Emerging Cell Therapies
Feb 01–04, 2026 | Fairmont Banff Springs, Banff, AB, Canada
Scientific Organizers:
Wendell A. Lim, Ashley K. Koegel, and Robbie G. Majzner
In Person
On Demand
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Feb 01–04, 2026 | Fairmont Banff Springs, Banff, AB, Canada
Scientific Organizers: Wendell A. Lim, Ashley K. Koegel, and Robbie G. Majzner
Wendell A. Lim, PhD
University of California, San Francisco
Ashley K. Koegel, MD
Bristol Myers Squibb
Robbie G. Majzner, MD
Dana Farber Cancer Institute
Available Formats:
Supported by:
In Person
On Demand
***Meeting program subject to change.
Available Formats: = In Person = On DemandSunday, February 1, 2026
Fundraising
Booking Function
Merchandise Options
Registration Options
Registration
4:00–8:00 PM
Riverview Lounge
Welcome Mixer
6:00–8:00 PM
Riverview Lounge
Monday, February 2, 2026
Breakfast
7:00–8:00 AM
Alberta/New Brunswick
Welcome Remarks
8:00–8:10 AM
Alhambra Ballroom
Keynote Address
8:10–9:00 AM
Alhambra Ballroom
Uri Alon, Weizmann Institute of Science
Systems Medicine: Cell Therapies as Agents to Rewire the Physiological Circuits of Disease
Systems Medicine: Cell Therapies as Agents to Rewire the Physiological Circuits of Disease
New Cell Types for Therapy
9:00–11:15 AM
Alhambra Ballroom
Nicholas Arpaia, Columbia University Irving Medical Center
Engineered Probiotic Bacteria for Cancer Immunotherapy
Engineered Probiotic Bacteria for Cancer Immunotherapy
Yiyin Erin Chen, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard
Skin Microbiota to Manipulate Immune Responses
Skin Microbiota to Manipulate Immune Responses
Frederick Bennett, University of Pennsylvania
Microglia Replacement
Microglia Replacement
Abbas Ghaddar, Rice University
Short Talk: Engineering N-lactoyl Phenylalanine Producing Bacteria for the Treatment of Obesity
Short Talk: Engineering N-lactoyl Phenylalanine Producing Bacteria for the Treatment of Obesity
Coffee Break
9:30–9:50 AM
Riverview Lounge
Poster Setup
11:15–1:00 PM
Alberta/New Brunswick
On Own for Lunch
11:15–5:00 PM
Poster Viewing
1:00–10:00 PM
Alberta/New Brunswick
Symposia Spotlight 1
2:30–4:30 PM
Alhambra Ballroom
Roberto Avellino, Weizmann I.S Herzel 234
Reconstructing native immune enhancer logic into synthetic genetic circuits for Context-Resolved Immune Therapy
Reconstructing native immune enhancer logic into synthetic genetic circuits for Context-Resolved Immune Therapy
Sangwoo Park, Mass General Hospital
Tuning CAR-T Cells by Targeting Cancer-Associated Glycan in Pancreatic Cancer
Tuning CAR-T Cells by Targeting Cancer-Associated Glycan in Pancreatic Cancer
Grace Bugos, Fred Hutch Cancer Center
Sensitive Bispecific Synthetic Chimeric T cell Receptors for Cancer Therapy
Sensitive Bispecific Synthetic Chimeric T cell Receptors for Cancer Therapy
Mitchell Kluesner, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
TCR-like Synthetic Chimeric T Cell Receptors (ChTCRs) Targeting Solid Tumors are More Sensitive to Low Antigen, but are Subject to Greater Negative Regulation than CAR-Ts at Supraphysiologic Antigen Levels
TCR-like Synthetic Chimeric T Cell Receptors (ChTCRs) Targeting Solid Tumors are More Sensitive to Low Antigen, but are Subject to Greater Negative Regulation than CAR-Ts at Supraphysiologic Antigen Levels
Jennifer M Feigin, Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
Targeting the Bone Marrow Microenvironment with CART Cell Therapy to Overcome Resistance in Multiple Myeloma
Targeting the Bone Marrow Microenvironment with CART Cell Therapy to Overcome Resistance in Multiple Myeloma
Filippo Birocchi, MGH
Fratricide by Design: Selective T Cell Elimination in Cancer Therapy
Fratricide by Design: Selective T Cell Elimination in Cancer Therapy
Devan Shah, UCSF
Engineered Signal Cascades for Synthetic Multicellular Immune Networks
Engineered Signal Cascades for Synthetic Multicellular Immune Networks
Coffee Available
4:30–5:00 PM
Riverview Lounge
Cell Therapies for Autoimmunity and Inflammation
5:00–7:00 PM
Alhambra Ballroom
Georg A Schett, Uniklinikum Erlangen
Cell Therapies for Lupus
Cell Therapies for Lupus
Ashley K. Koegel, Bristol Myers Squibb
Autoimmune Cell Therapies
Autoimmune Cell Therapies
Megan K. Levings, University of British Columbia
CAR Tregs
