Pre-Conference Programs - Nov. 5-6

SITC 2025 Pre-Conference Programs

Wednesday, Nov. 5–Thursday, Nov. 6

SITC offers a variety of pre-conference programming prior to our 40th Anniversary Annual Meeting. Topics range from grant writing to in-depth discussions on industry topics. We also have a number of events for early career scientists.

Annual Meeting ScheduleAbstract Information

Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025

Pre-Conference Programs   |   Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center    |   8 a.m.–6 p.m. ET

We are still finalizing the schedule for our Pre-Conference Programs. Additional registration is required for Pre-Conference Programs. Times and program schedules subject to change. 

World Immunotherapy Council (WIC) Symposium

Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025 | 8 a.m.–1 p.m. | Location TBD

As part of the 40th Annual Meeting & Pre-Conference Programs, the 6th World Immunotherapy Council (WIC) Symposium will bring together international investigators to highlight groundbreaking immunotherapeutic advances across the globe. This engaging forum will also provide an opportunity for networking between leaders across the IO community, towards the goal of fulfilling the WIC mission in fostering scientific exchange to improve cancer patient care worldwide.

Program Organizers

Cheng Sun, MD, PhD 
University of Science and Technology of China               

Rieneke van de Ven, PhD 
Amsterdam University Medical Centers

Joe Yeong, MD, PhD 
Singapore General Hospital

Target Audience

The target audience for this program consists of individuals from academic institutions, industry and regulatory agencies, including clinicians, basic and translational researchers, graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, and allied health professionals who wish to learn more about the future of cancer immunotherapy research across the globe.
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Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of this activity, participants should be able to:

  • Recognize ongoing cancer immunotherapy research across the globe

  • Translate worldwide state-of-the-art cancer immunotherapy strategies into practice

  • Identify the unique challenges and future issues as cancer immunotherapy is integrated into mainstream cancer treatment modalities

Industry Program - Title TBD

Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025 | 2–5 p.m. ET | Location TBD

We are finalizing our SITC 2025 Industry Program - stay tuned!

Program Organizers

Jane Anne Healy, MD, PhD 
Merck & Co.

Priti Hegde, PhD
Kite Pharma, Inc.

Holger Kissel, PhD
BioNTech SE

Alexandra Snyder, MD
Generate Biomedicines

Zhen Su, MD, MBA
Marengo Therapeutics

Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025

Pre-Conference Programs   |   Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center    |   8 a.m.–6 p.m. ET

We are still finalizing the schedule for our Pre-Conference Programs. Additional registration is required for Pre-Conference Programs.

Times and program schedules subject to change.

Primer on Tumor Immunology and Cancer Immunotherapy™

Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025 | 8 a.m.–5:30 p.m. ET

The field of cancer immunology and immunotherapy has driven novel therapeutic options for cancer patients. However, the complexity of the field continues to grow, thus, the SITC Primer on Tumor Immunology and Cancer Immunotherapy™ is designed to provide a foundation for understanding core immunology principles as they relate to basic and clinical research in immunotherapy of cancer. The Primer on Tumor Immunology and Cancer Immunotherapy™ will also touch on emerging therapies and technologies to ensure attendees at all levels stay updated in our expanding field, while also laying a comprehensive foundational base for all SITC attendees. 

Program Organizers

Andrea Schietinger, PhD
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Eric L. Smith, MD, PhD
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Target Audience

The target audience for this annual, one-day educational program includes students, postdoctoral fellows and technicians from academia and industry, as well as physicians and scientists at more senior levels who wish to solidify their understanding of cancer immunology and immunotherapy, pharmacists and registered nurses. Patient advocates are also welcome to attend and learn basic concepts within the field.

Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of this activity, participants should be able to:

  • Describe the key principles of cancer immunology and immunotherapy in the context of the cancer immunity cycle
  • Review current approaches to immunotherapy including immune checkpoint blockade, vaccines, CAR-T cells, CAR-NK cells, activation of myeloid cells, modulation of tumor metabolism, T/NK cell adoptive transfer and T cell bispecific therapies
  • Outline immune monitoring techniques as well as biomarker strategies and their role in trial design and patient selection
  • Enhance scientific exchange with colleagues and collaborators on research and application of cancer immunotherapies to improve outcomes of patients with cancer

Continuing Education

The Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) is pleased to offer opportunities for physicians, nurses and pharmacists to obtain continuing education (CME, CNE, CPE) and ABIM MOC credits for their participation in the Primer on Tumor Immunology and Cancer Immunotherapy™ program.

