Dr. Andre Rosa represented our lab at the 10th Zurich Immuno-Oncology Symposium at the University Hospital Zürich, an international conference that brought together leading researchers and clinicians from across Europe to discuss the latest advances in cancer immunotherapy.
The symposium covered a broad spectrum of new therapeutic strategies, including checkpoint inhibition, immune engagers, next-generation CAR-T cell therapies, and the role of the tumor microenvironment in shaping immune responses against cancer. One of the main themes of the conference was the rapid development of CAR-T therapy. The presentations introduced increasingly sophisticated approaches, including CAR-T cells derived from iPS cells, in vivo-developed CAR-T strategies, and CAR-T platforms equipped with immune-activating components to enhance efficacy in immunosuppressive tumor environments. Another focus of the discussion was the expansion of immune-engager technologies beyond conventional T-cell targeting. Several presentations addressed innovative approaches to reprogramming tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). Additionally, checkpoint inhibition remained a central topic, increasingly shifting toward rational combinations rather than monotherapy.
A recurring message throughout the symposium was that resistance mechanisms and the evasion of the immune system continue to pose the greatest challenges in immuno-oncology. Understanding how tumors evade immune surveillance and identifying strategies to combat these mechanisms will be crucial for the next generation of therapies.
Overall, the symposium provided an excellent overview of a field that is rapidly evolving on multiple fronts. Attending the event offered valuable insights into current trends and future directions in cancer immunotherapy, while also creating opportunities for scientific exchange and collaboration within the immuno-oncology community.
