AACR IO: Revolutionizing Treatment through Immunotherapy

The AACR’s immuno-oncology meeting in Los Angeles, February 23-26, 2025, brings together the leading experts in immunotherapy to accelerate progress in cancer science and medicine. 

The concept of harnessing the body’s immune system to treat cancer has existed for generations, but for decades there was tremendous skepticism that immunotherapy would work. 

“Immunotherapy for cancer has come a long way, from doubting that it would ever work to being a standard-of-care treatment for patients with many cancers,” said AACR Past President 2020-21, Antoni Ribas, MD, PhD, FAACR, director of the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy Center at UCLA Health’s Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center.

“It is not good enough,” said Dr. Ribas, the scientific committee chair of the inaugural AACR IO conference. “We have to do more, and we know we can modulate the immune system in new ways so we can treat more patients and better and longer term, that is based on science.”

At an inaugural meeting February 23-26, 2025, in Los Angeles, the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) will convene investigators from across the continuum of immuno-oncology science and medicine to drive further advances in immunotherapy for cancer. This meeting, AACR IO: Discovery and Innovation in Cancer Immunology: Revolutionizing Treatment through Immunotherapy, will encompass the very best of basic, translational, and clinical research in immunology, inflammation, and immunotherapies for cancer.

The field of immuno-oncology has come a long way to its current position as a cornerstone of cancer treatment. Today, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are standard of care for patients with many different types of cancer, cell therapies are offering curative potential, and personalized vaccines are demonstrating clinical value. Despite immense progress—both in the clinic and in our fundamental understanding of cancer immunology—many patients still need better options.

The meeting program features leaders from across the spectrum of immuno-oncology research to drive progress in the field.  

“I think trainees and junior faculty will really benefit from seeing all of these big names in the field, but also being able to submit abstracts, have posters, and proffered presentations,” Dr. Ribas noted.

Celebrating 30 Years of Immune Checkpoints

On day one, attendees will hear from Nobel Laureate James P. Allison, PhD, FAACR, and Arlene Sharpe, MD, PhD, FAACR, two pioneers whose work helped establish CTLA-4 as the first critical immune checkpoint, igniting the ICI revolution that propelled immune-oncology forward.

This milestone moment will set the stage for a meeting that is not just about celebrating past achievements but also assembling the diverse disciplinary expertise necessary to take cancer immunotherapy to the next level.

“I never expected the way it would take over,” Dr. Allison said. “Before long, immunology is going to be a part of every treatment combination. And I think we’re ready to learn how to make that happen. The only way to accomplish that is to bring everybody together.”

Dr. Allison, who received the 2018 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, is now the Regental Professor and chair of the Department of Immunology and director of the James P. Allison Institute at MD Anderson Cancer Center. Dr. Sharpe serves as the Kolokotrones University Professor at Harvard University and chair of the Department of Immunology at Harvard Medical School.

The Next Frontiers in Immuno-oncology

As we learn more about the fundamentals of both basic and cancer immunology, we will be able to improve ICIs and other immune-based strategies—many of which are already starting to have a clinical impact. Sessions at AACR IO will explore these latest advances, covering both the lab and the clinic.

Cell-based immunotherapies have emerged as a critical component of the IO arsenal. With several FDA-approved CAR T-cell therapies now in use, these engineered immune cells have shown curative potential in blood cancers. Beyond CAR T cells, the approval of the first T-cell receptor-engineered therapy—and the first cell therapy of any type to be approved for any solid cancer—marked a significant step forward. These successes demonstrate the adaptability of cell-based therapies and their growing potential in treating diverse cancer types. 

Among those who will share their insights into the field’s future are CAR T-cell pioneer Carl June, MD, FAACR, from the University of Pennsylvania, as well as Crystal Mackall, MD, FAACR, from Stanford Medicine, and AACR Past President 2023-24 Philip D. Greenberg, MD, FAACR, from Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center. Meanwhile, E. John Wherry, PhD, FAACR, from the University of Pennsylvania, Andrea Schietinger, PhD, from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and Ton Schumacher, PhD, FAACR, from the Netherlands Cancer Institute, will delve into other fundamental aspects of T-cell biology that influence cancer.

