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Ready to make a difference in the fight against sepsis? 


  • Sepsis is the leading cause of death in U.S hospitals
  • Sepsis affects an estimated 49 million people worldwide each year
  • Sepsis takes 11 million lives around the world each year, contributing to 20% of all deaths globally and taking more lives than cancer
  • Sepsis is the #1 cost of hospitalization in the U.S. at an estimated $62 billion annually
  • According to Grand View Research, the global sepsis diagnostics market was valued at approximately $1.15 billion in 2024, with a projected 8.09% CAGR (2025-2030). The sepsis therapeutics market was estimated at $3.94 billion in 2024, with a 6.18% CAGR (2025-2030). (Grand View Research)


We have the power to reduce the burden of sepsis. 


Sepsis Alliance proudly presents the Unite for Sepsis Symposium in partnership with the Grainger College of Engineering and the Carle-Illinois College of Medicine at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. 


The Unite for Sepsis Symposium will foster collaboration and innovation in the fight against sepsis. On September 8 and 9, we call on you to unite with healthcare professionals, researchers, venture capitalists, innovators, government leaders, patient advocates, and more to work toward sepsis solutions.


Topics will include regulatory approval of diagnostics, AI tools, clinical trials, funding pathways, and more, all designed to enhance understanding, improve outcomes, and save lives and limbs. 


Don’t miss this opportunity to collaborate, develop strategies, and advance research that can lead to better prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of sepsis. 


More session and speaker details coming soon!


Thank you to our sponsors


Keynote Speakers

Derek Angus, MD, MPH, FRCP Chair, Critical Care Medicine at University of Pittsburgh Health Sciences and UPMC


Laura Evans, MD, MSc Professor, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine; Medical Director, Critical Care at University of Washington Medical Center


Nate Shapiro, MD Professor of Emergency Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Vice Chair of EM Research at Beth Israel Lahey Health


Symposium Co-Chairs

Rashid Bashir Dean of the Grainger College of Engineering


Bobby Reddy, Jr., Ph.D CEO and Co-founder of Prenosis; Board Member, Sepsis Alliance


Steven Q. Simpson, MD Professor of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine

Board Chair, Sepsis Alliance


Paul Burton, JD, MBA Managing Partner of 2Flo Ventures

Board Member, Sepsis Alliance


Enrique Andres Valera Cano Research Assistant Professor in Bioengineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign


Claudia Orth Director of Professional Education and Training at Sepsis Alliance


Featured Speakers

Sarah Abigail Birken, PhD, MSPH Associate Professor in the Department of Implementation Science at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine


Carolyn Calfee Professor in Residence of Medicine and Anesthesia at UCSF


Kevin K. Chung, MD, MACP, FCCM Chief Medical Officer, SeaStar Medical


Ivor S. Douglas, MD Professor of Medicine at University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus


Dana P. Edelson, MD, MS, FAHA, FHM Co-founder & President, AgileMD, Inc


Carl Flatley Founder and BOD of Sepsis Alliance


Debra Foster Clinical Consultant at Spectral Medical


Katy Grainger Motivational Speaker; Patient Advocate; Septic Shock Survivor; Multiple Amputee - Sepsis Alliance Board of Directors


Kathryn Greenberg Principal at Abundance Strategies


Steve Hollenberg Professor of Medicine at Emory University School of Medicine


Cindy Hou, DO, MA, MBA, CIC, CPHQ, CPPS, FACOI, FACP, FIDSA Infection Control Officer and Medical Director of Research for Jefferson Health; Infectious Disease Specialist; Chief Medical Officer at Sepsis Alliance


Jeffrey Hubbell, PhD Vice President, Life Science and Engineering, New York University Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Tandon School of Engineering at New York University Professor of Biology and Chemistry, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, New York University Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, NYU Langone Health


Daniel Irimia, MD, Ph.D. Professor at Harvard Med; Ph.D. Bioengineering


Shana Kelley, PhD President, Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Chicago; Professor of Chemistry and Biomedical Engineering at Northwestern University


Mike McCurdy Chief Medical Officer of BOA Biomedical; professor of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine and Emergency Medicine, The University of Maryland School of Medicine


Niranjan "Tex" Kissoon, MD, FRCP(C), MCCM, FACP Professor, Pediatrics, University of British Columbia. Investigator, BCCH Research Institute President, Global Sepsis Alliance


Nicholas M. Mohr, MD, MS Professor of Emergency Medicine, Anesthesia Critical Care, Epidemiology at University of Iowa Health Care


Shamim Nemati, PhD Associate Professor of Biomedical Informatics & Director of Predictive Health Analytics & Adjunct Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine, University of California San Diego (UCSD) Health


Pat Posa, RN, BSN, MSA, CCRN, FAAN Quality and Patient Safety Program Manager at Michigan Medicine


