The Annual Meeting showcased major scientific advances and emerging areas shaping the future of immuno-oncology, including the use of radiomics and other computational approaches to inform diagnosis, personalize immunotherapy, and monitor patients with cancer; the role of neuroimmune communication in tumor biology and immunotherapy response or resistance; the mechanisms and clinical applications of B-cell–directed therapies across cancer and autoimmune disease; and the development of innovative technologies, next-generation immunotherapies, and immune modulators designed to address current challenges and advance the field.
Each year, the Annual Meeting features two distinguished lectures: a keynote and a presentation by the recipient of the Richard V. Smalley Memorial Award & Lectureship. In her keynote, Targeting the Microbiome to Promote Health and End Cancer, Jennifer A. Wargo, MD, MMSc of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, delivered a comprehensive overview of the tumor and human microbiomes and their influence on cancer development, immunotherapy response, and overall health. She concluded by highlighting emerging opportunities to translate these insights into improved patient outcomes.
Ira Mellman, PhD, FAACR, FAIO of the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy and Medici Therapeutics, was the 2025 recipient of the Richard V. Smalley, MD, Memorial Award and Lectureship. In his presentation, “The Coming Renaissance of Cancer Immunotherapy,” Dr. Mellman reviewed key scientific and clinical achievements in immuno-oncology over the last 15 years, while outlining remaining unanswered questions, emerging strategies to address them, and promising new directions for the field.