Immune Monitor Archive

A Message from the President It’s that time of year when the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) and the Forward Fund unveil their 2024 fellowship opportunities . Over $600,000 in funding is available to bolster the growth of early career investigators, nurturing the future cohort of experts in cancer immunotherapy. Since 2014, SITC has granted over $6 million in fellowships. I encourage you to take advantage of this chance to explore the available fellowships, whether you are eligible to apply or can share the opportunities with someone you know. Applications remain open until March 18. In addition to the annual ...
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A Message from the President Before we toast the start of 2024 together, let’s take a moment to celebrate all that our community achieved by reading the society’s 2023 Year in Review . While in San Diego for the SITC 2023 Annual Meeting & Pre-Conference Programs, SITC announced a goal to reach 100 new IO approvals in the next decade. As you enjoy the SITC 2023 Year in Review, you’ll be struck by the breadth and depth of our programming. I have no doubt that you will join me in doubling down on our commitment to reach that lofty goal. From our first Spring Scientific to the record-setting Annual Meeting, I’m confident this trip ...
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A Message from the President As I celebrated Thanksgiving after the 38th Annual Meeting & Pre-Conference Programs , I found myself reflecting on the remarkable generosity of our community. Over the last 12 months, you collectively dedicated your creativity, energy, and expertise to a set of incredibly strategic and impactful SITC initiatives. From investigating immune excluded tumors , to exploring opportunities in premalignant immunity , to fostering our understanding of myeloid cells on immune response, the science we sought, challenged, and advanced this year was groundbreaking. Given our influence on the field through ...
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A Message from the President It’s hard to believe SITC’s 38th Annual Meeting & Pre-Conference Programs has come and gone! I remain in awe of the science and research presented at this year's meeting. We saw multiple sessions highlight the dynamic remodeling of lymphoid and myeloid cell populations in the tumor microenvironment during the anti-tumor immune response. Additionally, the relationship between metabolism, immune cell function and fate, and anti-tumor immunity was a common theme throughout the meeting. We are currently at the inflection point of the next big wave of progress in IO, with multiple innovative, diverse ...
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A Message from the President No organization in the Immunotherapy field values early career and transitioning scientists more than the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC)! We know the future of cancer immunotherapy depends on the next generation of investigators. To recognize this, SITC established the Forward Fund in 2012 to stimulate the future of science through the development and application of cancer immunotherapy by early career scientists and clinicians. Since then, more than $6 million has been awarded to support research and education initiatives for early career investigators. ...
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A Message from the President We are less than two months away from the largest event dedicated to cancer immunotherapy – The Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer’s (SITC) 38th Annual Meeting & Pre-Conference Programs (SITC 2023) . SITC 2023 is scheduled for Nov. 1–5, and we look forward to welcoming our community to San Diego, CA! It’s with much anticipation that we come together and hear from the more than 1,500 Regular, Young Investigator Award and Late-Breaking Abstract presenters. Just think of all the new research, science and discoveries! We hope to see you there – are you registered yet? Two anticipated highlights are ...
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A Message from the President Every year, SITC leadership and key stakeholders gather for a strategic retreat, and earlier this month we did just that. Representatives from industry, academia, government, and the patient community were invited to the retreat to revisit SITC’s 2011 manuscript, “ Defining the critical hurdles in cancer immunotherapy. ” Over the last 10-plus years, our field has undergone an incredible transformation, and during the retreat we dove deep into the current challenges limiting progress toward the next major IO breakthrough. Using the ‘hurdles’ manuscript as a backbone, the retreat attendees helped define the ...
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A Message from the President It’s no secret that SITC is dedicated to supporting early career researchers and practitioners in the field of cancer immunotherapy! Both the Society and the Forward Fund are committed to expanding education and professional development opportunities for early career investigators and clinicians, with programming, funding, and award opportunities specifically designed to meet the needs of this unique group. We know that these key SITC members will become the next generation of leaders both for SITC, and the cancer immunotherapy field at large. Many upcoming programs geared toward early career scientists ...
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A Message from the President Dear Colleagues, Here at SITC, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) is a core value of the organization – from membership engagement to research to professional development opportunities. It is our goal to weave the value of diversity into all aspects of the society and our DEI Committee plays a big part in that. The committee aims to improve opportunities for research, education, and professional development that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion within the society and field of cancer immunotherapy. The DEI Committee and the SITC leadership are eager to continue developing exceptional initiatives ...
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A Message from the President Dear Colleagues, It’s official: the largest event dedicated to cancer immunotherapy – The Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer’s (SITC) 38th Annual Meeting & Pre-Conference Programs (SITC 2023) – is launched! SITC 2023 is scheduled for Nov. 1–5 in sunny San Diego, CA. I often think of the astonishing growth of our annual gathering of basic scientists, translational researchers, clinicians, industry and governmental representatives and others in recent years. Last year, we had the largest meeting ever, with over 7,400 professionals in the field attended our Annual Meeting & Pre-Conference Programs ...