Session I: The Cancer Immunity Cycle

8 a.m. 

Introduction
Andrea Schietinger, PhD – Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center 
8:15 a.m. Adaptive Immune Responses to Cancer 
Ana Anderson, PhD – Harvard Medical School 
8:40 a.m.

T Cell Function/Dysfunction in Solid Tumors
Mary Philip, MD, PhD – Vanderbilt University Medical Center 
9:05 a.m. Innate Immune Cells and Signaling   
David H. Raulet, PhD – University of California, Berkeley
9:30 a.m. The Role of Dendritic Cells in Cancer 
Niroshana Anandasabapathy, MD, PhD – Weill Cornell Medicine 
9:55 a.m.

The Role of B cells in Cancer 
Bradley Nelson, PhD – BC Cancer - Deeley Research Centre
10:20 a.m.  Break

Session II: Tumor Microenvironment

10:35 a.m. Systemic Immunity and the Cancer Macroenvironment 
TBD 
11 a.m. Neutrophils in Cancer and Metastasis 
TBD
11:25 a.m. Vaccines and Oncolytic Viruses 
Dmitriy Zamarin, MD, PhD – Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
11:50 a.m.

Role of CD4 T cell Subsets in Tumor Immunity 
Chrystal M. Paulos, PhD – Winship Cancer Institute at Emory University
12:15 p.m. 

Lunch 

Session III: Effector Cell Redirection Therapy 

1:45 p.m. Introduction
Eric L. Smith, MD, PhD – Dana-Farber Cancer Institute 
1:50 p.m. Update on CAR-T Cell Therapies 
TBD
2:10 p.m. CAR NK and NK Cell Engagers in Cancer 
May Daher, MD – The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center 
2:30 p.m. 
 Panel Discussion 
2:40 p.m.
In vivo Engineering 
Stephen J. Russell, MD, PhD – Vyriad, Inc.
3 p.m.

Bispecific T cell Engagers 
Sumit K. Subudhi, MD, PhD – The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center 
3:20 p.m. 

Panel Discussion 
3:30 p.m. Break

Session IV: Modulating Endogenous T cell Responses 

3:45 p.m. Checkpoint Blockade  
Gordon J. Freeman, PhD, FAIO – Dana Farber Cancer Institute 
4:05 p.m. Personalized Cancer Vaccines and Neoantigens 
TBD
4:25 p.m. Panel Discussion
4:35 p.m. TME Remodeling to Enhance Immunotherapy
Miriam Merad, MD, PhD, FAIO – Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
4:55 p.m. 

Cytokine Approaches to Boost Endogenous T Cells
TBD
5:15 p.m. 
 Panel Discussion 
5:25 p.m.

Closing Remarks 
Eric L. Smith, MD, PhD – Dana Farber Cancer Institute 

Leveraging the Power of Artificial Intelligence to Foster Progress in Immuno-oncology: Opportunities and Challenges

Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025 | 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m. ET

This Workshop will explore the recent advances in cancer immunology and artificial intelligence (AI), and how these fields can converge to effectively address current hurdles in immuno-oncology (IO). The Workshop will educate the IO community on opportunities to utilize AI to develop new cancer immunotherapies and improve patient care, encourage collaboration across IO and AI specialties, and present cutting-edge science on the use of AI in IO research. Armed with a deeper understanding of artificial intelligence in the context of immuno-oncology, attendees will be equipped to effectively collaborate to identify novel therapeutic targets, to engineer and design more effective therapeutics and personalized treatment regimens in immuno-oncology, and to develop effective tools for patient stratification and tracking response or resistance to therapy, potentially impacting clinical care and leading to better patient outcomes.

Program Organizers

Carlo B. Bifulco, MD
Providence Genomics

Sandra Demaria, MD
Weill Cornell Medicine

Charalampos Floudas, MD DMSc MS
National Cancer Institute

Target Audience

The target audience for this workshop includes artificial intelligence specialists, computational biologists, basic, translational and clinical researchers from all work settings, as well as industry and government representatives.

Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of this activity, participants should be able to:

    • Describe key or critical issues in IO that can be addressed by collaborative approaches between experts in AI and immuno-oncologists
    • Detail AI-based approaches to identify biomarkers and/or therapeutic targets or analyze the tumor microenvironment
    • Analyze cutting-edge basic, translational, and clinical analyses of AI and IO to incorporate new research and techniques into clinical applications for cancer immunotherapy

    Introduction

    8:30 a.m.

    Introduction 
    TBD

    Keynote

    8:35 a.m. TBD
    Garry P. Nolan, PhD – Stanford University

    Session I: AI in Pathology 

    9:15 a.m. TBD
    Faisal Mahmood, PhD – Harvard Medical School
    9:35 a.m. TBD 
    Lee A. Cooper, PhD – Northwestern University
    9:55 a.m. TBD 
    TBD
    10:15 a.m. Abstract Presentation
    TBD
    10:25 a.m. Panel Discussion
    10:45 a.m. Break 
     

    Session II: AI in Synthetic Biology: From the Cell to the Organism

    11 a.m. Deep Learning TCR/AlphaFold pMHC Modeling 
    TBD
    11:20 a.m. Using AI to Develop a Virtual Cell
    TBD
    11:40 a.m. Digital Twins 
    TBD
    12 p.m. Panel Discussion
    12:15 p.m. Lunch 

    Session III: AI in Multiomics Spatial Biology 

    1:45 p.m. Spatial Transcriptomics 
    Arutha Kulasinghe, PhD – University of Queensland
    2:05 p.m. TBD 
    Elana J. Fertig, PhD, FAIMBE – University of Maryland, Baltimore
    2:25 p.m. TBD 
    Jasmine Plummer, PhD – St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
    2:45 p.m. Panel Discussion 
    3 p.m. Break 

    Session IV: Applications of AI Tools in Immuno-oncology 

    3:15 p.m.

    CT Radiomics for Predicting Response to Immunotherapy
    Anant Madabhushi, PhD – Emory University
     3:35 p.m.

    Using AI and Imaging to Quantify Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes 
    TBD
     3:55 p.m.

    AI for Biomarker Identification 
    Meng Xiao He, PhD – Genentech
    4:15 p.m. 

    AI and Predicting Adverse Events
    Kerry L. Reynolds, MD – Massachusetts General Hospital
    4:35 p.m. 

    Panel Discussion 
    4:55 p.m.  Closing Remarks 

    Meet-the-Expert Lunch

    Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025 | 12:15–1:45 p.m. ET

    The Meet-the-Expert Lunch will focus on unique issues related to early career scientist career development and will provide attendees the opportunity to interact with experts in key areas of immunotherapy. The Meet-the-Expert Lunch will address different relevant topics in a setting that fosters attendee/expert interactions and provides networking opportunities with leaders in the field. Experts will answer questions and lead informal dialogue to help provide guidance and career advancement advice. Lunch will be provided to all participants. 

    Program Organizers

    Allison Betof Warner, MD, PhD
    Stanford University School of Medicine

    Praveen K. Bommareddy, PhD
    Replimune Inc.

    Kristin DePeaux, PhD
    Princeton University

    Robyn Gartrell, MD, MS
    Johns Hopkins School of Medicine

    Abdul Rafeh Naqash, MD
    Stephenson Cancer Center, Oklahoma University

    Nicole E. Scharping, PhD
    University of California, San Diego 

    Target Audience

    The audience for the Meet-the-Expert Lunch includes graduate, medical, and post-baccalaureate students; clinical fellows; post-doctoral fellows; tenure-track investigators, government employees, and scientists in general; and industry/pharma scientists and employees. Space for this event is limited and priority will be given to early career scientists.

