The Raymond & Beverly Sackler Foundation -- Caltech-UCLA T-Cell Immunotherapy Symposium -- Hosted by Dr. David Baltimore
1:00pm – 2:00pm: Dr. Antoni Ribas; Treating Cancer with PD-1 Blockade
Antoni Ribas, M.D., Ph.D. is a Professor of Medicine, Professor of Surgery, and Professor of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA). He is the Director of the Tumor Immunology Program at the Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center (JCCC), Vice-President of the Society for Melanoma Research (SMR) and the Chair of the Melanoma Committee at SWOG. He trained at the University of Barcelona, Spain, with postdoctoral research and clinical fellowship at UCLA. Dr. Ribas is an elected member of the American Society of Clinical Investigation (ASCI). He has published over 200 manuscripts on laboratory and clinical research in malignant melanoma. As a physician-scientist, Dr. Ribas has a NIH and California State-funded laboratory where he conducts research focusing on adoptive cell transfer with T cell receptor (TCR) engineered lymphocytes, anti-CTLA4 antibodies, anti-PD-1 antibodies, BRAF and MEK-targeted therapies.
2:00pm – 3:00pm: Dr. James Heath; Methods for Advanced Immune Monitoring of Immunotherapy Cancer Patients
Dr. Heath received his B.Sc. in Chemistry from Baylor University in 1984 and his M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Chemical Physics in 1988 from Rice University. He was appointed Asst. Prof at UCLA in 1994, and promoted to Professor in 1997. Heath founded the California NanoSystems Institute in 2000 and served as its Director until moving to Caltech. Heath has worked in a number of areas, including nanomaterials, molecular electronics, and quantum phase transitions. More recently he has turned his efforts to addressing translational and fundamental research problems in oncology. Heath has been a recipient of several awards, including the Spiers Medal from the Royal Society, a Public Service Commendation from California Governor Gray Davis, the Sackler Prize in the Physical Sciences, and the Irvin Weinstein Prize and Lectureship from the American Association of Cancer Researchers. He has founded or co-founded several companies including NanoSys, Momentum Biosciences, and Integrated Diagnostics. He serves as director of the National Cancer Institute funded NSB Cancer Center. In 2009 he was named by Forbes as one of the top 7 innovators in the world.
3:00pm – 3:30pm: Afternoon Tea Break
3:30pm - 4:30pm: Dr. Michael Teitell; New Approaches in Cell Engineering and Response Profiling
Michael Teitell, M.D., Ph.D., holds the Latta Endowed Chair in Pathology and is a Professor in the Departments of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Pediatrics, and Bioengineering at UCLA. He is Chief of the Division of Pediatric and Neonatal Pathology, Director of the Cancer Nanotechnology Program in the Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, Director of the Tumor Immunology Training Program, Director of the Broad Stem Cell Research Center Bioengineering Core, Associate Director of the UCLA-Caltech Medical Scientist Training Program, and a member of the California NanoSystems Institute (CNSI) Executive Steering Committee. Dr. Teitell is an elected member of the American Society of Clinical Investigators and was a Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Stohlman Scholar.
In addition to fundamental and translational studies in cancer, mitochondria, and stem cell metabolism, his research lab has collaboratively developed novel investigative approaches, including a photothermal nanoblade and a live cell interferometer (LCI). The nanoblade efficiently transfers micron sized cargo of various types into mammalian cells, while the LCI quantifies single cell responses to environmental perturbations, including the response of cytotoxic T lymphocytes to antigen presenting tumor cells. The focus of his presentation will be on these new technologies for cell engineering and response profiling and includes the in vitro detection of tumor-responsive CTLs amongst a population of non-responsive T cells for potential applications in T cell immunotherapy.
4:30pm – 5:30pm: Reception
Space is limited so please RSVP to Julie Kelly: [email protected]