Conferences and symposiums NK50 Symposium: 50 Years of NK Cell Research
Join us in celebrating 50 years of groundbreaking NK cell research at the NK50 symposium on October 14, 2025, at Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm. This event marks a significant milestone in immunology, reflecting on past achievements and exploring future directions.
Please note: The symposium is now fully booked and registration is closed.
A groundbreaking discovery
In 1975, researchers at Karolinska Institutet, led by Rolf Kiessling, Eva Klein, and Hans Wigzell, made a groundbreaking discovery that would change the landscape of immunology – the Natural Killer (NK) cell. This milestone marked the beginning of a new era in understanding how the immune system combats cancer and viral infections. Now, fifty years later, we celebrate this achievement with a one-day symposium on October 14, 2025, at Karolinska Institutet.
History, present and future
The symposium aims to reflect on the historical journey of NK cell research while highlighting current breakthroughs and future directions in this field. Specifically, the first half of the symposium will focus on the history of NK cells, tracing their discovery and the key milestones that have shaped our understanding of their role in the immune system.
The second half will concentrate on where NK cell research stands today in terms of clinical application, exploring how recent advancements in NK cell-based therapies are transforming cancer treatment and patient care, with a particular emphasis on their potential to revolutionize the management of various malignancies.
This event is strategically timed to coincide with the 50th annual meeting of the Scandinavian Society for Immunology (SSI), which will take place in Stockholm from October 15 to 17, 2025.
For questions, please contact Carin Dahlberg (Carin.Dahlberg@ki.se).
Preliminary Scientific program
Registration
Welcome address and information
Organizing committee
The pre-NK cell era
Discovery of NK cells – spontaneous cytotoxicity and a unique cell
NK cell-target cell recognition – NK cell recognition of “missing self”
Coffee break
Identification of NK cell inhibitory receptors
Wayne Yokoyama, Washington University
Five decades of NK cell research
Lewis Lanier, University of California San Francisco
Lunch
What makes NK cells special? Lessons from studying NK cell development
Emily Mace, Columbia University Medical Center
Short talks
NK cell biology - lessons from inborn errors of immunity - Yenan Bryceson
Can AI spot a serial killer? - Björn Önfelt
Spatial adaptations of human NK cells in the lung tumor microenvironment - Nicole Marquardt
Coffee break
NK cell activation: receptors/ligands and beyond
Heidi Cerwenka, Heidelberg University
Short talks
Transient tissue residency and lymphatic egress define human CD56bright NK cell homeostasis - Annika Niehrs
Pan-cancer profiling of tumor-infiltrating NK cells - Aline Pfefferle
The next chapter - harnessing the missing-self in allogeneic NK cell therapies - Ebba Sohlberg
Harnessing NK cells in cancer therapies
Eric Vivier, Aix Marseille Université - CIML
Decoding and rewiring NK cell persistence
Kalle Malmberg, University of Oslo
Closing remarks
Hans-Gustaf Ljunggren and Andreas Lundkvist
NK cell 50-years reception
For all speakers, organizers and participants in the NK50 meeting, Medical Student Association, KI Campus, Solna