Science Careers

Spatial biology is an emerging field that seeks to understand the spatial organization of cells and how it affects their function. In the context of immuno-oncology, spatial biology has proven to be a critical tool for understanding the interactions between cellular and non-cellular components—cancer cells, immune system, and stroma—within the tumor microenvironment.

Recent advances in imaging technologies, such as multiplex immunofluorescence, have enabled researchers to map the distribution of different cell types within tumors and characterize their functional states. This has led to new insights into the mechanisms of immune evasion by cancer cells and the potential for spatially targeted immunotherapies.

In this webinar, Brian Piening, Cancer Immuno-Genomics Laboratory technical director at Earle A. Chiles Research Institute, Providence, Oregon, and Lubka Roumenina, senior scientist at Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Paris, France, will explore the latest developments in spatial biology for immuno-oncology. They will discuss the technologies and methodologies used to study the tumor microenvironment at high resolution, as well as the key biological insights gained from these studies. Additionally, they will examine the potential of identifying spatially relevant biomarkers in new and more effective immunotherapies.

During this webinar, the speakers will:

• Provide an overview of spatial biology and how it compares to traditional immunohistochemistry
• Discuss applications of spatial biology, such as tumor mutational burden and other defined biomarkers, to advance the field of precision immuno-oncology
• Highlight the challenges (e.g., bioinformatics, reproducibility, data analysis, access) in translating spatial technologies to the clinic
• Answer your questions during the live broadcast.

This webinar will last for approximately 60 minutes.

In 2017, 64 years after the publication of the structure of DNA, the first gene therapy became clinically available in the United States, a treatment for a sight-robbing eye disease. A year later, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy became available. These immune system cells are genetically modified to target therapy-resistant cancers. A handful more cell and gene therapies for a broad range of diseases have been approved around the world, each of them offering treatment for diseases that may have previously been considered undruggable. Many more drug candidates are barreling down the pipeline, and cell and gene therapies have only just begun to demonstrate their capabilities.

Both gene and cell therapies, in which clinicians fix a dysfunctional gene in and introduce disease-fighting cells to a patient, respectively, can be a challenge to manufacture. The challenges include scaling up cell production, harvesting and washing cells without a loss of viability, ensuring the longevity and selectivity of CAR-T cells, and, in the end, effectively delivering a therapy to a patient.

Flow cytometry has become a key tool in the development and manufacture of gene and cell therapies. The approach can rapidly identify cell defects, assess cell function and viability, monitor the cell cycle, and confirm if a therapeutic genetic modification is functioning in a cell. In this webinar, researchers at the front lines of gene and cell therapies discuss recent advances in the field and the technologies that are making the next generation of these treatments a reality.

During this webinar, viewers will:

• Learn about the latest techniques and strategies used in the development and manufacture of gene and cell therapies
• Hear about current applications for flow cytometry in cell and gene therapy
• Explore flow cytometry’s benefits and limitations in cell and gene therapy, as well as look at what new applications are on the horizon
• Be able to ask questions during the broadcast.

This webinar will last for approximately 60 minutes.

Advocacy in rare disease is complex and challenging, but there are effective methods that advocates can use to communicate with the public. In this panel discussion, experts in communication, public relations, and influencing will discuss strategies and tactics to advance advocacy for rare disease. The discussion will explore how advocates can:

• Raise awareness on how rare disease impacts individuals and families through social media, events, press releases, storytelling, and community engagement, and by targeting to local and national media outlets
• Provide education to families, communities, schools, healthcare providers, policymakers, and the general public about rare disease diagnosis, symptoms, and treatment options
• Build relationships with stakeholders such as government officials, biotech, healthcare professionals, patient organizations, and pharmaceutical companies that can help advocacy efforts
• Lobby for policy change to improve access to health care, funding for research, access to treatments, and insurance coverage
• Create patient advocacy groups that provide a powerful grassroots platform for advocating for rare diseases.

This webinar will last for approximately 60 minutes.

You can also watch Part 1 of this series: Advocacy in rare disease: Surveying the landscape.