The Immunology Bootcamp series at ACR Convergence 2026 offers a rare, convenient opportunity for rheumatology fellows, residents, and others to expand their knowledge of rheumatic diseases and treatment options. Across two lectures, Varitka Kesarwani, MBBS, Assistant Professor in the Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology at the University of Vermont’s Robert Larner, MD College of Medicine, will review the foundational mechanisms of immunology to help attendees build a mental framework they can leverage with patients in the clinic.
“My goal is to give attendees a mental model of the immune system: what it normally does, what happens when it breaks down, and how we manipulate it to treat autoimmune diseases,” Dr. Kesarwani explained.
Immunology Bootcamp I – Basic Principles will take place on Sunday, November 8, from 3:30–4:30 p.m., in Room W311EF of the Orange County Convention Center. This session will cover the two arms of the immune system, innate and adaptive, and how they work together in a healthy person to recognize and respond to foreign pathogens. Dr. Kesarwani will then explain how these normal processes can become dysfunctional, and she’ll introduce the basic mechanisms of autoimmunity that lead to rheumatic disease.
On Monday, November 9, from 10–11 a.m., in Room W308, Immunology Bootcamp II – Applying Principles to Practice will build on Sunday’s lecture and focus on how clinicians can modify the immune system to treat autoimmune disease. Dr. Kesarwani will review the major classes of drugs used in rheumatology, how they work, and where they act in the immune pathway. Rather than going disease by disease, the session will provide a general framework linking each drug’s immune target to its clinical use.
A recording of Bootcamp II will be available for on-demand viewing following ACR Convergence 2026 to registered participants.
A key principle throughout the series is that the immune system works as one integrated whole.
“Immunology is very complex, and it’s all interconnected,” Dr. Kesarwani said. “While we make divisions to help clarify our understanding, all the compartments of the immune system work in tandem with each other.”
For that reason, a single drug that targets a shared immune pathway can often treat several autoimmune diseases. Clinicians who understand how the arms of the immune system interact will be better able to explain disease processes and choose appropriate treatments.
According to Dr. Kesarwani, the bootcamp will strengthen attendees’ understanding of immunology and immunomodulatory therapies. She believes it will also help trainees communicate more confidently with their patients.
“Any time we see patients coming to our clinic, they ask, ‘What is my disease? Why are you choosing this treatment for me? How long will I be on it? What happens when I stop taking it?’ If attendees can answer these questions for themselves and their patients, I would consider this series a success,” Dr. Kesarwani said.
JOIN US IN ORLANDO
If you haven’t registered for ACR Convergence 2026, register today to participate in this year’s premier rheumatology experience, November 6–11 in Orlando, Florida. All registered participants receive on-demand access to scientific sessions after the meeting through September 30, 2027.
