Lab Members Present at 2026 Department of Surgery Research Symposium

The University of Arizona Department of Surgery was proud to host the 2026 Research Symposium, bringing together faculty, residents, fellows, students, and research teams for a day focused on scientific discovery, collaboration, and innovation across surgical research. It was great to see the depth and quality of work showcased throughout our department, from transplantation and immunology to regenerative medicine and translational science.

We were honored to welcome Dr. Ali Naji, the Jonathan E. Rhoads Professor of Surgical Science II from the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine as this year’s keynote speaker. His lecture, “Drug Repurposing: From Cancer to Transplantation and Autoimmunity,” was a fascinating and remarkable look into transplantation immunobiology and autoimmune disease. It was an excellent representation and an insight into the standard of work needed to continue to push the boundaries of therapeutic development.

Congratulations to all the presenters, trainees, and investigators who shared their work throughout the symposium. Our lab featured oral presentations from Maria Gracia Mora Pinos and Andrew Hostler, oral quick shot presentations from Kento Takaya, Abdelrahman Alsharif, and Fidel Saenz, and poster presentations from Emily Galvin, Lule Latifi, Katya Bogatova, Autumn Lester, and Kento Takaya.

Special congratulations to Kellen Chen, who received a Victor M. Bernhard mid-career faculty award, and Kento Takaya, who received a Richard and Jan Highberger Research Award.

Thanks to Dr. Kenneth Liechty, the organizing committee, and everyone who helped make this year’s symposium such a success! We are grateful for the opportunity to come together as a department to celebrate research, mentorship, and the people driving innovation at the University of Arizona.