Cancer vaccines are on the cusp of entering a new era and will be highlighted during AACR IO by Catherine J. Wu, MD, FAACR, from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, among others. Whereas preventive vaccines, such as those for HPV and hepatitis, have dramatically reduced cancer incidence, therapeutic vaccines are intended to eliminate existing cancers. By targeting neoantigens expressed only by tumors, these vaccines can be tailored to the unique characteristics of individual cancers. characteristics of individual cancers.

Oncolytic viruses and other interventions administered within tumors represent another emerging area with potential to reshape the tumor microenvironment and the myeloid cells within that are known to influence the vigor of anticancer immune responses. Miriam Merad, MD, PhD, FAACR, from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, will explore the latest in myeloid cell biology. In addition to myeloid cells within tumors, the bacteria that inhabit our bodies, including tumors themselves, are now recognized as another key factor in cancer immunity due to their ability to modulate immune responses and determine patients’ responses to immunotherapy. One lecture focusing on the microbiome in cancer will be given by Thomas F. Gajewski, MD, PhD, from the University of Chicago.

Another of the emerging areas of immuno-oncology that will be taking center stage at AACR IO is glycoimmunology, a rapidly advancing domain focused on the role of sugar molecules known as glycans that coat every cell in the human body.

“Glycans are ubiquitous, and they influence nearly every immunological process by binding to receptors on immune cells,” explained Jessica Stark, PhD, the Underwood-Prescott Career Development Chair and an assistant professor of biological engineering and chemical engineering at the Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT.

In cancer, altered glycosylation has long been recognized as a hallmark of malignancy, but the underlying mechanisms were not well understood until recently. “We now know that glycans can act as immune checkpoints in cancer,” Dr. Stark said. “By engaging inhibitory receptors on immune cells, like Siglecs, glycans suppress immune cell activity and allow cancer cells to evade immune surveillance.”

Dr. Stark’s team has developed a novel immunotherapy to block these glycans, effectively removing a major barrier to anticancer immune responses. “This axis is emerging as a prominent mechanism of immune evasion in cancer,” she noted. “By targeting these pathways, we aim to expand the subset of patients who benefit from immunotherapy.”

Dr. Stark will present the results of her latest work at AACR IO, a notable achievement in her young and promising career.

The Next Generation of Leaders in Immuno-oncology

For Dr. Stark, presenting her work at AACR IO is especially meaningful because it was an AACR meeting that changed the whole trajectory of her scientific journey, she recalled fondly. As a doctoral student at Northwestern University, Dr. Stark attended the AACR Annual Meeting 2019 in Chicago when immunotherapy replaced chemotherapy as the first-line treatment for lung cancer.

“At that moment, it became clear to me that IO was the future, and I wanted to be a part of it,” said Dr. Stark. “That meeting led me to where I am today as an investigator at MIT.”

Like all AACR meetings, AACR IO is not only a platform for showcasing cutting-edge research but also a unique opportunity for collaboration, mentorship, and professional growth. With dedicated programming for early-career investigators, the meeting fosters an environment where new voices can contribute to advancing the field.

Reflecting on her journey, Dr. Stark emphasized the potential value of AACR IO for early-career scientists. “I especially encourage early-career researchers to attend this meeting and get involved in this space because it will be our findings and breakthroughs that help us make immunotherapy work for all cancer patients.”

Join Us in Los Angeles February 23-26, 2025

AACR IO promises to be a defining event in cancer immunology, bringing together the brightest minds to tackle challenges, explore novel strategies, and create solutions that will transform lives. From celebrating decades of progress to charting bold new frontiers, this meeting is where science meets inspiration—and where discoveries become cures. As Dr. Ribas declared, “AACR IO is the must attend immuno-oncology event of the year.” 

Register now to secure your spot and join us in shaping the future of immunotherapy. For program details and registration information, visit: AACR IO meeting page.