WSAAI 2026 63rd Annual Scientific Session
The Western Society of Allergy Asthma & Immunology consistently delivers high-quality, scientific lectures in the field of Allergy & Clinical Immunology in a unique format promoting attendee interaction with some of the foremost researchers and clinicians in our specialty. Such conferences have been our notable achievement for over five decades. Among the subjects covered in the upcoming program address various topics around Asthma/COPD, EoE, Food Allergy, Drug Allergy/Biomarkers, Anaphylaxis and Atopic Dermatitis.
Accreditation
This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education through the joint providership of the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (ACAAI) and the Western Society of Allergy Asthma & Immunology (WSAAI). The American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (ACAAI) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
Designation
The American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (ACAAI) designates this live activity for a maximum of 20 AMA PRA Category 1 CreditsTM. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
CBRN
The American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (ACAAI) is a provider, approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider Number CEP17239, for 20 contact hours.
Commercial Support
This activity is supported in part by an independent medical education grant from Genentech, a member of the Roche Group.
Target Audience
Practicing allergists
Allied health care providers
Learning Objectives
At the end of this activity, participants should be able to:
ALLERGY PRACTICE:
• Describe the basic structure and elements of a GRADE document
• Detail methods used to critically appraise evidence, rate its quality, and formulate a recommendation
• Discuss how to translate evidence to a decision, assess its potential impact and implementation needs
ANAPHYLAXIS:
• Describe how epinephrine works to stabilize the mast cell
• Detail anaphylaxis epidemiology, PK/PD, and describe how route of administration affects absorbance and hemodynamics
• Discuss current evidence gaps and updated practice guidelines
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN CLINICAL MEDICINE
• Describe what artificial intelligence (AI) is and how it works.
• Discuss how AI relates to medicine, including key limitations and caveats associated with its use.
ASTHMA:
• Discuss the prevalence of small airway dysfunction and how to how to measure it in clinical practice
• Discuss the pathobiology of small airway inflammation and remodeling in asthma and COPD
• Recognize the clinical patterns and diagnostic challenges of recurrent wheeze and early childhood asthma and implement current guideline-directed therapies for preschool asthma
• Evaluate the role of emerging tools from biomarkers to biologic agents
• Discuss the functions of the airway epithelium and its role in host defense, particularly innate immune function, and in immune system reprogramming
ATOPIC DERMATITIS:
• Identify environmental exposures associated with atopic dermatitis flare risk
• Apply the HELPSS AD mnemonic to counsel patients on feasible nonprescription mitigation strategies for atopic dermatitis
• Evaluate the evidence supporting microbiome and lipidcentric interventions in AD
EOSINOPHILIC ESOPHAGITIS:
• Apply consensus diagnostic criteria to patient care in eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE).
• Incorporate an understanding of the mechanisms driving esophageal remodeling, its clinical manifestations, and appropriate tests to assess remodeling in order to devise an appropriate care paradigm for EoE patients.
EUSTACHIAN TUBE DYSFUNCTION:
• Identify clinical presentations and diagnostic criteria that distinguish obstructive and patulous Eustachian tube dysfunction
• Apply evidence-based medical and procedural management strategies for patients with persistent Eustachian tube dysfunction
• Incorporate indications for referral and emerging interventions, such as balloon dilation, into clinical decision-making for complex or refractory cases
FOOD ALLERGY:
• Explain thresholds and eliciting doses and how they inform risk assessment in food allergy management
• Apply structured food ladders to support safe, progressive dietary advancement in children with IgE-mediated food allergies
• Integrate threshold-based and ladder-guided approaches into individualized treatment plans using case-based scenarios, while addressing caregiver concerns and safety monitoring
• Describe the epidemiology, risk factors, diagnosis, and management of IgE-mediated food allergy in adulthood, including factors associated with breach of oral tolerance
• Identify emerging treatment approaches for hereditary angioedema (HAE)
• Describe how IgE-mediated immune sensing of food allergens engages neuroimmune pathways that influence behavior and emotional states
• Explain the roles of mast cells, lipid mediators, and key brain regions (e.g., central amygdala) in shaping behavioral responses to food allergens
• Differentiate immune-driven behavioral responses in food allergy from infection-induced sickness behaviors
• Discuss the clinical relevance of neuroimmune mechanisms in food allergy–associated anxiety and avoidance behaviors and their implications for patient management
FPIES:
• Describe the epidemiology and pathophysiology of FPIES
• Compare FPIES in children and adults
GUT IMMUNE DEFENSES:
• Explain how the gut immune system detects harmful dietary components and functions as a food quality control mechanism.
• Identify key immune pathways involved in sensing food borne toxins and triggering protective physiological and behavioral responses.
• Describe how immune mediated aversion and avoidance contribute to host defense beyond pathogen elimination.
• Apply this framework to understand maladaptive responses in food allergy and other gastrointestinal inflammatory disorders.
