The 2008 annual meeting of the Signal Transduction Society covered a broad spectrum of topics, with signaling in immune cells as the special focus of the meeting. Many of the immune signaling talks concerned B and T lymphocytes in particular; the role of inflammatory cytokines in cancer progression was also addressed. Neoplastic development was also discussed with regard to aspects of cell cycle control, aging, and transformation. Topics extended to signaling pathways induced by bacteria, viruses, and environmental toxins, as well as those involved in differentiation, morphogenesis, and cell death. This international and interdisciplinary scientific gathering induced lively discussions and close interactions between participants.