Speaker Profile
M.D., Professor, MD Anderson Cancer Ctr.
Biography
Dr. Yee is an oncologist, immunologist and endowed professor in Division of Cancer Medicine, Dept of Immunology, and Director of Solid Tumor Cell Therapy at MD Anderson Cancer Center, elected to ASCI in 2009. Over the last 25 years, Dr. Yees discoveries in cell therapy provided first proof-of-concept of the importance of T cell persistence, antigen-spreading and combination strategies by pioneering the use of antigen-specific T cells in a modality known as Endogenous T Cell therapy. He holds more than 18 inventions in the field of cellular therapy and is founder of an AI startup and TCR-T cell therapy company (Mongoose Bio). Assets developed in Yee Lab are focused on solid tumors for common and rare cancers in the global population, leveraging one of the largest immunopeptidomes established from MS-defined datasets in his lab. His latest project is a NASA-funded initiative to take T cells to the International Space Station
Session Abstract – PMWC 2026 Silicon Valley
Track Chair:
Cindy Perettie, EVP Kite Pharma
PMWC Award Ceremony
• Michel Sadelain, Columbia
• Arie S. Belldegrun, Allogene Therapeutics
Keynote: Engineering the Future: Innovations in CAR-T Therapy Design
• Michel Sadelain, Columbia
CAR-T Cell Therapies: Strategies in Mitigating Challenges in Solid Tumor Delivery
• Chair: David Barrett, Kite
• Carl June, University of Pennsylvania
• Michel Sadelain, Columbia
Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes (TILs): Advances and Challenges in Solid Tumors
• Chair: Allison Betof Warner, Stanford
• George Coukos, Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research
• Max Julve, Royal Marsden
• Stephanie Goff, NIH/NCI
Allogeneic & In Vivo Cell Therapies: Manufacturing & Clinical Progress
• Chair: Arie S. Belldegrun, Allogene Therapeutics
• David Chang, Allogene Therapeutics
• Adrian Bot, Capstan Therapeutics
• Aliya Omer, AstraZeneca
• Priti Hegde, Kite Pharma
Designing Automated Platforms for Scalable Cell Therapy Manufacturing
Fabian Gerlinghaus (Cellares)
TCR-Based Cell Therapies: New Targets and Clinical Advances
• Chair: Diwakar Davar, UPMC
• Lauren Harshman, Clasp Therapeutics
• Cassian Yee, MD Anderson
Gene Editing & Synthetic Biology for Therapy
• Chair: Matthew Porteus, Stanford
• Rachel Haurwitz, Caribou Biosciences
• Kole T. Roybal, Parker Institute
• Ken Drazan, ArsenalBio
Synthetic Circuits for Smarter Cell Therapies: Enhancing NK Precision and Persistence
Gudrun Stengel, Alida BioSciences
