Date Posted: April 10, 2024
8th Annual Vivian W. Pinn Symposium graphic identifier

Join ORWH for the 8th Vivian W. Pinn Symposium, held annually during National Women’s Health Week. The symposium honors the office’s first full-time Director, Vivian W. Pinn, M.D., Senior Scientist Emerita at NIH’s Fogarty International Center. This year’s event is titled “Synergy in Science: Innovations in Autoimmune Disease Research and Care” and will focus on a convergence of cutting-edge insights and collaborative efforts related to autoimmune diseases. The event will feature renowned experts and thought leaders who will share their expertise and perspectives on various autoimmune disease topics. In line with ORWH’s mission to put science to work for the health of women, the symposium serves as a critical forum for experts across sectors to communicate and collaborate on the advancement of women’s health.

The keynote address, “Understanding the Immunome: Past, Present, Future,” will be provided by Jane Buckner, M.D., President of Benaroya Research Institute. In the afternoon a fireside chat, “Turning Hope into Action—Empowering Communities to Advance Science,” will be delivered by David Fajgenbaum, M.D., M.B.A., M.Sc., Co-Founder and President of Every Cure.

The objectives of the symposium are as follows:

  • Drivers of Autoimmunity: Understand the state of the science on sex-differences in autoimmune diseases, and what the future may hold for interventions.
  • NIH Research Frontiers: Explore innovations arising from NIH's intramural research programs, driving progress in autoimmune care through rigorous scientific inquiry and technological breakthroughs.
  • Advocacy Accelerating Treatments: Examine the synergy between patient advocacy and scientific progress, highlighting how collaborative efforts expedite the development of novel treatments for rare autoimmune diseases.
  • Research at the Bedside: Unravel the complexities of autoimmune diseases across the lifespan through patient-centric bedside research insights.  

The event will be held virtually on Wednesday, May 15, 2024, from 1 to 5 p.m. EDT. Click here to learn more about this year’s symposium and to sign up for registration.

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