IMMUNITY:
• Recognize Inducible laryngospasm/ ILO
• Distinguish immune drug allergy vs non-immune intolerance
• Define Multiple Drug Intolerance Syndrome (MDIS) and its common patterns
• Apply central sensitization and role of neuroplasticity as an A/I-friendly framework
IMMUNOTHERAPY:
• Compare emerging Allergy Immunotherapy (AIT) modalities
• Review IntraLymphatic Immunotherpy (ILIT) mechanism + RCT evidence
• Understand safety, feasibility, and limitations
• Identify pipeline directions and key research gaps in allergen immunotherapy
MCAS:
• Review current MCAS diagnostic criteria
• Examine performance of proposed biomarkers and criteria
• Evaluate symptom specificity
• Identify major evidence gaps
TOPICAL STEROID WITHDRAWAL SYNDROME:
• Differentiate between Topical Steroid Withdrawal (TSW) and atopic dermatitis by utilizing proposed diagnostic criteria
• Explain the underlying mechanism of TSW and key differences from AD pathogenesis
• Evaluate potential targeted therapeutic strategies
VOCAL CORD DYSFUNCTION:
• Distinguish vocal cord dysfunction from asthma and other upper airway disorders, with emphasis on symptoms, history, and laryngoscopic findings
• Identify clinical scenarios in which referral to an otolaryngologist is appropriate for the diagnosis and management of suspected vocal cord dysfunction
• Incorporate ENT-directed interventions—such as breathing retraining therapy—into a multidisciplinary treatment plan for patients with vocal cord dysfunction
Washington State Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (WSAAI)
63rd Annual Scientific Session
February 1-5, 2026
All General Education Sessions to be held in Plumeria
Exhibits and Coffee Breaks to be held in Haku
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2026
3:00-5:00 PM REGISTRATION, POSTER SESSION, EXHIBITS (Not for CME)
6:00-8:00 PM WELCOME RECEPTION (Not for CME)
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2026
6:15-6:45 AM EXHIBITS/POSTERS (Not for CME)
6:45-7:00 AM WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION
Amy Wagelie-Steffen, MD, Program Director/President Elect
SESSION MODERATOR: Drew White, MD, President
7:00-7:45 AM The Donald Stevenson, MD Lecture: The Role of Small Airways Dysfunction in Asthma and COPD
7:45-8:00 AM Q&A
Monica Kraft, MD
8:00-8:45 AM Next-Generation Allergen Immunotherapy
8:45-9:00 AM Q&A
Katharine Woessner, MD
9:00-9:45 AM Updated Practice Parameters in Eosinophilic Esophagitis
9:45-10:00 AM Q&A
Seema Aceves, MD, PhD
10:00-10:30 AM BREAK/EXHIBITS/POSTERS (Not for CME)
10:30-11:15 AM Behavioral Outputs by Food Allergens
11:15-11:30 AM Q&A
Esther Borges Florsheim, PhD
11:30 AM-12:15 PM Management of Vocal Cord Dysfunction
12:15-12:30 PM Q&A
Helena Yip, MD
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2026
11:45 AM-12:15 PM EXHIBITS/POSTERS(Not for CME)
12:15-12:35 PM Scholarship Recipients: Abstract Introductions (Not for CME)
12:35-12:40 PM SESSION MODERATOR: Marc Riedl, MD, MS, Secretary/Treasurer
12:40-1:25 PM From Dogma to Data: How Evidence is Redefining Allergy Practice - A GRADE Bootcamp
1:25-1:40 PM Q&A
Matthew Greenhawt, MD, MBA, MSc
1:40-2:25 PM Food Allergy in Adults-An Uncharted Territory
2:25-2:40 PM Q&A
Anna Nowak-Wegrzyn, MD, PhD
2:40-3:25 PM Defenses to Toxins: Immune Sensing and Effectors
3:25-3:40 PM Q&A
Esther Borges Florsheim, PhD
3:40-4:10 PM BREAK/EXHIBITS/POSTERS (Not for CME)
4:10-4:55 PM Management of Eustachian Tube Dysfunction
4:55-5:10 PM Q&A
Helena Yip, MD
5:10-5:55 PM Preschool Asthma: Case-Based Insights into Diagnosis, Management, and What’s Ahead
5:55-6:10 PM Q&A
Mariam Hanna, MD
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2026
7:00-8:00 AM WSAAI MEMBER BREAKFAST/BUSINESS MEETING (Not for CME)
7:00-8:00 AM EXHIBITS/BREAK/POSTERS (Not for CME)
8:15-8:30 AM SESSION MODERATOR: David Elkayam, MD, Immediate Past President
8:30-9:15 AM The Harold S. Nelson, MD Lecture: From Buzzwords to Bedside: Making Sense of AI in Clinical Medicine
