The “Mitochondria and Immunity” international academic conference was held in Beijing from September 23 to 25. This event was jointly organized by Nankai University’s College of Life Sciences in collaboration with the journals Nature Cell Biology, Nature Metabolism, and Nature Immunology. Co-sponsors included the Chinese Society for Immunology, the National Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry and Biology, and the National Key Laboratory of Immunology and Inflammation.

The conference welcomed 16 international scholars from prestigious universities, along with over 10 domestic experts in the fields of mitochondria and immunology, as well as editors from the aforementioned journals. It included five keynote speeches and a total of 25 academic presentations, attracting more than 300 registered participants from home and abroad. Additionally, over 10 leading biopharmaceutical and related tech companies showcased their work at the event.

The conference opened on the morning of September 23, with the head of the College of Life Sciences presiding over the ceremony. Cao Xuetao, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and Deputy Director of the National Health Commission, delivered a keynote address.

Deborah Sweet, Executive Vice President of Nature Portfolio, spoke at the event.

Wang Zhe, Senior Editor of Nature Cell Biology, delivered remarks as well.

The conference featured five thematic sessions, each comprising invited and selected presentations, with a total of 25 distinguished scientists exploring key topics in the field. The first session, themed on “Mitochondria Structure and Biochemistry”, was chaired by Prof. Luca Scorrano from the University of Padova and Prof. Chen Zhixing from Peking University. Jodi Nunnari, a member of the National Academy of Sciences, presented the first report focusing on mitochondrial behavior. Professors Stefan Jakobs, Luca Scorrano, and Julien Prudent discussed the critical role of mitochondrial morphology in maintaining normal cellular functions, as well as advanced precision instruments for observing mitochondrial structure.

The second session, themed “Mitochondria Homeostasis and Dynamics”, was held on the afternoon of September 23. Prof. Chen Quan from Nankai University presented on “FUNDC1 Regulates Mitochondrial Homeostasis and Suppresses Autoimmune Disorders”. Valentina Perissi delivered an insightful report on mitochondrial homeostasis. Professors Orian Shirihai and Koji Okamoto discussed the relationships between mitochondria, lipid storage, and autophagy.

The third session (themed on “Mitochondria in Innate Immunity”) and the fourth session (themed on “Mitochondria in Adaptive Immunity”) were held on September 24. Cao Xuetao, Luke O’Neill, Tiffany Horng, and Prof. Liu Juan explored the roles of mitochondria in immunity and inflammation. Shorheh Issazade-Navikas and Maria Mittelbrunn presented on how metabolic reprogramming influences cell fate and the immune system’s contributions to aging. Ana Victoria Lechuga-Vieco and Bo Huang discussed mitochondrial metabolic remodeling, the role of glycerol metabolism in antitumor immunity, and the role of mitochondrial ammonia on CD8+ T cell fate.

The fifth session, themed “Targeting Mitochondria in Disease”, was held on the morning of September 25. It was chaired by Prof. Vojo Deretic from the University of New Mexico and Prof. Zhang Yuxia. Laura Greaves from the UK and Richard Youle from the US addressed the impact of mitochondrial DNA mutations on aging and cancer, as well as the connections between mitophagy, inflammation, and neurodegenerative diseases.

On the afternoon of September 24, a special “Meet-the-Editor” event took place, featuring senior editors from Nature engaging in in-depth discussions with faculty and students.

The conference received 40 abstracts and 19 poster submissions, resulting in two first prizes and five second prizes awarded for outstanding poster presentations.

（Edited and translated by Nankai News Team.)