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A Message from the President Dear Colleagues, Earlier this month, hundreds of participants gathered online for the SITC Immunoprevention Virtual Summit . The goals of the summit were to highlight opportunities and challenges in developing strategies for cancer immune interception and immunoprevention, to provide an overview of resources currently available to support these research areas, and to advocate for the need for additional innovative preventative research methods. The summit also called out the critical importance of attracting talented biologists, translational researchers, clinicians, and epidemiologists to this field, which ...
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A Message from the President Dear Colleagues, With humility and deep admiration, my letter to you, my SITC family, is in honor of the legacy of Dr. Pedro J. Romero, who is stepping down as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer ( JITC ). Dr. Romero has served SITC and JITC with incredible dedication, care, and strategically insightful direction as our founding Editor-in-Chief from the journal’s conception, to its launch, and through its meteoric rise. It goes without saying that our community owes a great deal of gratitude to Dr. Romero for growing JITC into the globally recognized scholarly journal ...
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A Message from the President Happy 2023! It is an honor to write my first monthly message as President of the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC). I have enjoyed the past two years as SITC’s Vice President, supporting Patrick Hwu, MD , during his tenure as leader of our society. I look forward to carrying that momentum forward into my own term as your President. We are coming off quite an amazing year for SITC. 2022 was chock-full of successful initiatives and record-breaking achievements . Included in this issue is the society’s Year in Review , which celebrates SITC’s many milestones and achievements last year. ...
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A Message from the President Dear Colleagues, As 2022 comes to a close – along with my tenure as the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) President – I’d like to reflect on what an amazing year it was for SITC. A few highlights include: Hosting a record-breaking Annual Meeting , where more than 7,400 individuals participated in-person or virtually to glean the latest science and research in the immunotherapy space Forming a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Task Force to help set the strategic direction for the society’s efforts SITC’s official journal – The Journal for ImmunoTherapy ...
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A Message from the President Dear Colleagues, Somehow, the 37th Annual Meeting & Pre-Conference Programs (SITC 2022) has already come and gone. I would like to start this message with a sincere thank you to all of the attendees, supporters, organizers, faculty, staff and other volunteers who helped make our society’s meeting a record breaking success. More than 7,400 professionals in the cancer research community gathered in Boston and virtually Nov. 8–12 to present and hear the latest data and research from more than 1,500 abstracts SITC received. We heard an amazing Keynote Address from Padmanee Sharma, MD, PhD on ...
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A Message from the President Dear Colleagues, It’s hard to believe we are just a few weeks away from the 37 th Annual Meeting & Pre-Conference Programs , taking place Nov. 8-12 in Boston, MA and virtually. We saw a record number of abstracts accepted, almost 1,500, and I can’t wait to see what else is in store for the immuno-oncology community at the meeting. Taking a look at the abstracts , cellular therapies is a standout theme for this year’s meeting. Over the course of the past year, the society has elevated our cellular therapy content and I’m thrilled to see the participation in this topic from so many members ...
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A Message from the President Dear Colleagues, With school back in session, I can’t help but think of our student and scientist-in-training members who are working hard to attain their scientific and medical degrees, as well as the early career scientists in our society who are diving into the world of cancer immunotherapy. SITC takes pride in creating a welcoming space for students and early career folks, and dedicates thoughtful energy and planning into creating robust events and programming for these individuals. Lately our attention has been turned toward SITC 2022 – be sure to check out the host of Early Career events taking ...
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A Message from the President Dear Colleagues, It’s a time for reflection as we find ourselves entering the last few weeks of summer. Here at SITC, we are wrapping up a busy month. To kick off August, the Women in Cancer Immunotherapy Network (WIN) Leadership Institute took place in Seattle, WA. Championed by former SITC president, Dr. Lisa Butterfield, the program gives prominence to the contributions women have made and continue to make in cancer immunotherapy and tumor immunology research. I heard from many what an inspiring two days it was and enjoyed seeing photos on social media. SITC leadership convened in Napa Valley a couple ...
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A Message from the President Dear Colleagues, I hope you are finding time to enjoy family and friends this summer. Typically, during the summer months SITC leadership holds our Annual Strategic Retreat. This year, the retreat will take place in August and one of the key topics of conversation will be how SITC can address, what we’re calling, the Crisis in Clinical Research. Through discussions with key stakeholders in academia, industry, and government, it is apparent that there is a crisis in clinical trial administration caused by many existing factors that were exacerbated by the pandemic. The crisis is having a significant negative ...
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A Message from the President Dear Colleagues, Happy June, where here at the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC), we are celebrating Cancer Immunotherapy Month™ . I hope you continue to join us on social media this month as many of us share ‘Why I Wear White’ stories. Personally, I wear white to both celebrate the rapid growth in the field over the last decade and to rededicate myself to the many patients who continue to not respond to immunotherapy. Many of us believe the key to unlocking resistance to immunotherapy is through combinations. You can see this evidenced by the sheer number of combination trials. Looking back ...
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