The Cancer Immunotherapy Winter School program will provide a deep understanding of the core principles of tumor immunology and cancer immunotherapy as well as developing areas in the field including biomarker technology, validation and clinical integration, clinical trial design, data analysis and considerations for combination therapies.  The program is tailored to early-to-mid career scientists and clinicians in the field of cancer immunotherapy working in academic, clinical, industry and government settings as well as those new to the field. The curriculum covers the fundamentals of cancer immunotherapy and features separate tracks, including clinical and research, allowing participants to tailor their experience by selecting the educational path most relevant to their learning goals.

The Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) Clinical Immuno-Oncology Network (SCION) Workshop is an intimate immunotherapy clinical trial development program, led by experts in the field who are equipped to help their assigned students navigate through the unique considerations that accompany immunotherapy treatments. Designed to address the unique considerations for designing clinical trial protocols focused on cancer immunotherapy, the SCION Workshop connects participants with experienced faculty in the field and dedicated patient advocates to advise on clinical trial protocol development. In addition to hands on sessions within their small groups, SCION participants will attend didactic Winter School presentations throughout the week to enhance their learning experience. SCION participants must apply and be selected to attend.

The target audience is early-to-mid career scientists in the field of cancer immunotherapy working in academic, clinical, industry and government settings. The target audience also includes individuals new to the field of cancer immunotherapy who are working in academic, clinical, industry and government settings. The Winter School is does not require an application, only registration. 

Eligible applicants are those working in the field of cancer immunotherapy who want to develop their own immunotherapy clinical trial protocol synopsis (resulting in an approved protocol and consent). This includes, but is not limited to, clinical fellows and junior faculty/attendings with medical, surgical, radiation, urologic, gynecologic, or pediatric oncology training and advanced degree scientists (e.g., Masters, PhD, PharmD, DNP) with research experience and interest in clinical and translational immuno-oncology. Applicants can be from academic, non-profit, or for-profit organizations, including the pharmaceutical industry/biotechnology.  Those with other related professional degrees are also encouraged to apply.  

The SCION program does require applications. Applications for the 2024 SCION program are now closed. Applications for the 2025 SCION program will open in Summer of 2024.

Applicants will submit a completed application form, sponsor statement (from a mentor/supervisor), an applicant statement of interest, curriculum vitae, and abstract protocol. The full application details and instructions can be found here.     

The deadline to apply for the 2024 SCION workshop was Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023, at 5:00 p.m. EST. 

Applications for the 2025 SCION workshop will open in Summer of 2024. 

If accepted to the SCION program, you will only need to register for SCION. As a SCION participant, you will be joining specific sessions from the Winter School program.  This is included in your SCION registration fee.  *Please wait to register for SCION until you have been notified of your acceptance. 

Yes, SCION applicants that are not selected to attend SCION may still register for and attend the Winter School program.

Please email education@sitcancer.org to let us know your questions. 

Times are subject to change but are within 8:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.  There will also be a networking reception with the Winter School and the SCION participants and faculty one evening during the program. 

Winter School participants can register to attend the program in person or virtually. More information regarding the virtual platform for the program will be provided to registrants closer to the program. 

No, due to the intimate, hands on nature of the program, SCION is in person only.

Yes, to support young investigators and clinicians interested in attending the Cancer Immunotherapy Winter School, SITC is accepting applications for travel awards, which will provide reimbursement of eligible travel expenses incurred during the program up to $1,000. 

The application deadline to apply for a Winter School travel award was Thursday, August 9, 2023 at 5 p.m. PDT.

*To be eligible for the Winter School travel award, you cannot be a SCION participant. Winter School travel award winners are required to be an in-person attendee to accept this award. Two of the five travel awards will be reserved for those who self-identify as individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups in the Biomedical Sciences according to the NIH definition. The information collected in response to the self-identifying process will only be viewed by SITC staff and Cancer Immunotherapy Winter School program organizers.

Click here for more information regarding the eligibility and criteria. 

Unfortunately, at this time travel awards are not offered for the SCION program.  

Martin “Mac” Cheever Excellence in Clinical Trial Design - Travel Award

Established in 2022 in loving memory of Dr. Martin “Mac” Cheever, this fund recognizes his many contributions to the field of cancer immunotherapy by providing travel awards to deserving early career investigators pursuing excellence in clinical trial design.

Each year, SITC will identify the best and brightest in the field to continue Dr. Cheever’s passion for improving immunotherapy protocols through the Martin “Mac” Cheever Excellence in Clinical Trial Design - Travel Award. This select group of deserving early career investigators will look to advance cancer immunotherapy through simple and elegant clinical trial design. Two awardees will be selected from the participants in the SITC’s Clinical Immuno-Oncology Network (SCION) Workshop. One awardee will be selected selected from the SCION participants for having the most simple and elegant protocol. The second award will be given to a participant whose protocol focuses on immunoprevention. The award winners are selected after the program. The awardees will receive flight, hotel, and meal reimbursement to fully support their travel to the SITC Annual Meeting in the same year that they are selected as the recipients of the award.   

SCION participants will be expected to pay a registration fee as well as cover all costs for all travel and lodging during the SCION workshop. The registration cost will include participation in Cancer Immunotherapy Winter School sessions (happening at the same time and place). For your convenience, SITC has blocked rooms at the AT&T Conference Center, which is the site of the SCION and Winter School programs. For questions about lodging, please contact events@sitcancer.org.     

Once you have been accepted to the SCION program you will be emailed with directions on how to register for the program.     

Registration is contingent upon acceptance to the SCION program. You will be contacted directly with specific instruction on how to register. 

SCION Registration Rates     

Yes, contact events@sitcancer.org.   

Registrants who select to attend Winter School in person can participate in the onsite meeting, as well as attend all networking opportunities. In person attendees will be granted access to the enduring materials after the program.

Registrants who select to attend the Winter School virtually will have access to live-streamed presentations with the ability to participate in live Q&A for all sessions. More information regarding the virtual platform will be available closer to the program. Virtual attendees will be granted access to the enduring materials after the program. .   

Yes, both programs are located at:

The University of Texas at Austin AT&T Hotel and Conference Center

1900 University Avenue

Austin, TX 78705  

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The program will be held in Austin, TX and will be operating on the Central Time Zone.   

Early Registration Deadline: Wednesday, December 20, 2023 (11:59 p.m. PST) 

Regular Registration Closes: Wednesday, January 17, 2024 (11:59 p.m. PST) 

Onsite Registration Closes: Friday, February 2, 2024 (11:59 p.m. PST)

Early Registration Deadline: Wednesday, December 20, 2023 (11:59 p.m. PST) 

Regular Registration Closes: Wednesday, January 17, 2024 (11:59 p.m. PST) 

Onsite Registration Closes: Friday, February 2, 2024 (11:59 p.m. PST)

The cost of registration in-person is the same as virtual registration.

Networking opportunities include daily networking lunches, as well as one combined reception for Winter School and SCION program participants. Additionally, Winter School attendees are free to spend their evening exploring Austin with other participants or faculty. 

SCION is not a recorded program. SCION participants will also have access to the 2024 Winter School enduring materials within two weeks of the program. 

Winter School enduring materials will be available within four weeks of program for both in-person and virtual attendees.