Primer on Tumor Immunology and Biological Therapy
of Cancer

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October 30, 2008
Westin Gaslamp Quarter Hotel
San Diego, CA

Program Purpose

Development of successful immunotherapy for cancer has been the subject of investigations over essentially the same time period as the development of cytotoxic agents for cancer but with less dramatic clinical success. Nevertheless, the knowledge gained from investigations of tumor immunotherapy has provided enormous insights into mechanisms of action of potentially therapeutic agents as well as numerous mechanisms of acquired resistance to immunotherapy. Investigators in the field come from many different arenas but need to share a common understanding of immunologic principles that are best provided in the setting of a course such as the immunology primer provided yearly at the iSBTc meeting.

This primer course has successfully provided each year a series of lectures that addresses the most important domains of tumor immunology and immunotherapy. Faculty for this course have been prominent investigators in the areas of interest, which vary from year to year but always cover the core principles of cancer immunology and immunotherapy. Those faculty have been able to successfully move from the most basic principles to the most advanced and cutting-edge research ideas over their one hour lectures each year. A large percentage of the members of the iSBTc and the attendees at the meeting count on this immunology primer either once or repetitively to provide their needs in these areas; Thus, the audience ranges from students, post doctoral fellows, and technicians in biotechnology corporations through physicians and scientists at a more senior level who wish to familiarize themselves with fields in which they are not presently working.

The specific needs for this course are:

1. provide the framework of basic immunology to set the stage for the understanding of more sophisticated principles of tumor immunology and immunotherapy
2. address the most important areas of developmental immunotherapy pertinent to ongoing and future investigations
3. provide a common terminology and knowledge base for participants in investigations from many different areas
4. provide the opportunity for dialogue and professional interactions leading to collaborations and/or employment opportunities for participants in the course.

The iSBTc is uniquely positioned to meet the needs outlined above, because it meets yearly with a fresh new group of program organizers for the annual meeting and the immunology primer. These individuals have knowledge of and access to the best immunologic minds in the country and have enjoyed a remarkable degree of success in securing those individuals to speak in the immunology primer. The primer also provides a unique complement to the rest of the iSBTc meeting, which is often attended by all the participants in the primer as well as many of the faculty.