Theranostics Symposium Agenda

Please note: this is a draft agenda and subject to changes.

Stuart & Molly Sloan Precision Oncology Institute Theranostics Symposium

Hosted in partnership with UW Radiology and co-hosted by Drs. Amir Iravani, Director of Theranostics, and Delphine Chen, Director of Molecular Imaging and Therapy, Fred Hutch Cancer Center


Delphine Chen, MD and Amir Iravani, MD

Welcome and Introduction 

8:30 a.m. - 8:35 a.m.

Pelton Auditorium, Weintraub Building
Fred Hutch Cancer Center

Session 1 | Advances in radiochemistry synthesis and production: How do we choose what we should develop?

Cathy S. Cutler, PhD FSRS, FSNMMI

Chair of IP, Isotope Research & Production Program (IP), Brookhaven National Laboratory
Theranostics: Opportunities and Challenges 

Recent theranostic approvals for neuroendocrine tumors and prostate cancer have expanded the utilization of radiopharmaceutical therapy (RPT), and there is significant near-term potential for further expansion across multiple tumor types. A significant growth is being observed in clinical trials and company investment and the need for isotopes and resources to meet the demand. This talk will focus on where we are in meeting this demand. 

08:35 a.m. - 08:55 a.m.

Pelton Auditorium, Weintraub Building
Fred Hutch Cancer Center

Peter Scott, PhD

Professor of Radiology, University of Michigan
Director of Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, University of Michigan
We are explorers in radiochemical space: adventures in PET imaging, Artificial Intelligence and theranostics

The unprecedented growth in nuclear medicine and theranostics is putting enormous demands on radiopharmaceutical manufacturers. This presentation will provide an overview of nuclear medicine clinical care and research at the University of Michigan, as well as an overview of our NIH-funded radiochemistry methodology program.

08:55 a.m. - 09:15 a.m.

Pelton Auditorium, Weintraub Building
Fred Hutch Cancer Center

Mike Evans, PhD

Professor of Radiology, University of California, San Francisco
Chemical strategies to expand the therapeutic window for targeted radiotherapies 

This presentation will cover emerging chemical techniques to expand the therapeutic window for targeted radiotherapies, and new targets for radioligand therapy.

09:15 a.m. - 09:35 a.m.

Pelton Auditorium, Weintraub Building
Fred Hutch Cancer Center

Panel Discussion – Q/A

Moderated by Yawen Li, PhD and Delphine Chen, MD

Featuring all speakers from Session 1 + audience

09:35 a.m. - 10:05 a.m.

Pelton Auditorium, Weintraub Building
Fred Hutch Cancer Center

Break

Coffee & Refreshments Available

10:05 a.m. - 10:20 a.m.

Pelton Auditorium
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center

Session 2 | Understanding target biology in the context of cancer immunity and radiobiology

Reinier Hernandez, PhD

Assistant Professor, Medical Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Novel targets in oncology and theranostic pairs and impact on radiobiology

This presentation will cover recent advancements in radiopharmaceutical agent development. Dr. Hernandez will discuss radiobiological considerations for novel radiopharmaceuticals featuring “unconventional” theranostic pairs as single agents and in combination with other systemic therapies such as immunotherapy.

10:20 a.m. - 10:40 a.m.

Pelton Auditorium, Weintraub Building
Fred Hutch Cancer Center

Clemens Grassberger, PhD

Associate Professor, Division of Radiation Oncology, University of Washington
Joint Associate Professor, Radiation Oncology Division, Fred Hutch Cancer Center
Impact of radiopharmaceutical therapy on tumor microenvironment & immunity: what can we learn from radiotherapy? 

Understanding the impact of radiopharmaceuticals on tumor immunity is crucial for guiding combination regimen with checkpoint inhibitors and other immunotherapeutic approaches. Dr. Grassberger will present the extensive data that exists for external beam radiotherapy and discuss their possible relevance for targeted radionuclides.

10:40 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

Pelton Auditorium, Weintraub Building
Fred Hutch Cancer Center

John K. Lee, MD, PhD

Associate Professor-in-Residence, University of California, Los Angeles
Molecularly targeted immunotherapeutic approaches for prostate cancer in the era of growing theranostics

This presentation will provide a perspective on therapeutic targets and emerging immune-based treatments including antibody-drug conjugates, T cell engaging antibodies, and chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapies in the field of prostate cancer. 

11:00 a.m. - 11:20 a.m.

