Speaker Profile
PMWC LUMINARY AWARD
Developed advancements in CAR T-cell therapy, including innovative clinical trials and improved treatment protocols that have significantly enhanced patient outcomes in pediatric oncology
M.D., Ernest and Amelia Gallo Family Professor, Founding Director STanford Center for Cancer Cell Therapy, Stanford
Biography
Crystal Mackall is the Ernest and Amelia Gallo Family Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine at Stanford University, the Founding Director of the Stanford Center for Cancer Cell Therapy, and Director of the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy Stanford. During a 27-year tenure at NCI and since 2016 at Stanford, she has led an internationally recognized translational research program focused on immune-oncology. Her work has advanced understanding of fundamental immunology and translated this understanding for the treatment of human disease with a major focus on childrens cancers. Her group advanced understanding of T cell exhaustion and developed approaches to prevent or reverse the phenomena, identified major mechanisms of resistance to CAR T cell therapies and has conducted trials with very promising results in CAR19 refractory diseases and brain tumors. She is a Member of the National Academy of Medicine, the Academy of Immuno-oncology and AACR, and is the recipient of numerous awards.
Talk
Advancing Engineered Cell Therapies for Cancer
Progress in delivering cell based therapies capable of previously untreatable cancers continues to advance at a remarkable pace. This presentation will summarize current state of the field and promise for the future of this novel therapeutic class.
Session Abstract – PMWC 2025 Silicon Valley
Track Chair: Maggie Chapman, Labcorp
- Cross-Application of Oncology Drugs in Rare Diseases
- Razelle Kurzrock, Medical College of Wisconsin
- PMWC 2025 Award Ceremony
Luminary Honoree: David R. Liu, Broad Institute & Crystal Mackal, Stanford University
Pioneer Honoree: Drew Weissman, Penn Medicine
- Keynote: Base Editing, Prime Editing, and Targeted Gene Integration: Precision Therapeutic Genome Editingn
- David R. Liu, Broad Institute
- Breakthroughs in Cancer Immunotherapy: mRNA Vaccines and CAR T-Cell Advances (PANEL)
Chair: Rick Klausner, Altos Labs
- Drew Weissman, Penn Medicine
- Ira Mellman, Formelly with Genentech
- Crystal Mackal, Stanford University - Next-Generation ADCs: Challenges and Innovations in Immunotherapy Combinations (PANEL)
Chair: Sandhya Girish, Gilead
- Bin Liu, UCSF
- Strategic IP Management in Cell and Gene Therapy: Navigating Legal and Practical Challenges
- Janet Xiao, Morrison & Foerster LLP
- Advances in Allogeneic Cell Therapies: Overcoming Hurdles and Expanding Applications (PANEL)
Chair: Elliot Norry, Adaptimmune
- Larry Lamb, IN8bio
- Indu Ramachandran, Century Therapeutics - Transforming Cancer Treatment: Stem Cell and Gene Therapy Breakthroughs
Chair: Catriona Jamieson, UCSD Health
- Irv Weisman, Stanford
- Advancements and Future Directions in Therapeutic Ultrasound for Precision Medicine
Chair: Masha Stromme, EXACT Therapeutics
- Bradford Elmer, Sanofi
- John de Groot, UCSF
- Raag Airan, Stanford
