SC4: Understanding and Modulating Tumor Microenvironment for Immunotherapy

SUNDAY, APRIL 7, 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM (Tremont)

Instructor:

David A. Eavarone, PhD, Associate Principal Scientist, Harbour Biomed

Short Course Description:

This interactive short course tackles our emerging understanding of the role of the tumor microenvironment (TME) in tumor immunotherapy. The TME can have a marked immunosuppressive effect leading to suboptimal responses of tumors to immunotherapies. Strategies to change the immunosuppressive nature of the TME to one that supports immune responses and enhances the impact of tumor immunotherapy will be discussed.

Topics to be covered:

• Role of the TME in immune suppression
• Check point inhibitor optimization
• Targeting of regulatory cells
• Reprogramming of immunosuppressive cells
• Modulation of chemokines and cytokines in the TME

Meet the instructor:

David A. Eavarone, PhD, Associate Principal Scientist, Harbour Biomed

David is currently an Associate Principal Scientist at Harbour Biomeda. Previously, he was a Senior Scientist at Siamab Therapeutics, a small company developing therapies targeting tumor associated carbohydrate antigens (TACAs). TACAs are exploited by tumor cells to suppress innate immune function, enable tissue invasion and metastasis, resist chemotherapy and promote a stem-cell phenotype. David serves as scientific head of Siamab’s immuno-oncology and antibody engineering programs, developing therapeutic antibodies targeting TACAs that have the potential to not only kill cancer cells but also re-engage the immune system and overcome chemoresistance. Prior to joining Siamab, David was a Scientist at Visterra Inc. where he played a key role in the development of clinical-stage broad-spectrum therapeutic antibodies for influenza and dengue. Previously, David obtained his PhD in Biomedical Engineering from MIT where he co-invented the ‘Nanocell’ tumor therapy delivery system, the platform technology behind the biotech startup Cerulean Pharma.