9:15-9:30 AM Q&A
Rohit Katial, MD
9:30-10:15 AM Esophageal Remodeling in Eosinophilic Esophagitis
10:15-10:30 AM Q&A
Seema Aceves, MD, PhD
10:30-11:15 AM The Airway Epithelium in Asthma; Not just an Innocent Bystander
11:15-11:30 AM Q&A
Monica Kraft, MD
11:30 AM-12:00 PM BREAK/EXHIBITS/POSTERS (Not for CME)
12:00-12:45 PM Applying Thresholds and Ladders in Food Allergy Management
12:45-1:00 PM Q&A
Mariam Hanna, MD
1:00-1:45 PM Exploring the Controversy and Pathogenesis of Topical Steroid Withdrawal Syndrome (TSW)
1:45-2:00 PM Q&A
Nadia Bhandari (Shobnam), MD
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2026
11:30-12:00 PM EXHIBITS/POSTERS (Not for CME)
12:00-12:15 PM SESSION MODERATOR
Amy Wagelie-Steffen, MD, Program Director/President Elect
12:15-1:00 PM FPIES: New Perspectives
1:00-1:15 PM Q&A
Anna Nowak-Wegrzyn, MD, PhD
1:15-2:00 PM Mast Cell Activation Syndrome: Diagnostic Criteria vs. Clinical Reality
2:00-2:15 PM Q&A
Rohit Katial, MD
2:15-2:45 PM BREAK/EXHIBITS/POSTERS (Not for CME)
2:45-3:30 PM Drug Allergy: Beyond Gel-Coombs
3:30-3:45 PM Q&A
Katharine Woessner, MD
3:45-4:30 PM Epinephrine and Anaphylaxis: The Evolution of Current Management
4:30-4:45 PM Q&A
Matthew Greenhawt, MD, MBA, MSc
4:45-5:30pm Environmental and Behavioral Mitigation Strategies for Patients with Atopic Dermatitis
5:30-5:45pm Q&A
Nadia Bhandari (Shobnam), MD
5:45 PM Adjourn
All relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies have been mitigated.
Seema Aceves, MD, PhD - Speaker
Advisor: AstraZeneca, Regeneron-Sanofi, Sanofi; Consultant: AstraZeneca; Royalties or Patent Beneficiary: Takeda; Speaker: Regeneron-Sanofi
Matthew Greenhawt, MD, MBA, MSc - Speaker
Advisor: ALK-Abello, Allergy Therapeutics, Aquestive, Bryn, DBV, Genentech, Novartis, Nutricia; Consultant: Aquestive; Speaker: ARS, Genentech;
Mariam Hanna, MD, FRCPC - Speaker
Advisor: ALK, Covis, Organon, Regeneron, Sanofi, Trudell; Consultant: ALK, Regeneron, Sanofi; Researcher: ALK, Amgen, Regeneron, Sanofi; Speaker: Covis, Organon, Trudell
Rohit Katial, MD - Speaker
Advisor: AstraZeneca, GSK, Novartis, Sanofi-Regeneron; Speaker: AstraZeneca
Monica Kraft, MD - Speaker
Consultant: AstraZeneca, Chiesi, Genentech, GSK, Sanofi; Researcher: Areteia, Sanofi; Speaker: AstraZeneca, Chiesi, Genentech, GSK, Sanofi
Anna Nowak-Wegrzyn, MD, PhD - Speaker
Advisor: Nestle Science Institute; Consultant: Aquestive; Independent contractor: DBV Technologies, Novartis, RAPT, Siolta Therapeutics; Speaker: Danone, Genentech
Katharine Woessner, MD - Speaker
Consultant: AstraZeneca, GSK, Regeneron; Speaker: Amgen, AstraZeneca, GSK, Regeneron
David Elkayam, MD - Planner, Moderator
Researcher: AstraZeneca, Bellus Health, Genentech, Novartis
Andrew White, MD - Planner, Moderator
Advisor: Blueprint, GSK, Optinose; Advisory Board: AstraZeneca/Amgen, Regeneron/Sanofi; Research support: Regeneron/Sanofi; Speaker: AstraZeneca/Amgen,Blueprint, Genentech, GSK, Optinose, Regeneron/Sanofi
Amy Wagelie-Steffen, MD - Planner, Moderator
Advisor and Consultant: BioCryst, Genentech, Novartis, Pharming; Speaker: Amgen, AstraZeneca, Sanofi/Regeneron
Marc Riedl, MD, MS - Planner, Moderator
Consultant: Astria, BioCryst, Biomarin, Celldex, CSL Behring, Cycle Pharma, Grifols, Intellia, Ionis, KalVista, Novartis, Pharming, Pharvaris, Sanofi-Regeneron, Takeda; Researcher: Astria, BioCryst, Biomarin, CSL Behring, Intellia, Ionis, KalVista, Pharvaris, Takeda; Speaker: BioCryst, CSL Behring, Grifols, Pharming, Takeda
The following have no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose:
Esther Borges Florsheim, PhD – Speaker
Nadia Bhandari (Shobnam), MD – Speaker
Helena Yip, MD – Speaker
Jinny Chang, MD – Planner
Kristina James, MD – Planner
Mark Tucker, MD – Planner
Allyson Tevrizian, MD – Planner
Karol Anderson – Planner
Available Credit
- 20.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
- 20.00 Attendance
- 20.00 CBRN

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