Speaker Profile
Ph.D., Executive Director and Head, Translational IO, Novartis Biomedical Res.
Biography
Dr. Mataraza is responsible for the laboratory and clinical biomarker strategies for oncology therapies in the Novartis pipeline through development candidate stage, clinical proof-of-concept and registration. Her industry background includes LMW, biologics and CAR-T therapies with significant contributions to several therapeutic candidates now in Phase I, II and III clinical trials. Before Novartis, she held positions of increasing responsibility at CoStim Pharmaceuticals, Merck Research Laboratories, Schering Plough Research Institute, and Organon Biosciences.
Session Abstract – PMWC 2026 Silicon Valley
Track Chair:
Ira Mellman, Medici Therapeutics
PMWC Award Ceremony
• Jedd D. Wolchok, Weill Cornell Medicine
• Suzanne Topalian, Johns Hopkins
• Levi Garraway, Roche
Targeting the Tumor Microenvironment (TME) in Practice: Biomarkers & Combos
• Chair: Ira Mellman, Medici Therapeutics
• Dmitry Gabrilovich, AstraZeneca
• Shannon Turley, Amgen
Immunotherapy with Personalized Cancer Vaccines: Who, When, How Fast?
• Chair: Suzanne Topalian, Johns Hopkins
• Tal Zaks, Orbimed
• Lelia Delamarre, Genentech
Fireside Chat: Immune Tolerance to Cure, A Conversation With...
• Mary E. Brunkow, Institute for Systems Biology
• Lee Hood, Institute for Systems Biology
ADCs in the Checkpoint Era: Who Benefits, What to Combine, What to Avoid
• Chair: Shreya Badhrinarayanan, Pfizer
• S. Peter Kang, Daiichi Sankyo
• Vadim Koshkin, UCSF
Strategic IP Management in Cell and Gene Therapy: Navigating Legal and Practical Challenges
• Janet Xiao, Morrison & Foerster LLP
Checkpoint 2.0 in Practice: PD-1+VEGF Wins, Resistance Salvage & Biomarker Gates
• Chair: Anne Kasmar, Parexel
• Jedd D. Wolchok, Weill Cornell Medicine
• Roy S. Herbst, Yale
Radiopharmaceutical Therapy: New Targets, Isotopes, and Challenges
• Chair: William Oh, Yale
• Munir Ghesanim, United Theranostics
• Sandy Srinivas, Stanford
• Anna Karmann, AdvanCell
Future Breakthroughs in Immuno-Oncology: New Targets, Modalities & Combinations
• Chair: Levi Garraway, Roche
