Vasculata

Registration for Vasculata 2025 is open.

Early Bird Registration Rates
(early bird ends on June 3)

Trainee (students and postdocs) members of NAVBO: $175USD ($225 after June 3)

Non-member trainees: $255USD ($305USD after June 3))

All undergraduate students: $100USD ($125USD after June 3))

NAVBO Regular Members: $425USD ($475USD after June 3))

Non-members who are faculty, PIs, etc.: $525USD ($575USD after June 3))

There will be a $25 fee for workshops. Sessions on career development are free.

Consider joining NAVBO to save on your registration plus receive other benefits as well - https://members.navbo.org/member-application

REGISTER NOW

Cancellation Policy

Cancellations must be in writing.
Cancellations received by June 7 will receive a refund less $50 processing fees. No refunds after June 7.

Abstracts submission deadline has been extended to May 15!!!

The submission site is open.

When preparing your abstract:

• Abstract Size and Limitations: Titles of abstracts are limited to 250 characters; the abstract text is limited to 2,000 characters (this number includes spaces and punctuation).
• Format: Do not include authors’ names and affiliations within the abstract body. The name of your company or institution will appear as it does in the entry you create for authors. Remember to add yourself as an author.
• Enter institution names exactly the same for all authors from a single institution.
• Enter complete information for all co-authors including their email addresses.
• Do not include references, credits or grant support in your abstract; however, these should be acknowledged within your poster.
• Proofread abstracts carefully to avoid errors before submission. No proof pages will be sent to authors, but you can preview your abstract within the site for accuracy.
• The presenter is responsible for expenses associated with the presentation of an abstract and attendance at the meeting (if you need financial assistance, apply for a scholarship).
• Incomplete abstracts will be deleted on May 31, 2024.
• All abstracts will be presented as Posters.

Topics for poster presentations are:

Bioengineering
Cardiovascular Disease
Cell Biology
Cerebrovascular
Development
Disease
Genetics
Homeostasis
Imaging
Inflammation
Lymphatics
Organ Specific
Signaling
Other Vascular Biology

Submit your abstract.

A number of scholarships will be available based on need.  The value of scholarships and the number of scholarships is yet to be determined.

The deadline for applications is May 15.

Applications will be accepted online only through May 15.

Applications must include the following:

1) Responses to the four questions below.

• Please provide a summary of your project in layman's terms. Describe in 300 words or less, the disease or basic scientific question that you are investigating, the hypothesis, methods used, results and conclusions.
• Where do you, the applicant, see yourself in five years?  Describe in 100 words your professional goals and plans.
• What is the main reason that we should select you for this scholarship? Describe in 100 words, any circumstances which the committee should be informed of to make their decision. 
• How will you spend the money? Describe in 100 words, how you will use the scholarship money.  Be as specific as possible.

2) A letter from the applicant's supervisor/PI that

• verifies your status within the lab/department (Be specific--3rd year graduate student; post doc in lab for two years, etc.)
• confirms that there are little to no funds available for the applicant to attend Vasculata

3.) Applicant's CV

ALL documents should be in pdf format.

Be sure you have all supporting documents on hand when completing this form.    You will not be able to save and return to the form.

Submit your scholarship application here.

The following workshops will be held:

Women in Science Career Development*

Grant Writing Workshop (two available times)  

Vascular Engineering Workshop

Omics Workshop
Multi-omics in lung vasculature

Vascular homeostasis in the lungs is vital for maintaining the proper function of the pulmonary vascular system, ensuring efficient gas exchange, and preserving the integrity of the alveolar-capillary barrier. The lung microvascular niche components, including cell-cell crosstalk, extracellular matrix (ECM), and hemodynamic forces are all of pivotal importance for regulating endothelial maturation and maintaining tissue homeostasis.

Multi-omics technologies have emerged as powerful tools to characterize the complex cellular and molecular landscape of this niche. Leveraging this tool, we previously investigated the cellular heterogeneity in native and bioengineered pulmonary vasculature. We have also developed scRNAseq-based computational tools to profile ligand/receptor interactions in the lung, identifying several native cell-cell crosstalk paracrine factors enriched in human lung microvascular niche that regulate vascular functions.

