IET Birmingham: Austin Court, Birmingham, UK
The BSI Tumour Immunology Affinity Group is excited to celebrate its relaunch with an inaugural one-day meeting in Birmingham on Wednesday 23 March 2022.
Immune checkpoint blockade has been making headlines for several years, transforming therapy for a range of previously untreatable advanced cancers. Although some factors linked with improved responses are known, our understanding of the science underlying this approach is emphatically incomplete and many patients do not respond to therapy or experience serious side effects. Our Tumour Immunology Affinity Group has worked hard to put together a strong programme focussing on exploring the fascinating and diverse immune axes that link with the checkpoint blockade concept.
In addition to providing a brief clinical perspective on current checkpoint blockade therapy, the range of speakers will explore the fundamental receptor-ligand systems involved in checkpoint blockade, key cellular subsets and regulatory axes, how the tumour and its microenvironment influence checkpoint blockade, followed by novel therapy developments in the checkpoint blockade area, including combination approaches and neoantigen reactive T cell therapy. The day will end with a networking session to bring together attendees from all stages of the therapeutic pathway, from basic scientists to translational clinicians and industry partners.
Stay tuned for more information about the programme and confirmed speakers. Please follow us on Twitter @BSI_TumourImm and @bsicongress to stay up to date.
Abstract submission
Abstract submission is now open. Please submit your abstract via this Google form.
Abstract submission deadline: Friday 18 February 2022
Programme
09:30–10:00 | Registration & refreshments
10:00–10:15 | Introduction – Professor Gary Middleton, University of Birmingham
Session 1: Molecular mechanisms of immune checkpoints
Chair: Dr Seth Coffelt, University of Glasgow
10:15–10:45 | Professor Simon Davis, University of Oxford
Understanding immune-checkpoint antibodies better
10:45–11:15 | Professor Jannie Borst, Leiden University
Optimizing CTL responses against cancer by CD27 costimulation and CD4+ T cell help
11:15–11:45 | Dr Michaela Lorger, University of Leeds
Title TBC
11:45–12:15| Poster presentations
12:15–13:00 | Lunch, poster presentations + exhibitors
Session 2: Tumour genetics and microenvironment influencing checkpoint blockade
Chair: Professor Awen Gallimore, University of Cardiff
13:00–13:30 | Dr Ping-Chih Ho, University of Lausanne
What tumor-residing Tregs eat makes them strong but vulnerable
13:30–14:00 | Dr Shoba Amarnath, University of Newcastle
Programmed Cell Death-1 receptor mediated regulation of Innate Lymphoid cells within
the tumour microenvironment
14:00–14:30 | Professor David Withers, University of Birmingham
Temporal in vivo labelling models to determine how immune cells change once within the
tumour microenvironment
14:30–15:00 | Dr Kevin Litchfield, University College London
Title TBC
15:00–15:30 | Refreshment break
Session 3: Novel therapeutics and combinations
Chair: Professor Benjamin Willcox, University of Birmingham
15:30–16:00 | Dr Matilde Saggese, Achilles Therapeutics
Title TBC
16:00–16:30 | Professor Fiona Thistlethwaite, University of Manchester
Title TBC
16:30–17:00 | Professor Gary Middleton, University of Birmingham
Title TBC
17:00–18:00 | Networking reception
Registration
Registration is now open. BSI members benefit from reduced registration fees at this meeting and other BSI events, as well as free access to our journals, grants, bursaries and much more. You can sign up to become a member online.
Click here to register online.
| BSI member rate | |
| Full & Early Careers | £30 |
| Postgraduate (including PhD, Masters) | £20 |
| Concessionary (includes parental leave, career breaks, retired, emeritus retired) | £20 |
| Undergraduate (membership included) | £10 |
| Non-member rate | |
| Full & Early Careers | £50 |
| Postgraduate (including PhD, Masters) | £35 |
| Concessionary (includes parental leave, career breaks, retired, emeritus retired) | £35 |
BSI grants to support your attendance at this event
As part of our career development package, we have two grants available to BSI members to support your attendance at this event.
- BSI Regional and Affinity Group Conference Grants - BSI members can apply for up to £100 to contribute towards their travel costs in attending this conference. In this scheme, we have 10 grants available for this conference and they will be allocated on a first come, first served basis to eligible BSI members. Deadline: Wednesday 2 March. Find out more and apply >
- BSI Regional and Affinity Group Carers' Grants - BSI members can apply for up to £100 to contribute towards extra care arrangements costs they incur during the conference, for example, childcare costs, or for additional care for the applicant themselves during the conference. Deadline: Wednesday 2 March. Find out more and apply >