CAR Tregs
Aaron G Winters, A2 Biotherapeutics
Short Talk: Discriminating Friend from Foe in Autoimmunity: A Tandem NOT Gate Cell Therapy Discriminates Pathogenic Versus Non-Pathogenic Lymphocytes
Short Talk: Discriminating Friend from Foe in Autoimmunity: A Tandem NOT Gate Cell Therapy Discriminates Pathogenic Versus Non-Pathogenic Lymphocytes
Rotem Shalita, Weizmann Institute of Science
Short Talk: Reprogramming Neuroinflammation: Data-Guided Development of a PD-1 CAR T Platform for Multiple Sclerosis
Short Talk: Reprogramming Neuroinflammation: Data-Guided Development of a PD-1 CAR T Platform for Multiple Sclerosis
Social Hour with Dinner
7:00–8:00 PM
Alberta/New Brunswick
Poster Session 1
7:30–10:00 PM
Alberta/New Brunswick
Tuesday, February 3, 2026
Breakfast
7:00–8:00 AM
Alberta/New Brunswick
Foundational Synthetic Biology Tools for Cell Engineering
8:00–11:00 AM
Alhambra Ballroom
Wendell A. Lim, University of California, San Francisco
Cells as Integrators of Complex Functions
Cells as Integrators of Complex Functions
Amanda Iniguez, Moonlight Bio
Potency Enhancement Strategies for Cell Therapies
Potency Enhancement Strategies for Cell Therapies
Adrian Bot, AbbVie
In vivo Immune Engineering Paves the Way Towards a New Therapeutic Modality
In vivo Immune Engineering Paves the Way Towards a New Therapeutic Modality
Xiaojing Gao, Stanford University
Biomolecular Circuits as Medicine
Biomolecular Circuits as Medicine
Jeremy R Bjelajac, Stanford University
Short Talk: Cell Autonomous Control of CAR Signaling and Receptor Shedding via ADAM17 Mediated Proteolysis
Short Talk: Cell Autonomous Control of CAR Signaling and Receptor Shedding via ADAM17 Mediated Proteolysis
Hersh K Bhargava, UCSF Cell Design Institute
Short Talk: Engineering Cell Autonomous IL-2 Circuits to Understand and Control T Cell Responses
Short Talk: Engineering Cell Autonomous IL-2 Circuits to Understand and Control T Cell Responses
Coffee Break
9:00–9:20 AM
Riverview Lounge
Award Recipient Acknowledgement
9:20–9:25 AM
Alhambra Ballroom
Poster Setup
11:00–1:00 PM
Alberta/New Brunswick
On Own for Lunch
11:00–5:00 PM
Poster Viewing
1:00–10:00 PM
Alberta/New Brunswick
Career Roundtable (Joint)
1:45–2:45 PM
Alhambra Ballroom
Panel Discussion: Regulatory Hurdles for Cell Therapies
3:00–4:30 PM
Alhambra Ballroom
Coffee Break with Hot Chocolate, Firepits & Mountain Views
4:00–5:00 PM
Conservatory Terrace
Cancer Cell Therapies: Preclinical
5:00–7:00 PM
Alhambra Ballroom
Emily Beura, Kelonia Therapeutics
in vivo Engineering using iGPS Technology
in vivo Engineering using iGPS Technology
Robbie G. Majzner, Dana Farber Cancer Institute
Cancer Cell Therapy
Cancer Cell Therapy
Mark Yarmarkovich, New York University
Peptide Centric CARs
Peptide Centric CARs
Caroline Whitty, University of California, San Francisco
Short Talk: Stromal-directed Synthetic Circuits Protect against on Target Off Tumor Toxicity and Effectively Treat Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma with CAR T Cell Therapy
Short Talk: Stromal-directed Synthetic Circuits Protect against on Target Off Tumor Toxicity and Effectively Treat Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma with CAR T Cell Therapy
Misty R. Jenkins, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research
Short Talk: EphA3-targeted Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cells are Effective in Glioma and Generate Curative Memory T Cell Responses
Short Talk: EphA3-targeted Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cells are Effective in Glioma and Generate Curative Memory T Cell Responses
Charlotte Wang, UCSF
Short Talk: Site Saturation Mutagenesis of ZAP70 Enables Rational CAR-T Cell Optimization
Short Talk: Site Saturation Mutagenesis of ZAP70 Enables Rational CAR-T Cell Optimization
Social Hour with Dinner
7:00–8:00 PM
Alberta/New Brunswick
Poster Session 2
7:30–10:00 PM
Alberta/New Brunswick
Wednesday, February 4, 2026
Breakfast
7:00–8:00 AM
Alberta/New Brunswick
Cancer Cell Therapies: Clinical
8:00–11:00 AM
Alhambra Ballroom
Claudia Rossig, University of Münster
GD2-Targeted CAR T Cell Therapies for Solid Cancers
GD2-Targeted CAR T Cell Therapies for Solid Cancers
Kristen Hege, Independent board member, Adaptimmune, Mersana, Kelonia, KSQ, EvolveImmune.
