northwestern or University of Illinois, Chicago | $500USD |
| Trainees* at Northwestern or University of Illinois, Chicago | $400USD |
Onsite registrations will be charged an additional $50 per person.
Cancellation Policy:
Cancellations must be in writing. Cancellations received by May 15 will receive a refund less $100 processing fees. No refunds after May 15.
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Conference Hotel –
Please book your room at the conference’s hotel:
DoubleTree by Hilton Chicago – Magnificent Mile
300 E. Ohio St.
Chicago, IL 60611
Hotel Website
Rooms have been reserved for our attendees from June 11 to June 14 (three nights).The rate is $259 a night plus taxes and fees for single, double, triple and quadruple occupancy. Rooms have two queen beds.
If you wish to extend your stay, you can add up to three nights at the conference rate if rooms are available. Sorry, there are no rooms available prior to the meeting.
Make your reservations by May 11, 2025 – after this date, unreserved rooms will be released to the public and our group rate is no longer available.
The hotel’s cancellation policy: no penalty if cancelled more than 72 hours prior to arrival; within the 72 hours, there is a one night room and tax penalty fee.
Lymphatic Forum 2025 – Preliminary Program |
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| Day 1 – Thursday, June 12 | ||
| 8:20-8:30am | Welcome Remarks: Tsutomu Kume, Northwestern University | |
| 8:30-12:00pm | Plenary Session 1 – Lymphatics Development and Differentiation Chair: Hyun-Min Jung, University of Illinois, Chicago | |
| 8:30-9:00am | Novel insights into lymphatic-associated organs and cells from the zebrafish Brant Weinstein (NICHD/NIH) | |
| 9:00-9:30am | Mechanisms of lymphatic vascular specialization Tatiana Petrova (University of Lausanne, Switzerland) | |
| 9:30-10:00am | Developmental evolution and plasticity of lymphatic endothelial cells Ben Hogan (Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Australia) | |
| 10:00-10:30am | Coffee Break | |
| 10:30-11:00am | Mapping chromatin landscape and regulatory logic behind lymphatic endothelial cell differentiation Kaska Koltowska (Uppsala University, Sweden) | |
| 11:00-11:30am | A novel neuro-lymphatic communication regulates lymphatic development and function Xiaolei Liu (Temple University) | |
| 11:30am-12:00pm | Short Talk - Lyve1-driven NrasQ61R expression causes edema, enlarged lymphatic vessels, and hepatic vascular defects in embryonic mice Charles McDaniel, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center Short Talk - Connexin 37 and cell cycle regulation of lymphatic valve morphogenesis Madeline Jackson, University of Virginia | |
| 12:00-1:30pm | Lunch (on your own) For Trainees: Career Development Round Table – Learning networking skills ($10 pre-registration required/includes lunch) | |
| 1:30-5:00pm | Plenary Session 2 – Lymphatic Fluid Regulation Chair: Tsutomu Kume, Northwestern University | |
| 1:30-2:00pm | Unraveling the meningeal lymphatics and their connections for cerebrospinal fluid drainage Gou Young Koh (KAIST, South Korea) | |
| 2:00-2:30pm | High resolution in vivo imaging of cerebrospinal fluid clearance to lymphatics Steven Proulx (University of Bern, Switzerland) | |
| 2:30-3:00pm | Short Talk - Distinct Role of Dural and Leptomeningeal Macrophages in Maintaining Cerebrospinal Fluid Drainage to Meningeal Lymphatic Vessels Shan Liao, University of Calgary Short Talk - Identification of Slc22a1 (Oct1) as a novel marker of lymphatic muscle cells Michael Detmar, ETH Zurich | |
| 3:00-3:30pm | Break | |
| 3:30-4:00pm | Unique properties of lymphatic muscle cells enable spontaneous, phasic contractions Michael Davis (University of Missouri) | |
| 4:00-4:30pm | The function of TSC protein in lymphatics Ying Yang (University of South Florida) | |
| 4:30-5:00pm | Short Talk - Store-operated calcium entry in mouse lymphatic muscle cells: A new paradigm to explore Soumiya Pal, University of Missouri Short Talk - The thrombin receptor PAR1 orchestrates Changes in Lymphatic endothelial cell junction morphology to augment lymphatic drainage during lung injury Chou Chou, Weill Cornell Medicine | |
| 5:30-7:30pm | Welcome Dinner | |
| 7:30-9:30pm | Poster Presentation 1 | |
| Day 2 – Friday, June 13 | ||