    Learning Objectives

    At the conclusion of this activity, participants should be able to:

    • Address most of their open questions and concerns on the selected topic
    • Make informed decisions about their career development and research projects 
    • Establish connections with experts in their field of interest

    Table Topics

    • Bioinformatics, Big Data, and AI

    • Career Paths for Physician Scientists

    • Careers Outside Academia and Industry – Careers in Policy, Advocacy and Non-Profit Organizations

    • Collaborating with Industry

    • Finding the Right Mentor, Sponsor or Advocate

    • How to Navigate a Clinical Trainee to a Clinical Investigator Position

    • How to Navigate the Graduate Student to Postdoc Transition

    • How to Navigate the Postdoc to PI Transition

    • Industry: Building Your Career in Industry (Big Pharma) (Table 1)

    • Industry: Building Your Career in Industry (Big Pharma) (Table 2)

    • Industry: Building Your Career in Industry (Startup and Midsize Pharma)

    • Navigating Government Funding within Academia

    • Navigating Life as Junior Faculty

    • Setting Up a Successful Biotech (Midsize Pharma and Small Startups)

    • Translational Research: Human Samples to Lab and Back to the Clinic

    • Translational Research: Mice to Humans

    Grant Writing Workshop

    Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025 | 5:45–8 p.m. ET

    This program will feature two sessions. The first session opens with getting a grant from the NIH, followed by overviews of grant opportunities with industry as well as foundations, strategies for grant writing, statistical considerations for effective grant proposal writing and it concludes with a patient advocate panel. The second session will consist of breakout question and answer sessions on various types of grants. Attendees will be able to select the table they would like to sit in on for discussion. 

    Program Organizers

    Zachary A. Cooper, PhD
    AstraZeneca

    Ardit Feinaj, MD
    Johns Hopkins University

    Kanika Jain, PhD
    Ankyra Therapeutics

    Geoffrey J. Markowitz, PhD
    Weill Cornell Medicine

    Daniel Michaud, PhD
    Brigham & Women's Hospital

    Abigail E. Overacre-Delgoffe, PhD
    University of Pittsburgh

    Quaovi Sodji, MD, PhD
    University of Wisconsin-Madison

    Target Audience

    The target audience for this educational program includes graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and junior to midlevel faculty, which encompasses instructors and assistant professors who wish to solidify their understanding of grant writing.

    Learning Objectives

    At the conclusion of this activity, participants should be able to: 

     

    •          Identify different funding sources, and how funding opportunities differ based on source
    •          Identify critical strengths and fatal flaws of a grant proposal, including techniques and statistical considerations 
    •      Incorporate patient advocate perspectives and recommendations in research and funding proposals 
    •      Discuss appropriate career stage-related funding mechanisms

    Session I 

    5:45 p.m. Attendees get food. Program will begin promptly at 6 p.m.
     

    Introduction
    Abigail E. Overacre-Delgoffe, PhD – University of Pittsburgh 
    6 p.m. Getting a Grant from the NIH
    Lillian Kuo, PhD – National Cancer Institute (NCI) 
    6:15 p.m.  Overview of Grant Opportunities with Industry 
    TBD
    6:25 p.m. 

    Overview of Grant Opportunities with Foundations
    TBD
    6:35 p.m. 

    Strategies for Grant Writing
    Daniel J. Powell, Jr., – University of Pennsylvania
    6:45 p.m. 

    Statistical Considerations for Effective Grant Proposal Writing and Avoiding Common Pitfalls 
    Christian M. Capitini, MD – University of Wisconsin-Madison
    6:55 p.m. 

    Question and Answer 
    7 p.m. 

    The Importance of the Patient Advocate Perspective in Research and How to Effectively Connect with Advocates
    TBD
    7:20 p.m.  Question and Answer 

    Session II

    7:25 p.m. 

    Question and Answer Breakout Tables (Various Types of Grants) 

    Career Development Awards (K Awards, K99/R00 Grants, Late Postdocs) 
    Nicole E. Scharping, PhD – University of California, San Diego 

    F Grants and T Grants for Predoctoral/Medical Students and Early Postdocs 
    TBD

    Foundation Grants  
    TBD

    Grants for Physician Scientists  
    Allison Betof Warner, MD, PhD – Stanford University School of Medicine 

    Grant Opportunities for non-US Attendees (K99, Society Grants, European-based Opportunities)  
    Saman Maleki, PhD – Western University 

    Interfacing with Industry (Biotech Grants)  
    Zachary A. Cooper, PhD – AstraZeneca 

    Low-preliminary Data Grants (DP5, R21, High Risk/High Reward Grants)  
    Abigail E. Overacre-Delgoffe, PhD – University of Pittsburgh

    Transition from Mentored to Independent Grants (Getting Your First R01) 
    TBD 

    7:55 p.m. 

    Closing Remarks