GART Lessons Learned Guiding Next Gen Cell Therapies
GART Lessons Learned Guiding Next Gen Cell Therapies
Marcela V Maus, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center
Cell Therapies for Glioblastoma and Beyond
Cell Therapies for Glioblastoma and Beyond
Andras Heczey, Seattle Children's Research Institute
GPC3-CAR T Cells for Patients with Solid Tumors
GPC3-CAR T Cells for Patients with Solid Tumors
Jennifer L Clarke, UCSF
Short Talk: Preliminary Results from a Phase 1 Study of Autologous Anti-EGFRvIII SynNotch Receptor-Induced Anti-EphA2/Il-13Rα2 CAR (E-SYNC) T-Cells in Adult Participants with EGFRvIII+ Glioblastoma
Short Talk: Preliminary Results from a Phase 1 Study of Autologous Anti-EGFRvIII SynNotch Receptor-Induced Anti-EphA2/Il-13Rα2 CAR (E-SYNC) T-Cells in Adult Participants with EGFRvIII+ Glioblastoma
Coffee Break
9:00–9:20 AM
Riverview Lounge
On Own for Lunch
11:00–5:00 PM
Symposia Spotlight 2
2:30–4:30 PM
Alhambra Ballroom
Lauren Durland, University of British Columbia
Optimizing Progenitor Dynamics Enables Efficient CD4 and CD8 T Cell Production from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells
Optimizing Progenitor Dynamics Enables Efficient CD4 and CD8 T Cell Production from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells
Katherine A Freitas, Kite Pharma
Immune Synapse Disruption and Reduction of MHC Expression by Base Editing Protects Allogeneic CAR T Cells from Immune Rejection
Immune Synapse Disruption and Reduction of MHC Expression by Base Editing Protects Allogeneic CAR T Cells from Immune Rejection
Tim Guo, GentiBio, Inc
Robust Immune Evasion Technology Enables Durable Persistence of Allogeneic Engineered Regulatory T Cells
Robust Immune Evasion Technology Enables Durable Persistence of Allogeneic Engineered Regulatory T Cells
Kylie A Burdsall, Stanford Medicine
In Vivo CAR-T cell Engineering with the PACK-IT Platform Generates Il9-Receptor Expressing CAR-T cells with Potent Anti-Tumor Efficacy
In Vivo CAR-T cell Engineering with the PACK-IT Platform Generates Il9-Receptor Expressing CAR-T cells with Potent Anti-Tumor Efficacy
Milos Simic, University of Chicago
Programming Tissue-Sensing T Cells to Deliver Therapies to the Brain
Programming Tissue-Sensing T Cells to Deliver Therapies to the Brain
Kunal Rai, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Precision Epigenome Engineering to Improve T Cell Therapy
Precision Epigenome Engineering to Improve T Cell Therapy
Geoffrey Rouin, University of Pennsylvania
A Novel CRISPR Screening Approach Identifies Targets for Reversal of Human CAR T Cell Exhaustion
A Novel CRISPR Screening Approach Identifies Targets for Reversal of Human CAR T Cell Exhaustion
Wan Sang Cho, Stanford University
A Continuous Landscape of Signaling Encodes a Corresponding Landscape of CAR T Cell Phenotype
A Continuous Landscape of Signaling Encodes a Corresponding Landscape of CAR T Cell Phenotype
Coffee Available
4:30–5:00 PM
Riverview Lounge
Cell Therapies for Regeneration
5:00–6:45 PM
Alhambra Ballroom
Stefan Irion, BlueRock Therapeutics
Cell Therapy for Neurodegenerative Disease
Cell Therapy for Neurodegenerative Disease
Faranak Fattahi, University of California, San Francisco
Peripheral Nerve Regeneration
Peripheral Nerve Regeneration
Jacob H Hanna, Weizmann Institute of Science
Utilizing Synthetic Embryo Models for Enhanced Stem Cell Differentiation
Utilizing Synthetic Embryo Models for Enhanced Stem Cell Differentiation
Alex Ng †, GC Therapeutics
Short Talk: AI-Guided Cell Fate Programming Trained by Systematic TFome™-Wide Screening
Short Talk: AI-Guided Cell Fate Programming Trained by Systematic TFome™-Wide Screening
Meeting Wrap-Up: Outcomes and Future Directions (Organizers)
6:45–7:00 PM
Alhambra Ballroom
Social Hour with Dinner
7:00–8:00 PM
Alberta/New Brunswick
Cash Bar
8:15–9:15 PM
Alberta/New Brunswick
Entertainment
8:15–9:15 PM
Cascade Ballroom
Thursday, February 5, 2026
Departure
12:00–11:59 PM
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