Speaker Profile
PMWC LUMINARY AWARD
Defined macrophage and dendritic cell biology in cancer and inflammatory disease
M.D., Ph.D., Chair of the Department of Immunology and Immunotherapy, Mount Sinai
Biography
Dr. Merad is Director of the Precision Immunology Institute at Mount Sinai in New York. She is an internationally acclaimed physician-scientist and a leader in the fields of immunology and oncology. Her discoveries have reshaped immunology textbooks by revealing previously unrecognized complexity within the immune system and redefining its role in several major human diseases. She is particularly renowned for her pioneering research on macrophages and their contributions to cancer, inflammatory conditions, and age-associated diseases. Her laboratory now focuses on developing macrophage-targeted therapies to treat cancer and inflammatory diseases and to prevent age-related disorders. Dr. Merad is an elected member of the National Academy of Sciences and National Academy of Medicine, and a fellow of the AACR and the Academy of Immuno-Oncology. She received numerous prestigious honors, including the William B. Coley Award, the Leopold Griffuel Cancer Prize, the INSERM International Prize, the Sjöberg Prize, and she was Knighted by the French Republic.
Talk
Macrophages: Key Targets in Cancer, Inflammatory Diseases & aging
Macrophages are master regulators of tissue health and inflammation, yet their diverse roles in physiology and disease have only recently become fully appreciated. In this lecture, I will discuss how understanding macrophage biology is transforming therapeutic strategies for cancer, inflammatory diseases, and aging.
Session Abstract – PMWC 2027 Silicon Valley
Track Chair:
Priti Hegde, Kite Pharma
PMWC Award Ceremony
• Arie S. Belldegrun, Allogene Therapeutics
Keynote: The Industrialization of Cell Therapy:From Autologous Pioneers to Allogeneic Frontiers
• Arie S. Belldegrun, Allogene Therapeutics
Next Generation CAR-T Cell Therapies: Expanding Targets and Enhancing Designs
• Chair: Erin Harris Cell & Gene
• David Barrett, Kite Pharma
• Carl June, University of Pennsylvania
• Michel Sadelain, Columbia University
PMWC Award Ceremony
• Michel Sadelain, Columbia University
Keynote: Engineering the Future: Innovations in CAR-T Therapy Design
• Michel Sadelain, Columbia University
Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes (TILs): Advances and Challenges in Solid Tumors
• Chair: Allison Betof Warner, Stanford University
• George Coukos, Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research
• Max Julve, Stanford
• Stephanie Goff, NIH/NCI
Allogeneic & In Vivo Cell Therapies: Manufacturing & Clinical Progress
• Chair: Arie S. Belldegrun, Allogene Therapeutics
• Zach Roberts, Allogene Therapeutics
• Adrian Bot, Capstan Therapeutics
• Priti Hegde, Kite Pharma
Smart Scaling: Leverating AI & Automation to De-Risk Advanced Therapy Manufacturing
• Chair: Stacie Calad-Thomson
• Samuel Rodriques, FutureHouse
• Manuel Leonetti, Biohub
• Fabian Gerlinghaus, Cellares
Designing Automated Platforms for Scalable Cell Therapy Manufacturing
• Fabian Gerlinghaus, Cellares
In Vivo CAR Therapy: Immune Reprogramming Directly in Patients
• Daniel Getts, Myloid Therapeutics
Operationalizing Cell & Gene Therapy Trials in a Large Health System
•Snehit Prabhu, Stanford
Gene Editing & Synthetic Biology for Therapy
• Chair: Trevor Martin, Mammoth Biosciences
• Ken Drazan, ArsenalBio
• Lynn Seely, Lyell
• Kole T. Roybal, Parker Institute
• David Kirn, 4DMT
