SC13: Convergence of Immunotherapy and Epigenetics for Cancer Treatment
Monday, September 19 | 7:00 – 9:30 pm


In recent years the understanding of both the immunotherapy and epigenetics of cancer has increased. This course will provide some details of how immunotherapy and epigenetic pathways interact and how they can be exploited to enhance the efficacy of current cancer treatments. The instructors will review recent scientific evidence and pre-clinical data that support the development of combination therapies and offer their perspectives on challenges that may have to be tackled along the way.

7:00 Welcome and Speaker Introductions

7:15 Introduction to the Course

Eduardo M. Sotomayor, M.D., Director, GW Cancer Center, Professor, Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, George Washington University

7:30 Using Selective HDAC6 Inhibitors to Improve Cancer Immunotherapy

Alejandro Villagra, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, The George Washington University

  • New role of HDAC6 as modulators of immune-related pathways
  • Molecular mechanisms controlling the expression of PD-L1 and other immune check-point molecules
  • Use of selective HDAC inhibitors as adjuvant in immunotherapy
  • Combination of HDAC6 inhibitors and immune check-point blockade; rationale and in vivo consequences

8:15 Coffee and Dessert Break

8:35 Development of HDAC6 Inhibitors: Progress and Pitfalls

Gian Luca Araldi, Ph.D., Co-founder and CEO, Vela Therapeutics LLC and Co-Founder and CSO, Avanti Biosciences Inc.

  • Current progress in medicinal chemistry toward the development of selective HDAC6 inhibitors
  • Validation of HDAC6 inhibitors in the treatment of cancer and other important therapeutic areas: use of HDAC6 inhibitors for the treatment of orphan indications
  • Major hurdles in the development of selective inhibitors

9:20 Summary of Key Takeaways

9:30 End of Course

BIOS

Eduardo_SotomayorEduardo M. Sotomayor, M.D., Director, GW Cancer Center, Professor, Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, George Washington University

Eduardo M. Sotomayor is currently the director of George Washington Cancer Center. Prior to this appointment, Dr. Sotomayor was the Susan and John Sykes Endowed Chair in Hematologic Malignancies at Moffitt Cancer Center and Professor of Oncologic Sciences and of Pathology and Cell Biology at the University of South Florida, College of Medicine. He also served as the Scientific Director of the DeBartolo Personalized Medicine Institute at Moffitt Cancer Center. Dr. Sotomayor’s basic/translational research focuses in the immunobiology and immunotherapy of B-cell malignancies. His clinical interest lies particularly with mantle cell lymphoma. Dr. Sotomayor received his M.D. degree from Federico Villarreal National University School of Medicine in Lima, Peru. He completed a residency training in Internal Medicine at Jackson Memorial Hospital/University of Miami School of Medicine in Florida, followed by a fellowship in Medical Oncology at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland.

Alejandro_VillagraAlejandro Villagra, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, The George Washington University

Alejandro Villagra received his Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from University of Concepcion in Chile. He did his post-doctoral work in the laboratory of Dr. Edward Seto at the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute. He is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine at The George Washington University. His area of expertise is cellular signaling pathways and gene regulation. During his scientific career he has explored different aspects of epigenetic regulation including DNA methylation, ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling complexes, histone acetyltranferases and histone deacetylases. His study models have been diverse and have included tissue specific genes in myogenic and osteoblastic differentiation, cytokine genes, gene regulation during the immune response, gene expression in T cell activation and, most recently, cancer models including solid tumors and hematological malignancies. His current research areas are focused on the molecular and cellular roles of HDACs in immune and cancer cells.

Gian_Luca_AraldiGian Luca Araldi, Ph.D., Co-founder and CEO, Vela Therapeutics LLC and Co-Founder and CSO, Avanti Biosciences Inc.

Gian Luca Araldi is a pharmaceutical and biotechnology executive with more than 25 years of experience having responsibilities ranging from basic research through clinical development at major pharmaceutical companies including Glaxo, Forest Laboratories and Merck-Serono. He is co-founder and CEO of Vela Theraputics LLC. Dr. Araldi is also co-Founder and CSO of Avanti Biosciences Inc. and Bio-entrepreneur in residence at Long Island Bioscience Hub (LIBH). He has been involved in the development of key medicines such as Teflaro®, Dutogliptin®, Gavestinel®, Sanfetrinem® and Sanfetrinem® Cilexetil and is inventor of 113 granted patents. His areas of expertise span from medicinal chemistry to process development, manufacturing, and project management. Throughout his career, he has worked in diverse therapeutic areas which include oncology, cardiovascular disease, neurological disorders and immunology where he has obtained many breakthrough results. He has fostered constructive relationships with many academic labs, biotech, pharma companies and government institutions both domestic and foreign. Dr. Araldi has a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry and a doctorate degree in Pharmacy (PharmD) awarded both from the University of Parma (Italy). He received an MBA in Finance from Long Island University (LIU) and a PMP certification from the Project Management Institute (PMI).