Explore the Agenda
8:00 am Check-In & Morning Coffee
8:25 am Chair’s Opening Remarks
Optimizing Model Selection Strategies & Characterization to Streamline Model Screening
8:30 am Showcasing Model Selection Case Studies to Highlight Strategic Preclinical Decision-Making
- Presenting humanized and knock-in preclinical models to solve distinct research challenges and achieve relevant pharmacodynamic and efficacy insights
- Discussing model selection rationale and how to tailor the model to the underlying biology
- Sharing lessons learned to inform broader preclinical strategies and guide model selection across diverse therapeutic programs
9:00 am A Translational Ecosystem: Selecting the Right Model to Accelerate Therapeutic Discovery
- Discover how to select the optimal preclinical model by comparing patient-derived organoids and tumor fragment assays within a data-driven translational ecosystem
- Explore a case study on modeling response to antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) to identify a predictive gene signature with real-world translational relevance
- Understand the future of translational research where insights from these models can be used to query one of the world’s largest multimodal databases
9:30 am Mapping Preclinical Model Transcriptomes to Patient Tumor Profiles to Improve Translational Predictability
- Comparing isogenic, PDX, and other oncology models against TCGA patient transcriptomes to identify which preclinical systems accurately represent tumor biology and subsequently predict drug efficacy in clinical trials
- Highlighting gaps in fibroblast, stromal, and immune-related gene expression to understand limitations of standard models for translational oncology research
- Applying transcriptomic-guided model prioritization to reduce the number of screened models while ensuring broad coverage of clinically relevant patient profiles
10:30 am Morning Refreshment Break & Speed Networking
Reconstructing the Tumor Microenvironment to Capture Cancer Therapy Resistance During
Preclinical Testing
11:00 am Session Reserved for Lide
11:30 am Fireside Chat: Exploring the Utility of GEMM Models to Balance Translational Insights & Practical Limitations
- Leveraging Genetically Engineered Mouse Models (GEMMs) to replicate complex genetic drivers of oncogenesis and provide a more physiologically relevant tumor microenvironment for therapeutic evaluation
- Navigating challenges of cost, breeding complexity, and experimental timelines to evaluate feasibility and scalability across diverse oncology research programs
- Comparing translational predictability of GEMMs vs syngeneic, PDX, and humanized models in preclinical oncology research
12:15 pm Preclinical Cancer Research in the Age of Reduced Animal Use & Artificial Intelligence
- Selecting human-relevant models based on genomic, phenotypic, and clinical alignment to enhance translational accuracy
- Aligning model selection and study endpoints with evolving regulatory guidelines
- Leveraging AI to guide model selection, predict drug response, and inform combination and biomarker strategies for regulatory-ready studies
12:45 pm Lunch Break & Networking
1:45 pm Monitoring Immune Infiltrate Dynamics to Understand Tumor Progression in Preclinical Models
- Profiling baseline immune infiltrates in syngeneic models to establish a reference for longitudinal analysis of tumor–immune interactions
- Tracking changes in immune cell composition as tumors progress to identify patterns of infiltration, activation, or suppression over time
- Integrating temporal immune profiling with functional assays to improve translational insights and guide immunotherapy strategies
2:15 pm Obesity & Immunotherapy: GLP-1R Agonist & Anti-PD-1 Response in the DIO MC38 Model
Session for TD2 Oncology
- There is robust clinical evidence that ties obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m²) to a 2 fold higher risk multiple different types of cancer in both men and women
- Obesity driven immunosuppression in the DIO MC38 model results in accelerated tumor growth and improved response to PD-1 blockade compared to lean counterparts
- Semaglutide in DIO MC38-bearing mice induces clinically relevant body weight loss and the in combination with PD-1 resulted significant metabolic changes but also changes in the immune cell population
2:45 pm ISAC Modulation of Tumor Microenvironments to Enable Durable Antitumor Immunity
- Characterizing the immune composition of preclinical tumor models and the therapeutic relevance to patient populations
- Understanding mechanism of action-dependent relationships between antigen density and treatment efficacy demonstrates potential ISAC advantages over conventional antibody-drug conjugates in clinical translation
- Tumor-targeted myeloid activation stimulates both innate and adaptive immune responses transforming immunologically cold tumors into hot microenvironments resulting in more durable responses
3:15 pm Comfort Break
Pause for a brief 10-minute comfort break to recharge and grab a coffee or tea before diving into an informal, discussion-focused networking session
3:25 pm Afternoon Break & Modality-Specific Breakout Session
Take this opportunity to connect with peers working on similar tumor model modalities or explore cross-disciplinary insights with those from different specialisms. These informal breakout sessions are designed to help you soundboard challenges, share learnings, and build meaningful connections. It’s also a great moment to reflect on the day’s discussions and strategize your next steps. This session will take place in the conference room.
3:45 pm Engineered Myeloma Models Reveal Spatial Tumor–Stroma Dependencies
- Engineered myeloma models (GEMM/CDX) with spatial transcriptomics to resolve tumor microenvironment architecture
- Targeted NSD2 degradation disrupts supportive niches and reprograms myeloma–stroma signaling in situ
- Model-guided framework to rank combinations and de-risk translation for next-gen multiple myeloma therapies
Capturing Human Immune Components in Mouse Models to Understand Therapy & Immune
Cell Relationship
4:15 pm Recapitulating Human Immune Components in Syngeneic Mouse Models to Maximize T Cell Engager Therapy Development
- Overcoming the challenge of modeling human T cell responses in syngeneic mouse systems to enable accurate preclinical evaluation of T cell engager therapies
- Strategic approaches for recapitulating critical immune components within syngeneic models while maintaining physiological relevance for immunotherapy testing
- Translating preclinical insights from syngeneic models to inform clinical development strategies for T cell engager therapeutic candidates