A New Tool in Cancer Medicine: Exploiting the Patient’s Immunological Memory
Forum Description
We wish to introduce a new field of cancer immunology to an interdisciplinary group of outstanding experts, both basic scientists and clinicians. The meeting will focus on the interdisciplinary exchange of expertise to accelerate scientific progress and to draw up future clinical applications. In the past, a number of tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) have been characterized to be capable of initiating autologous and allogeneic T-lymphocyte responses against the respective tumors. Thus, TAA-reactive T cells may be potent agents for cancer treatment. Clinical usage of such cells is nevertheless hampered by their low frequency and often anergic status in the peripheral blood of patients. It is the aim of various approaches, such as dendritic cell vaccination, to increase the frequency of the patients TAA specific effector cells. In contrast, we recently demonstrated that a majority of breast cancer patients are very well able to generate high frequencies of tumor-reactive T cells. These cells are not found in the peripheral blood, but stored as resting memory T cells in the bone marrow. Isolated and re-activated in vitro, these cells exert potent antitumor functions in vitro and in vivo. Thus, the bone marrow may be suitable as a therapeutic source of enriched TAA-specific lymphocytes for an autologous immunotherapy. Other points of discussion will cover: the possible implication of B-cell immunity on cancer treatment, bone marrow as an exploitable compartment for B cell memory, the redistribution of applied cells within the lymphoid compartments and target tissues of the host, the use of dendritic cells for T and B lymphocyte re-activation, immunological monitoring during immunotherapies and generation of clinically applicable immune cells under good manufacturing practice conditions.
Forum Summary
The meeting intended to introduce a new field of cancer immunology to an interdisciplinary group of outstanding experts, both basic scientists and clinicians who cover all major aspects of the topic from basic immunology to problems related to the clinical application of new immunotherapeutic approaches. The meeting was focused on the interdisciplinary exchange of expertise in order to accelerate scientific progress and to draw up future clinical applications. In the past, a number of tumor-associated-antigens (TAAs) have been characterized to be capable of initiating autologous and allogeneic T-lymphocyte responses against the respective tumors. Thus, TAA-reactive T cells may be potent agents for cancer treatment. It has been recently demonstrated that cancer patients are able to generate high frequencies of tumor-reactive T cells. Isolated and re-activated in vitro, these cells exert potent anti-tumor functions in vitro and in vivo.
Thus, clinical application of memory lymphocytes may become potent a potent tool in cancer treatment. Throughout the workshop, issues such as differentiation, homeostasis and functional characteristics, migration, homing to tumors and lymphoid tissues and redistribution of such memory T cells, as well as their interactions with B cells and dendritic cells were discussed lively and controversy. The underlying expert presentations provided the basis for these discussions and the consecutive lectures on issues related with clinical applications of such cells. The meeting enlarged profoundly the experts’ knowledge and understanding of the subject and led to a variety of scientific and clinical co-operations.
Venue & Travel Information
Travel Policy
Please familiarize yourself with our policies and procedures for travel. We truly appreciate you taking the time to participate in this meeting. As you make your plans, please remember that we are a nonprofit organization dependent on donations and volunteers. We do NOT pay for upgrades, change fees, incurred costs resulting from a flight change, transportation to or from your local (home side) airport, meals or other incidentals.
- Travel Confirmation will be sent out within 1 week of the meeting. This will include a hotel confirmation number, if there is one, and airport transfer details. We have to wait until we receive almost everyone’s travel to book airport transfer. Due to frequent airline changes, we wait until the week of the meeting to send this out.
- Airport transfer is provided by Foundation staff, volunteers or arranged shuttle at specific times. If you opt to utilize Foundation airport transportation on your travel form, please be patient in receiving this information. We will send it to the week of the meeting.
- Speaker agenda is not sent out prior to the meeting. It will be provided upon arrival in the meeting packet. We do not tell people when they are speaking because we expect everyone to attend all sessions. Sessions are all day Friday and Saturday.
- REMINDER: We do not reimburse for home side airport transfer or incidentals while traveling. We will not honor miscellaneous receipts sent for these expenses.
