ACGT research Fellows spoke about progress in cell and gene therapies for cancer. They presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapies and at International BIO conference.
ACGT is honored that ACGT Scientific Advisory Council member, and 2004 ACGT Research Fellow, Michel Sadelain, MD, PhD, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, is the new president of the Board of Directors of the larger American Society of Gene and Cell Therapies organization. On May 13-16, 2015, nearly 2,000 scientists and biomedical professionals, representing 36 countries, including 357 speakers, attended the 18th annual meeting of the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapies (ASGCT) in New Orleans. Many ACGT scientists played a key role and presented their findings, as well as being honored featured speakers on panel discussions on cancer treatments. ASGCT is devoted to advancement, education and clinical expansion of genetic and cellular therapies. ACGT is a partner and sponsor of this important annual scientific conference. Dr. Sadelain’s work in immunotherapy T-cell treatment for leukemia has received FDA breakthrough designation expediting the approval of this groundbreaking cancer treatment.
ACGT was a key sponsor of a panel discussion with the University of Pennsylvania on Innovation and Entrepreneurship Trends at the International BIO Conference in Philadelphia on June 15, 2015. Dr. Carl June, an ACGT Scientific Advisory Council Member and two-time Research Fellow, shared the panel discussion with Jeffrey D. Marrazzo, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Spark Therapeutics, Inc.; Dr. Usman Azam, Global Head, Cell and Gene Therapies Unit, Novartis Pharmaceuticals; Alan Moore, WuXi Apptec, Inc., and Drs. James Wilson and Jean Bennett of the Unviersity of Pennsylvania. The 2015 BIO International Convention, the global event for biotechnology, was attended by 15,858 industry leaders from 69 countries and 47 states as well as the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Dr. June’s immunotherapy treatment for leukemia/lymphoma is one of the most exciting breakthroughs in recent years and is now being tested for other forms of cancer including pancreatic and ovarian. University of Pennsylvania Abramson Cancer Center is home to Dr. Carl June.