In this talk, I will present our efforts to use multi-omics to improve our understanding of local microenvironmental components in the lung vascular niche in contributing to vascular homeostasis. I will also discuss how these insights can improve the fidelity of in vitro bioengineered vascular systems and inform the development of therapeutic strategies for lung vascular disorders. Attendees will also participate in the hands-on session using scRNAseq-based tools to analyze cell-cell communication within the lung vascular niche.

Vascular Bioprinting Workshop
During the vascular bioprinting workshop we will explore a brief history and survey of current advances in 3D bioprinting, address the utility of 3D printing for vascular medicine, and conduct an in-person demo from model design to fabrication for 3D bioprinting a vascular tissue engineered scaffold. Additional time will be provided to cover questions and application specific utility for attendees research questions. 

Workshops have limited attendance and there is a $25 fee.  Select workshops when registering.

*There is no fee for the Career Development Workshop.  

Vasculata 2025 is taking place at the University of Pittsburgh

School of Medicine
Scaife Hall
3550 Terrace Street
Pittsburgh PA 15213

Housing

We have secured enough dormitory housing to accommodate all Vasculata participants.

Bouquet Gardens
300 S Bouquet St
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
View Map

Each attendee will have their own bedroom within a four-bedroom apartment.  There are two bathrooms, each to be shared with one other attendee.  There is also a shared living space.

Check in will begin July 7 and check out is July 10.  The meeting will begin on Monday, July 7 at noon, giving you the morning to travel to the site.  It is $250 for all three nights - this includes all fees, but does not include food.  There are many nearby eateries.  

Add the housing when registering.  

For International Travelers to NAVBO Meetings

NAVBO is happy to help you in acquiring a Visa in order to facilitate your attendance at one of our meetings by issuing a letter of invitation, however, the following is required:

Prior to receiving a letter of invitation, each individual requesting an invitation letter must first register and pay for the conference. Conference registration fees are refundable (less the designated processing fee) if the visa application is denied. The refund request must be received in writing.

Once the payment has been received, requests for Letters of Invitation should be addressed by email directly to Bernadette Englert at bernadette@navbo.org. Please note that each individual requesting an invitation letter must email a separate request.

A letter of invitation is issued solely for the purpose of assisting participants with visa applications. Such a letter does not imply any financial obligation on the part of NAVBO. All expenses incurred in relation to the meeting are the sole responsibility of the attendee(s).

Please note that we cannot guarantee that you will receive a visa. The decision to grant visas is at the sole discretion of the Embassy or Consulate offices. NAVBO will not be able to contact or intervene with Embassy or Consulate offices on your behalf. NAVBO cannot change the decision of the Embassy or Consulate offices should your application be denied.

The following information is required before a letter of invitation can be issued:

Your CV (curriculum vitae or resume)
Name as it appears on your passport
Title/Position (Professor, graduate student, postdoctoral fellow, etc.)
Institutional address
City, Province, Country, Postal Code
Personal Street Address
City, Province, Country, Postal Code
Email
Passport number
Date of issuance
Date of expiration
Place of issue
Date of Birth
Place of birth
Nationality

You should also indicate briefly why you want to attend the conference.

All letters of invitation are generic in nature and will be signed and sent in PDF format that can be printed by the requester(s). No mailed (postal) letters of invitation will be sent. Due to the costs involved, we cannot send letters of invitation via express mail services.

It is the traveler's responsibility to check and confirm current visa requirements to enter the United States. To see if you require a visa, please visit https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/wizard.html. NAVBO cannot be held responsible for travelers who do not confirm their visa requirements or who do not obtain the appropriate paperwork for travel to the conference.

For additional information regarding traveling in the United States, consult https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en.html or http://www.dhs.gov/how-do-i/visit-united-states.

