Advancing the Field: Can Physics and Mathematics Impact the Development of Tumor Immunotherapy?

Tumor immunotherapy has evolved into a standard therapeutic strategy for the treatment of cancer and revolutionized cancer care. Yet the underlying biological principles of tumor immunology, immuno-oncology drug resistance and rationale for rapid combination/sequential drug development are lacking. Recently the physical science community has begun to study the immune system as an example of a complex adaptive process; these studies have been enabled by progress in sequencing technology and by progress in the application of non-equilibrium statistical physics to living systems. In this Hot Topic Symposium we will bring together leading authorities in tumor immunology, physics and mathematics to provide an overview of the top priorities in tumor immunotherapy and the latest advances in physical science that might impact further drug development and biologic understanding for the field. The symposium will identify the major areas for convergence between physical sciences, systems biology and tumor immunology. Participants should find the discussion provocative and will have an opportunity to influence further integration among experts in these disciplines to influence more rapid development of tumor immunotherapy for patients with cancer.

• Howard Kaufman, MD, FACS – Replimune Group Inc.
  
• Herbert Levine, PhD – Rice University

Organized in collaboration with Stand Up To Cancer