Support is requested for a Keystone Symposia conference entitled Myeloid Cells and Innate Immunity in Solid Tumors, organized by Drs. Judith A. Varner, Lisa M. Coussens and Dmitry I. Gabrilovich. The conference will be held in Snowbird, Utah from September 20-24, 2020. The field of cancer immunology is moving at a rapid pace, with discoveries based on T cell biology and T cell targeted therapeutics eliciting real clinical successes and excitement about the future of cancer care. However, as only twenty percent of patients respond to T cell targeted therapeutics, further work must be done to harness the power of immunology in cancer care. Recent research has shown that myeloid cells create major roadblocks to cancer eradication by promoting immune suppression, angiogenesis and resistance to immune therapy. Advances in the science of these diverse cell types, roles and mechanisms governing myeloid cells in cancer, along with the recent developments of myeloid cell targeted therapeutics, has generated significant interest in the academic and pharmaceutical communities. Conferences that gather experts to focus discussion exclusively on roles of myeloid cells and innate immunity in cancer will help to move our understanding of cancer immune suppression and the field of cancer immune therapy forward. The objectives of this proposed conference are to present the latest developments in our understanding of the origins and contributions of various myeloid cell subsets to tumor growth and metastasis. Additionally, this conference will challenge paradigms about macrophage and granulocyte origins in tumors, about links between metabolism and function, and about mechanisms by which myeloid cells control immunity. The conference will also feature the latest clinical studies of myeloid cell targeted therapeutics in cancer which will stimulate new ideas, collaborations and advance development of new cancer immune therapeutics.
Myeloid cells maintain tissue functionality and health during homeostasis yet are also capable of creating major roadblocks to cancer eradication by promoting immune suppression, angiogenesis and resistance to immune therapy. As advances in our knowledge of the diverse cell types, roles and mechanisms governing myeloid cells in cancer continues, and along with recent developments of myeloid cell targeted therapeutics, there has been an increased interest in both the academic and pharmaceutical communities in this field. Therefore, this conference brings these scientists and researchers together to stimulate new ideas and collaborations which will help to lead to the development of new targeted therapeutics for cancer.
