Support is requested for a Keystone Symposia conference entitled Emerging Cellular Therapies: T Cells and Beyond, organized by Drs. Carl H. June, Marcela V. Maus and Bruce R. Blazar. The conference will be held in Keystone, Colorado from February 11-15, 2018. A new community of researchers is emerging that focuses on studying and developing cellular therapies against cancer and chronic infections. The field is advancing rapidly due to our deepening understanding of cell biology. New technologies permit efficient cell culture, gene transfer and genetic editing, enabling autologous and allogeneic cell therapy. With rapid development of CAR T cells, breakthrough FDA approval status, and fast-tracking clinical trials, competition is fierce in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. Cell therapies with stem cells and T cells are in advanced clinical development that will enable widespread use for cancer and chronic infections such as HIV. Infusions of regulatory T cells (Tregs) have the potential to benefit patients with autoimmunity and transplantation. A goal of this meeting is to bring together basic and translational scientists from these fields to identify current opportunities and challenges in cell therapies. Another goal is to bridge the fields of effector T cell and Treg cell therapies. The interdisciplinary features of this meeting will facilitate new collaborations and interactions between investigators who would not normally meet.
The field of cell biology is rapidly advancing; the need to study and develop novel cellular therapies is growing exponentially. New technologies permit efficient cell culture, gene transfer and genetic editing, enabling autologous and allogeneic cell therapy. Therefore, a key goal of this conference is to bring together basic and translational scientists to identify challenges in developing these novel cell therapies and bridge the fields of effector T-cell and Treg cell therapies.