| 8:30am-12:00pm | Plenary Session 3 – Lymphatic-Immune Crosstalk Chair: Kathleen Caron, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | |
| 8:30-9:00 | Immunological implications of lymphatic function in tumors Melody Swartz (University of Chicago) | |
| 9:00-9:30am | Uncovering roles for lymph nodes in metastatic progression and tumor immunotherapy Nathan E. Reticker-Flynn (Stanford University) | |
| 9:30-10:00am | Navigating immunity: Leukocyte-lymphatic crosstalk Cornelia Halin Winter (ETH Zurich, Switzerland) | |
| 10:00-10:30am | Coffee Break | |
| 10:30-11:00am | Lymphatic drainage from the intestine Gwendalyn J. Randolph (Washington University) | |
| 11:00-11:30am | Regulation of lymphatic function during acute lung injury Hasina Outtz Reed (Weill Cornell) | |
| 11:30am-12:00pm | Short Talk - Modulation of lymphatic endothelial nitric oxide regulates the progression of cardiometabolic heart failure Skylar Loeb, University of Virginia School of Medicine Short Talk - Investigating the mechanisms of Helicobacter hepaticus mediated lymphangiogenesis and tertiary lymphoid structure formation Katelyn Wolfgang, University of Pittsburgh | |
| 12:00-1:30pm | Lunch (on your own) For Trainees: Career Development Round Table – Managing Your Career ($10 pre-registration required/includes lunch) | |
| 1:30-4:20pm | Plenary Session 4 – Lymphatics in Metabolism Chair: Guillermo Oliver, Northwestern University | |
| 1:30-2:00pm | Ameliorating metabolic syndrome: Foxc2 as novel target Hong Chen (Harvard Medical School) | |
| 2:00-2:30pm | Mechanisms of lymphatic growth and specialization Michael Potente (Berlin Institute of Health, Germany) | |
| 2:30-3:00pm | Collecting lymphatic vessel dysfunction in obesity and dyslipidemia Jorge Castorena-Gonzalez (Tulane University) | |
| 3:00-3:20pm | Break | |
| 3:20-3:50pm | Shape-shifters in the vasculature Susan Quaggin (Northwestern University) | |
| 3:50-4:20pm | Short Talk - Lymphatic endothelial Piezo1–TRPV4 signaling in obesity Yen-Lin Chen, University of Virginia Short Talk - The functional roles of TGFβ signaling in regulating cardiac lymphangiogenesis and cardiac repair after myocardial ischemia Esteban Delgado, Temple University | |
| 4:20-4:30pm | Break | |
| 4:30-6:00pm | Plenary Session 5 – Unsolved Issues and Gaps in Lymphatic Disease Chair: Carrie Shawber, Columbia University | |
| 4:30-4:50pm | Pharmacologic therapy for regional lymphedema: A systemic disease? Stanley Rockson (Stanford University) | |
| 4:50-5:10pm | Podoplanin hetero-insufficiency mice with inflammation in the jejunum demonstrates a good animal model of congenital protein-losing enteropathy with lymphangioectasia Toshio Ohashi (Shinshu University, Japan) | |
| 5:10-5:30pm | Management of lymphatic anomalies: development of novel therapies and challenges June Wu (Columbia University) | |
| 5:30-6:00pm | Panel Discussion among above speakers | |
| 6:00-8:00pm | Dinner (on your own) | |
| 8:00-10:00pm | Poster Presentation 2 | |
| Day 3 – Saturday, June 14 | ||
| 8:15-9:15am | Young Investigator Session Chairs: Olivia Crawford, University of Connecticut and Mohammad Abdallah, Monash University Short Talk - A novel RAS inhibitor suppresses abnormal characteristics induced by NRAS Q61R in vitro Sara Alharbi, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center Short Talk - The role of the lymphatic system in cardiac growth, repair and regeneration Gal Perlmoter, Weizmann Institute Short Talk - The Notch3+ stroma in gut lymphatic-muscle development and stem cell homeostasis Liqing Huang, Cornell University Short Talk - Metabolically driven iPSC differentiation to generate robust and functional lymphatic endothelial cells Donghyun Jeong, University of Notre Dame | |
| 9:15am-12:00pm | Concurrent Session 1 (Disease-oriented) | |
| Lymphatic Disease Detection, Therapeutic Innovations, Clinical Trials Chair: June Wu, Columbia University | Lymphatic Malformation and Pathobiology and Clinical Trials Chair: Luisa Iruela-Arispe, Northwestern Univ | |
| 9:15-9:45am | Gaps in the current diagnosis, treatment, and control of Lymphatic Filariasis, a human tropical parasite Ramaswamy Kalyanasundaram (UIC) | Lymphatic anomalies: From genes and pathophysiology towards therapeutic trials Miikka Vikkula (UCLouvain, Belgium) |
