Event Program

Oct. 15-16, 2025, Philadelphia Marriott Downtown

Join us for Advancing Cell and Gene Therapy for Cancer this October to move beyond conventional science and explore the strategies, breakthroughs, and collaborations that are truly advancing cancer treatment. You'll discover:

• The Latest Science: Explore cutting-edge advancements in oncolytic viruses, cell and immunotherapies, and combination approaches designed to improve patient outcomes.

• Solutions to Key Barriers: Tackle critical challenges like tumor heterogeneity, off-target effects, and delivery limitations with insights from leading experts.

• Actionable Strategies: Learn to integrate viral and cellular platforms to enhance immune responses and improve therapeutic efficacy in cancer.

• Unrivaled Networking: Foster knowledge exchange and build invaluable connections through focused presentations, interactive poster sessions, and informal discussions.

Register to Attend

Day 1 - Wednesday, Oct. 15

All times listed are in ET

Registration, Poster Check-in, Breakfast | 7:30 – 8:30 a.m.

Welcome, Opening Remarks | 8:30 – 8:35 a.m.

Session 1: Oncolytic Viruses - New Paradigms | 8:35 – 9:50 a.m.
Chair: Paola Grandi, PhD

• Antibiotic-mediated selection of randomly mutagenized and cytokine-expressing oncolytic viruses
  John Bell, PhD, The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute

• Oncolytic Viruses as Lymphoeditors in Cancer Immunotherapy
  Richard Vile, PhD, Mayo Clinic

• First in human testing of engineered oncolytic measles virus strains for glioma immunovirotherapy
  Eva Galanis, MD, Mayo Clinic

• Group Q&A: 15 minutes 

Break 1 | 9:50 – 10:35 a.m.
Sponsored Presentation | 10 –10:20 a.m.

Session 2: Cell Therapies – New Paradigms | 10:35 – 11:50 a.m.
Chairs: Sarwish Rafiq, PhD and Michael Milone, MD, PhD

• Armored CAR T-cells for the treatment of solid tumors
  Renier Brentjens, MD, PhD, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center

• Molecular programming and engineering NK cells for enhanced immunotherapy
  Todd Fehniger, MD, PhD, Washington University Medicine

• CAR T boosting vaccine and its unexpected bystander effects on solid tumor control
  Leyuan Ma, PhD, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia

• Group Q&A: 15 minutes 

Lunch + Exhibits | 11:50 a.m. – 12:50 p.m.

Session 3: Cell and Viral Therapy Combinatorial Approaches | 12:50 – 1:50 p.m.

• Combination treatment with Oncolytic Virus and CAR-T cell
  Masataka Suzuki, PhD, Baylor

• Gene editing for cell and gene therapy in oncology
  Sidi Chen, PhD, Yale

• Group Q&A: 10 minutes  

Break 2 | 1:50 – 2 p.m.

Session 4: Barriers and Opportunities/Mechanisms of Resistance (1) | 2 – 3 p.m.
Chairs: Balveen Kaur, PhD and Maria Castro, PhD

• Barriers and Opportunities for Oncolytic viral therapy
  Balveen Kaur, PhD, Augusta University

• Epigenetic reprogramming of the tumor immune microenvironment impacts the efficacy of immune mediated gene therapies
  Maria Castro, PhD, University of Michigan Medical School

• Group Q&A: 10 minutes  

Break 3 | 3 – 3:45 p.m.
Sponsored Presentation | 3:10 – 3:30 p.m.

Session 5 Abstracts (15 minutes each) | 3:45 – 5 p.m.

Poster Viewing + Reception | 5 – 6:30 p.m.

Day 2 - Thursday, Oct. 16

All times listed are in ET

Session 1: Barriers and Opportunities/Mechanisms of Resistance (2) | 8:30 – 9:45 a.m.
Chair: Maria Castro, PhD

• An AAV capsid reprogrammed to bind human Transferrin Receptor mediates brain-wide gene delivery
  Benjamin Deverman, PhD, Broad Institute

• Predicting resistant patients and therapeutic targets in immune checkpoint treated metastatic melanoma
  David Liu, PhD, Harvard

• Group Q&A: 10 minutes 

Break | 9:45 – 10:30 a.m.
Sponsored Presentation | 9:55 – 10:15 a.m  

Concluding Panel | 10:30 – 11:50 a.m. 

• Evanthia Galanis, MD
• Maria Castro, PhD
• Todd Fehniger, MD, PhD
• Paola Grandi, PhD

Closing Remarks | 11:50 a.m. – Noon

Ready to Register?

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Learning Objectives

After participating in this conference, learners will be able to: 

• Describe emerging technologies driving innovation in oncolytic viruses, cell therapies, and combinatorial approaches that leverage both platforms 

• Discuss the mechanisms of action and therapeutic potential of oncolytic viruses and cell therapies  

• Identify strategies for overcoming key barriers to therapeutic efficacy for cell and gene therapies in cancer, such as tumor heterogeneity, off-target effects, delivery limitations, and interactions with the tumor microenvironment 

• Recognize opportunities to integrate viral and cellular platforms to enhance immune responses and improve therapeutic outcomes 

• Discuss emerging trends and unanswered questions driving future research in oncolytic viruses, cell therapies, and their combinatorial use in cancer treatment

Thank You to the Planning Committee

• Paola Grandi, PhD

• Balveen Kaur, PhD

• Catherine Bollard, PhD

• Evanthia Galanis, MD

• Maria Castro, PhD

• Michael Milone, PhD, MD

• Saad Kenderian, PhD

• Sarwish Rafiq, PhD