Outsmarting the Escape Artist - Resistance in CAR-T Cell Therapy for Hematologic Cancers

Attend this 52-minute keynote webinar to explore cutting-edge strategies for overcoming resistance mechanisms in CAR-T cell therapy for hematologic cancers. Learn from Dr. Marco Ruella, a physician-scientist and assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania who specializes in blood cancer treatment and immunotherapy research. Examine the clinical outcomes of FDA-approved CAR-T products while discovering why some cancers return after treatment and how emerging resistance mechanisms—including tumor-intrinsic factors like CD58 loss, host microenvironmental barriers, and T-cell exhaustion—impact therapeutic success. Explore innovative pre-clinical and clinical approaches to combat these challenges, including engineering PD-1:intracellular-CD2 switch receptors to restore CD2–CD58 co-stimulation, leveraging metabolic modulation through ketogenic diet and β-hydroxybutyrate to enhance CAR-T oxidative phosphorylation and persistence, and applying CD5-knockout CAR-T cells for treating T-cell lymphomas while preserving immune competence. Gain translational insights into next-generation CAR-T design that may broaden treatment indications, improve response durability, and reduce toxicity in hematologic malignancies. Participate in a live Q&A session and earn 1 PACE credit upon completion. Access comprehensive learning objectives covering resistance mechanisms analysis and translational approaches for expanding CAR-T therapy applications to T-cell lymphomas and autoimmune diseases.