Speaker Profile
Ph.D., Global Head of Research, Kite Pharma
Biography
Dr. Hegde oversees clinical product development, cancer genomics, and early-stage research, as well as regulatory and quality assurance, to accelerate advancement of the Company’s leading comprehensive genomic profiling portfolio. She is passionate about innovation in cancer research and translating innovations to precision medicine tools to advance care for patients. Dr. Hegde has spent nearly two decades in the biopharmaceutical industry, with a proven track record in drug development, registration, and commercialization of therapeutics with companion diagnostics in cancer immunotherapy. Prior to joining Foundation Medicine, Dr. Hegde spent 12 years at Genentech. Dr. Hegde served as senior director and principal scientist in oncology biomarker development at Genentech, during which she established and led the biomarker group accountable for translational science strategies in cancer immunotherapy. Dr. Hegde was instrumental in the approvals for atezolizumab in both the United States and European Union, as well as its forthcoming diagnostic filings.
Session Abstract – PMWC 2027 Silicon Valley
Track Chair:
Cindy Perettie, Kite Pharma
PMWC Award Ceremony
• Katy Rezvani, MD Anderson (Luminary)
• David Miklos, Stanford (Luminary)
• Frederick Locke, Moffitt Cancer Center (Luminary)
Featured Speakers
• Katy Rezvani, MD Anderson
• David Miklos, Stanford
• Frederick Locke, Moffitt Cancer Center
• Arie Belldegrun, Allogene Therapeutics
• Paul Hastings, Nkarta Therapeutics
• Priti Hegde, Kite Pharma
• Andrew Scharenberg, Umoja Biopharma
• Brett Staahl, Scribe Therapeutics
• Marcela Maus, Mass General Brigham / Harvard
• Antoni Ribas, UCLA
• Saul Priceman, USC
• Sabine Heitzeneder, Stanford
Off-the-Shelf Cell Therapies
NK, iPSC, and allogeneic T cells: what wins beyond autologous CAR-T.
AI in Cell Therapy: Research to Commercialization
How AI is reshaping discovery, product design, manufacturing, and clinical translation.
The Bottleneck: Manufacturing at Scale
Capacity, automation, cost of goods, and the realities of getting engineered cells to patients.
In Vivo Delivery: The Make-or-Break Layer
Targeting the right tissue safely enough to make in vivo engineering real.
Why Cell Therapies Fail in Solid Tumors and What Works
The microenvironment, antigen escape, and programs showing real responses.
Approved to Effective
Real-world outcomes, access, and what CAR-T still gets wrong after approval.
PMWC Hall of Impact
Previous Speakers Include
Nobel laureates, technology founders, regulators, CEOs and scientific pioneers who have taken the PMWC stage.