Suchi Saria AI OG — Founder & CEO Bayesian Health, Endowed Chair/AI Prof Johns Hopkins, Seed Investor to 15+ AI Cos


Ajay Shah CEO & Co-Founder at Cytovale | Pioneering Early Detection by Revealing the Biology of Sepsis | Expert in Cell-Based Imaging & Machine Learning | Driving FDA-Cleared Solutions to Save Lives


Wesley H. Self, MD, MPH Senior Vice President for Clinical Research Director, Vanderbilt Institute for Clinical & Translational Research Principal Investigator, Clinical & Translational Science Award Endowed Directorship in Emergency Care Research Professor of Emergency Medicine Vanderbilt University Medical Center


Jon Sevransky Professor, Director EUH MICU


Day 1 - September 8, 2025; CT


8:00 AMGeneral Registration Check-in & Breakfast


8:45 AMWelcome & Opening Remarks

Carl Flatley, Sepsis Alliance Founder
Katy Grainger, Sepsis Survivor


9:00 AMKeynote: Important and Unanswered Sepsis Questions

Derek Angus, MD, MPH


9:45 AMSepsis-Induced Organ Dysfunction: What Is It? Why Does It Get Better - Or Not?

Moderator: Derek Angus, MD, MPH
Julie Bastarache
Steve Hollenberg


10:45 AMRefreshment & Bathroom Break


11:00 AMEngineering the Future of Sepsis

Moderator: Ivor S. Douglas,MD
Shana Kelley, PhD
Rashid Bashir
Daniel Irimia, MD, PhD


12:00 PMLunch and Sponsor Innovation Showcase


1:00 PMPlenary/Keynote: Modern Approach to Diagnosing Sepsis

Nate Shapiro, MD


1:45 PMAI for Screening and Diagnosis: Where Do We Go From Here?

Moderator: Niranjan "Tex" Kissoon, MD, FRCP(C), MCCM, FACP
Shamim Nemati, PhD
Suchi Saria, PhD
Dana Edelson


2:45 PMRegulatory Approval of Diagnostics: Lessons Learned

Moderator: Mike McCurdy, MD
Bobby Reddy Jr., PhD
Ajay Shah
Tim Sweeney


3:45 PMNetworking Break


4:15 PMPersonalizing Sepsis Treatment

Moderator: Stephanie Taylor, MD, MS
Ivor S. Douglas. MD
Nuala Meyer, MD, MS
Debra Foster, BSc


5:15 PMClosing Remarks


5:30 PMNetworking Reception


Day 2 - September 9, 2025; CT


8:00 AMCheck-In & Breakfast


8:45 AMWelcome & Opening Remarks


9:00 AMKeynote: Developing Sepsis Treatments

Laura Evans, MD, MSc


9:45 AMModulating the Immune System to Help, Not Hurt

Jeff Hubbell, PhD.
Kevin Chung, MD, MACP, FCCM


10:45 AMHow Do We Break the Cycle of Clinical Trial Failure?

Greg Martin, MD, MSc
Jon Sevransky, MD, MHS, FCCM
Wesley H. Self, MD, MPH


11:45 AMLunch & Sponsor Innovation Showcase

3 x 10 Minute Sessions


12:45 PMUniting the US Government for Sepsis Innovation

Moderator: Paul Burton


2:15 PMHow to Make Sepsis Innovations Attractive to Venture Capital

Moderator: Bobby Reddy Jr., PhD
Melinda Hamer, MD, MPH


3:15Networking Break


3:45 PMInnovation is Great, but How Do We Implement?

Moderator: Cindy Hou
Nicholas M. Mohr, MD, MS
Sarah Abigail Birken, PhD, MSPH
Pat Posa, RN, BSN, MSA, CCRN, FAAN


4:45 PMClosing Remarks, Announcements, & Award


Location Information

  • The University of Chicago Gleacher Center
  • 450 North Cityfront Plaza Drive, Chicago, IL, 60611 US

Thank You to Our Generous Sponsors

Registration Information

  • One General Admission Ticket for Unite for Sepsis Symposium. Industry representatives should choose this ticket type.
    Includes access to all sessions, breakfast, and lunch.

  • One Admission Ticket for Unite for Sepsis Symposium for Academics or Healthcare Professionals, with .edu or hospital email address. Not intended for industry representatives. Limited Supply.
    Includes access to all sessions, breakfast, and lunch.

I would like to receive email communication from Sepsis Alliance

I agree to receive email communication from select event sponsors

A signed waiver by event participant will be required before you can download your QR code. A link to obtain waivers for all registrants will be shown on the confirmation page.

$750.00



Would you like to make a gift to Sepsis Alliance?

Your generosity will support Sepsis Alliance awareness, education, and advocacy efforts to save lives and reduce suffering from sepsis.

Suggested Amounts


$750.00

Billing Information

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