PICI’s 2024 Fall Scientific Retreat Ignites Collaboration to Accelerate Cancer Immunotherapy

PICI hosted our 2024 Fall Scientific Retreat in Southern California in September, bringing together a diverse group of experts from across the PICI Network and beyond. Our semi-annual Scientific Retreats are a powerful demonstration of our commitment to removing barriers to innovation and advancing breakthrough therapies that transform cancer care.

This collaborative gathering fostered the exchange of groundbreaking ideas and facilitated the development of novel therapeutic strategies. Leaders from PICI Centers – the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Gladstone Institutes, Stanford Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, University of California San Francisco, UCLA and Weill Cornell Medicine – joined forces with visionaries from other world-class cancer institutions, including Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, MD Anderson Cancer Center, City of Hope, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School and MIT, along with biotech industry pioneers and venture capital partners. This unique gathering created an environment of open dialogue and collaboration, where cutting-edge ideas could be rapidly translated into actionable strategies.

Standout sessions included:

– Advancements in Solid Tumor CAR-T Therapies: Pioneers like PICI Center Directors Carl June, MD (University of Pennsylvania) and Crystal Mackall, MD (Stanford) shared the latest breakthroughs in CAR-T cell therapies for solid tumors.

– Targeting the “Tissue Myeloid Network”: Nobel laureate and PICI Center Director James Allison, PhD (MD Anderson), alongside Stefani Spranger, PhD (MIT), Nina Bhardwaj, MD, PhD (Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai), Christine Brown, PhD (City of Hope), and Max Krummel, PhD (University of California, San Francisco), explored innovative strategies to harness myeloid cells for enhanced immunotherapy.

– The Role of AI and Big Data in Cancer Research: Experts including Garry Nolan, PhD (Stanford), Patrick Hsu, PhD (ARC Institute), Barbara Engelhardt, PhD (Gladstone & Stanford), Jimmie Ye, PhD (UCSF), and AI pioneers Michael Jordan, PhD (UC Berkeley) and Anima Anandkumar, PhD (Caltech) examined the transformative potential of AI and big data in accelerating cancer research.

Breakout discussions on topics such as “Optimizing RNA for Antitumor Immunity” and “Next Generation Cytokines,” fostered collaboration and fresh perspectives among attendees. We were also inspired by presentations from early career researchers, who showcased innovative approaches.

We extend our sincerest gratitude to all participants for their invaluable contributions and look forward to building on this momentum together!

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