| 9:45-10:15am | Surgical management of lymphedema David Chang (University of Chicago) | Proteostasis defects downstream of PI3K hyperactivation in lymphatic anomalies; A novel therapeutic target Carrie Shawber (Columbia University) |
| 10:15-10:45am | Leveraging biomaterials to improve lymphatic formation and function in lymphedema J. Brandon Dixon (Georgia Tech) | Medical management of lymphatic anomalies (Clinical trials and future trials) Denise Adams (Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia) |
| 10:45-11:00am | Coffee Break | |
| 11:00-11:30am | Diagnosis of lymphatic disease with MR lymphangiography Andreas Loening (Stanford University) | A single-cell atlas of normal and KRASG12D-malformed lymphatic vessels Michael Dellinger (UT Southwestern) |
| 11:30am-12:00pm | Intestinal lymph interactions in metabolic control Natalie Trevaskis (Monash University, Australia) | Cerebral venous blood flow regulates brain fluid clearance via meningeal lymphatics Jean-Leon Thomas (Yale University School of Medicine) |
| 12:00-12:30pm | Short Talk - Preliminary results of the European multicentric phase III trial regarding sirolimus in slow-flow vascular malformations Laurence Boon, Saint-Luc University Hospital Short Talk - Lymphatic pulsing anomalies preceding dermal backflow appearance and clinical breast cancer-related lymphedema Melissa Aldrich, UTHealth | Short Talk - Marfan Syndrome impairs the formation and function of lymphatic vessels in the mitral valves causing the progression of myxomatous valve degeneration Can Tan, Northwestern University Short Talk - KRAS mutations in lymphatic malformations degrade lymphatic valves through the plasminogen activator pathway and MMPs Diandra Mastrogiacomo, University of South Florida |
| 12:30-2:00pm | Lunch (on your own) | |
| 2:00-4:45pm | Concurrent Session 2 (Disease-oriented) | |
| Lymphatics, Cancer, and Metastasis Chair: Jan Kitajewski, UIC | Lymphatic Dysfunction in Human Diseases Chair: Stanley Rockson, Stanford University | |
| 2:00-2:30pm | Aging-induced changes in lymphatic system function Timothy Padera (Harvard Medical School) | Mechanisms underlying form and function of the contractile gut lymphatic system Natasza Kurpios (Cornell University) |
| 2:30-3:00pm | Cell migration in lymph node mimicking microenvironments Susan Thomas (Georgia Tech) | New insight about the functional roles of lymphatics in cardiac growth and repair Guillermo Oliver (Northwestern University) |
| 3:00-3:30pm | Tumor microenvironmental dynamics driving local and systemic T cell responses Dennis Jones (Boston University) | Phenotyping and genotyping of primary lymphatic anomalies Pia Ostergaard (St George’s University) |
| 3:30-3:45pm | Coffee Break | |
| 3:45-4:15pm | Microphysiological systems for lymphatic and cancer research Esak Lee (Cornell University) | Genomics informs precision medicine for individuals with lymphatic anomalies Sarah Sheppard (NIH) |
| 4:15-4:45pm | Short Talk - Transcriptomic analysis of tumor LECs and migratory leukocytes – A comparison between cold and hot tumors Marina Thoma, ETH Zurich Short Talk - Comprehensive 3D statistical atlases for predicting lymphatic drainage in breast cancer and cutaneous melanoma Hayley Reynolds, The University of Auckland | Short Talk - Liver lymphatic changes in biliary atresia from diagnosis to transplant Alyssa Goldberg, University of Colorado School of Medicine Short Talk - Adipose tissue expansion in obesogenic conditions can occur via Piezo2 in capillary lymphatic endothelium Zuzanna Juskiewicz, University of Virginia School of Medicine |
| 4:45-5:00pm | Poster Award Presentations Closing Remarks | |
Lymphatic Forum Sponsors
Career Luncheon Supporter
Lymphatic Forum Contributors
Funding for this conference was made possible (in part) by 1R13HL178275-01 from the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI). The views expressed in written conference materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services; nor does mention by trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
Funding for this conference was made possible (in part) by 1R13HL168860 from the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI). The views expressed in written conference materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services; nor does mention by trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.