WIB-Seattle: Beyond CAR-T – Next-Generation Cell and Immunotherapies

The WIB-Seattle community gathered on October 29 for a discussion on the cutting-edge science shaping the future of immune cell therapy. Our expert panel shared insights into the latest innovations in engineered T-cell therapies, the successes and challenges driving progress, and what lies ahead for this transformative field. Speakers included Shari Kaiser, Executive Director of Cell Therapy Translational Research at Bristol Myers Squibb; Michelle Blake, Vice President of Translational Sciences at Sonoma Biotherapeutics, Inc.; Laurie Beitz, MD, Executive Director of Discovery Research at Umoja Biopharma; and Maria Steele, Senior Scientist at Outpace Bio. The discussion was moderated by Melissa DeFrancesco, Head of Process Development at Lyell Immunopharma.

A heartfelt thank-you to Bristol Myers Squibb for serving as both our WIB-Seattle Chapter Sponsor and Event Venue Sponsor. Your support helps us continue to unite and inspire the Seattle life sciences community. We’re grateful to everyone who attended, shared their perspectives, and contributed to a lively and thought-provoking conversation about the next generation of cell therapy innovation. Special thanks to all of our volunteers for helping to make the event a success: Krista Lachance, Natasha Pence, Samantha Lewandowski, Deepalakshmi Sivanandam, Keesha Parker, Melissa DeFrancesco, Yulia Ovechkina, and Sara Abdelfatah.

Submitted by Kristi Heim