- Spouses are welcome to come with you at their own cost but are not allowed to attend the meeting. Please no children.
What the Foundation Pays
Accommodations and meals are provided by the foundation during the meeting. Airfare will be covered only if booked through our travel agent. The Foundation will also cover airport transportation on the meeting side at the designated shuttle times. You can select not to utilize Foundation arranged transportation at your own expense when completing the travel form. Once your travel form is received your accommodations and airport transfer will be confirmed. Please let us know of any food allergies or other information we should be aware of on the travel forms.
- If you would like your airfare covered by the Foundation, you must book with our travel agent. Note we do not cover upgrades, changes, late bookings, etc.
- Flights must be booked at least 30 days prior to the meeting to confirm your accommodations and airport transfer.
- As a nonprofit we utilize volunteers and other methods to maximize our efforts (or our donor support) when making accommodations and arranging ground transportation. Ground transportation will be provided upon your arrival either by a foundation volunteer or arranged shuttle. You will be provided airport transportation information the week of the meeting. We do not reimburse for home side airport transfer or incidentals while traveling.
Abstracts
Abstracts are due 30 days prior to the start of the meeting to allow enough time to prepare the meeting book.
The abstracts should be only one or two paragraphs outlining the theme of your presentation and should reflect the objective and spirit of the meeting (see above). Abstracts will be circulated about one week before the meeting. The meeting organizer will start requesting them a month before the meeting.
Meeting Structure
The meeting structure has been developed over years of experience.
- Participants have approximately 45 minutes, depending on the number of participants, for their presentation and discussion. The presentation is meant as a conversation start and should last about twenty minutes briefly covering background information and areas that are new or need further input. This should be structured in such a way as to lead to a lively discussion. Participants are encouraged to interrupt to ask questions or start discussions.
- A MAXIMUM of 5 slide equivalents per presentation is allowed (Power point slides should not contain more than one graph or gel per slide and no more than 5 bullet points to stress the points being made by the presenter.) We appreciate cooperation with the spirit of this guideline. Handouts are welcome but should be distributed before sessions.
- Everyone is expected to actively participate in every session and discussions.
- The time spent at the meeting is relatively short, so please be familiar with papers received prior to the meeting.
- It is very important that you commit to all sessions of the 2 days of meetings.
Forbeck Scholars Participation
Scholars are selected for each Forbeck Forum. These are outstanding junior clinical or post-doctoral fellows selected based on the quality and relevance of science.
- Scholars present for 30-45 minutes, depending on the number of participants
- The same presentation rules apply for scholars
- After the Forum you are selected to attend, you will attend three years of Scholar Retreats held in Lake Geneva, WI. If you attend a Fall Forum, you will attend the Spring Retreat. If you attend a Spring Forum you will attend a Fall Retreat.
- Scholars are selected by the Foundation Scientific Advisory Board and peer reviewers selected from past Forbeck Scholars.
General Program
The outline below illustrates a typical program schedule. You will receive a complete schedule, including speaking times, the Thursday the meeting starts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are some of our most Frequently Asked Questions. If you have something new to ask, please feel free to contact us.
- Travel Confirmation will be sent out within 1 week of the meeting. This will include a hotel confirmation number, if there is one, and airport transfer details. We have to wait until we receive almost everyone’s travel to book airport transfer. Due to frequent airline changes, we wait until the week of the meeting to send this out.
- Airport transfer is provided by Foundation staff, volunteers or arranged shuttle at specific times. If you opt to utilize Foundation airport transportation on your travel form, please be patient in receiving this information. We will send it to the week of the meeting.
- Speaker agenda is not sent out prior to the meeting. It will be provided upon arrival in the meeting packet. We do not tell people when they are speaking because we expect everyone to attend all sessions. Sessions are all day Friday and Saturday.
- Frequently airport transfer is provided by volunteers. Please be patient on receiving this information. Airport transfer will be sent out prior to arrival.
- REMINDER: We do not reimburse for home side airport transfer or incidentals while traveling. We will not honor miscellaneous receipts sent for these expenses.