The Sentinel

THE OFFICIAL BLOG OF THE SOCIETY FOR IMMUNOTHERAPY OF CANCER (SITC).

Tuesday, January 8, 2019

President's Message - January 2019

Dear Colleagues,

I am excited and honored to address you in my first monthly message as President of the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC). I have enjoyed the past two years as SITC’s Vice President, supporting Lisa H. Butterfield, PhD, SITC’s first female president, during her tenure as leader of our society. Thank you, Dr. Butterfield, for setting a foundation for the increased inclusion, development, and celebration of women in cancer immunotherapy. The society appreciates your continued leadership and commitment to the field and our organization!

As I assume this role on the heels of another successful year for SITC – which includes reaching new marks within our membership and a record-breaking 5,000 attendees at our Annual Meeting & Pre-Conference Programs – I am looking forward to helping continue our society’s tremendous growth. During my tenure as President, I will work to sustain SITC’s commitment as the leading member association in cancer immunotherapy. I will also ensure SITC remains the host to the most important meeting in the field, as we provide a platform for the presentation of phase 1 clinical trial data that provide insight into the future of immuno-oncology.

SITC has many exciting programs and initiatives slated for the next 12 months, all of which seek to improve cancer patient outcomes by advancing the science, development and application of cancer immunotherapy. A more complete listing of these initiatives is provided below, and I would like to highlight a few occurring in the near future.

It is critical for SITC to continue its emphasis in growing the next generation of leaders in cancer immunotherapy and tumor immunology. This is an area I am keenly focused on and support heavily. To that end, SITC is pleased to continue to offer SITC Fellowship Awards in 2019. Made possible through generous support from our industry partners, SITC Fellowships honor some of the brightest young minds in the field. The development and celebration of young investigators in our field is an important strategic priority of the society and one of my foci as President.

Additionally, registrations are open for SITC’s first Cancer Immunotherapy Winter School. Scheduled for Feb. 18-22 in Mesa, Ariz., this new program, tailored to early career scientists and clinicians as well as those new to the field, will teach the fundamentals of cancer immunotherapy and allow attendees to choose from a variety of tracks that focus on topics most relevant to them. Space is limited so register early! Also, SITC will host its first Meet-the-Expert Webinar on Thursday, Jan. 17 at 12:30 p.m. CST. This hour-long webinar, moderated by Sruthi Ravindranathan, PhD (Emory University), and with participation from presenter Vionnie W.C. Yu, PhD (Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research), will focus on the topic Careers in Industry. Please click here to register for this free online event.

SITC continues its 2018-19 Advances in Cancer Immunotherapy™ (ACI) regional education program series, with events currently confirmed for Sacramento, Calif., on Jan. 10 in Houston on Feb. 9 and in Portland, Ore., on Feb. 21. Also, we look forward to hosting two, back-to-back thoughtful and engaging interim workshops, focused on cancer immune responsiveness and resistance; and adoptive cellular therapy. Stay tuned for information regarding location, registration and lodging.

If you haven’t already, I hope you’ll consider joining or renewing your SITC membership in 2019 to enjoy a variety of member benefits, including early access to register for the 34th Annual Meeting & Pre-Conference Programs, scheduled for Nov. 6-10, 2019, in National Harbor, Md.

I am excited to strengthen existing, and build new, relationships with leaders in the field as we work together to continue the growth and success of the society.

Sincerely,















Mario Sznol, MD
SITC President

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