Another helpful page is https://www.insuremytrip.com/research/us-travel-visa-information/ - please note we are NOT endorsing the services of Insure My Trip.

This procedure is intended to assist participants who need to obtain a visa to attend the conference and is not an official invitation covering fees and/or any other expenses or financial support for attendance. NAVBO does not assume responsibility for the outcome of your visa application.

SAFETY PLAN

The plan will be distributed to all attendees through the Vasculata 2025 meeting app (a pdf will be visible and readable in the app and accessible from the Home Screen). Our Code of Conduct (information concerning our anti-harassment policy and reporting of any harassment) is on the Vasculata 2025 web site managed by NAVBO, and all attendees are required to read and agree to this policy upon registering. The confirmation email, received upon registration, also includes a link to the Code of Conduct to remind all attendees that we expect them to adhere to our anti-harassment policy.

Anti-Harassment and Code of Conduct Policy
The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and the North American Vascular Biology Organization, organizers of Vasculata 2025, are dedicated to providing a harassment-free conference experience for everyone, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, physical appearance, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

We do not tolerate harassment of conference participants in any form. Sexual language and imagery are not appropriate for any conference venue and will not be tolerated. Conference participants violating these rules might be sanctioned or expelled from the conference without a refund at the discretion of the conference organizers.

Harassment includes, but is not limited to:

• Verbal comments and intimidation related to race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, age.
• Sexual images in public spaces.
• Deliberate intimidation, stalking, or following.
• Harassing photography or recording.
• Sustained disruption of talks or other events.
• Inappropriate physical contact.
• Unwelcome sexual attention.
• Advocating for, or encouraging, any of the above behavior.

Participants asked to stop any harassing behavior are expected to comply immediately. If a participant engages in harassing behavior, event organizers retain the right to take any actions to keep the event a welcoming environment for all participants. This includes warning the offender or expulsion from the conference with no refund.

Event organizers may take action to redress anything designed to, or with the clear impact of, disrupting the event or making the environment hostile for any participants. We expect participants to follow these rules at all event venues and event-related social activities.

If someone makes you or anyone else feel unsafe or unwelcome, please report it as soon as possible to any Vasculata staff person, the conference organizers, and/or the HHS Office for Civil Rights (see details below). Harassment and other code of conduct violations reduce the value of our event for everyone. You can make a report either personally or anonymously.

The University of Pittsburgh, NAVBO, and the Vasculata Conference is fully committed to providing a safe and welcoming environment to all participants. All attendees, speakers, organizers, session moderators and staff are required to read and agree to our Code of Conduct, which addresses the prohibition of harassment of any kind at Vasculata 2025.

Reporting and Resolution
Any violation of this policy should be reported. If you experience or witness discrimination, harassment, or bullying, you are encouraged to make your unease or disapproval known to the individual at the time the incident occurs, but only if you are comfortable doing so. You are also urged to report any incident by:

• Filing a complaint with the Vasculata organizers: Delphine Gomez (gomezd@pitt.edu), Partha Roy (par19@pitt.edu), or David Gau (gau@pitt.edu).
• Filing a complaint with the HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) by visiting their web site: https://www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/filing-a-complaint/index.html

Complaints should be filed as soon as possible after an incident. To ensure the prompt and thorough investigation of the complaint, the complainant should provide as much information as is possible, such as names, dates, locations, and steps taken. Those named above will investigate the alleged violation.

Please note that filing a complaint with the conference organizer(s) is not required before filing a complaint of discrimination with HHS OCR, and that seeking assistance from the conference organizer in no way prohibits filing complaints with HHS OCR as well. If a participant has concerns of harassment, including sexual harassment, discrimination, and other forms of inappropriate conduct at NIH-supported conferences, you can also notify NIH. See the information on this web page: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/policy/harassment/find-help.htm

If an investigation results in a finding that an individual has committed a violation of the conference Code of Conduct, the organizers will take the actions necessary to protect those involved in its activities from any future discrimination, harassment, or bullying, including in appropriate circumstances the removal of an individual from the current activity and a ban on participation in future activities.