Pelton Auditorium, Weintraub Building
Fred Hutch Cancer Center

Panel Discussion – Q/A

Moderated by Omar Mian MD, PhD and Evan Yu, MD

Featuring all speakers from Session 2 + audience

11:20 a.m. - 11:50 a.m. 

Pelton Auditorium, Weintraub Building
Fred Hutch Cancer Center

Break for Lunch

11:50 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Session 3 |  Advances in radiopharmaceutical development, translation, and clinical practice

David Ulmert, MD, PhD

Associate Professor-in-Residence, Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, University of California, Los Angeles
Director, UCLA Preclinical Theranostics Program, University of California, Los Angeles
Targeting TGFβ-Driven Malignancies and Immune Resistance in Solid Tumors Using LRRC15-Directed Radiotheranostics 

LRRC15 is a biomarker in TGFβ-driven mesenchymal cancers and CAFs, contributing to tumor progression and immune evasion. LRRC15-targeted radiotheranostics enables both non-invasive detection and selective ablation of LRRC15+ cells. This presentation will discuss how, to further elucidate the mechanisms captured by this theranostic approach, high-throughput genomic and molecular profiling techniques were utilized to identify key drivers of TGFβ-LRRC15 activity and analyze the tumor microenvironment reprogramming induced by targeted radionuclide treatment. 

12:30 p.m. - 12:50 p.m.

Pelton Auditorium, Weintraub Building
Fred Hutch Cancer Center

Daniel Thorek, PhD

Associate Professor of Radiology and Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine
Co-Director of the Oncologic Imaging Program at Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine
Alpha vs beta emitters: from radiobiology to dosimetry and beyond 

Targeted radiopharmaceutical therapies induce on-tumor and background genomic damage cascades. We are at the outset of our understanding of how these complex systems can be optimized for cancer treatments. This talk will discuss the background of alpha and beta particle therapies, tools being leveraged to study their impact, and noninvasive tools that can be implemented in the pre- and clinical setting to optimize their use.

12:50 p.m. - 1:10 p.m.

Pelton Auditorium, Weintraub Building
Fred Hutch Cancer Center

Carlos Uribe, PhD, MCCPM

Leader Clinical Nuclear Medicine Physics, Molecular Imaging and Therapy, BC Cancer
Associate Scientist, Integrative Oncology, BC Cancer Research Institute
Clinical Assistant Professor, Radiology, University of British Columbia
Advances in radiopharmaceutical dosimetry: from standardization to clinical impact

This presentation will explore the key differences between external beam radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and radiopharmaceutical therapies, highlighting the role of dosimetry in treatment optimization. Dr. Uribe will discuss the essential components needed for accurate dosimetry, ongoing efforts in standardization, and conclude with a real-world example of current clinical applications.

01:10 p.m. - 01:30 p.m.

Pelton Auditorium, Weintraub Building
Fred Hutch Cancer Center

Panel Discussion – Q/A

Moderated by Robert S. Miyaoka, PhD and Amir Iravani, MD

Featuring all speakers from Session 3 + audience

01:30 p.m. - 02:00 p.m. 

Pelton Auditorium, Weintraub Building
Fred Hutch Cancer Center

Break

Refreshments Available

2:00 p.m. - 2:15 p.m.

Weintraub Building Great Hall
Fred Hutch Cancer Center

Session 4 |   Facilitating translational research and clinical trials

Julie Sutcliffe, PhD

Professor, Internal Medicine and Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Davis
Co-Director, Center for Molecular and Genomic Imaging, University of California, Davis
Alphavbeta6 targeted imaging and therapy: bench to bedside 

Dr. Sutcliffe and her team have identified the integrin αvβ6 as a clinically relevant target and as such have focused significant efforts to develop, optimize and translate high affinity peptides that target αvβ6 for both imaging and treatment. The integrin αvβ6 is an epithelial-specific cell surface receptor that is undetectable in healthy adult epithelium but is significantly upregulated in a wide range of epithelial derived cancers. During her presentation Dr. Sutcliffe will describe some of her team’s efforts during their 20 year journey to translate compounds from the bench to the bedside.

02:15 p.m. - 02:35 p.m.

Pelton Auditorium, Weintraub Building
Fred Hutch Cancer Center

Freddy E. Escorcia, MD, PhD

Physician-Scientist, Bethesda, MD
De novo radiopharmaceutical therapy development: lessons learned 

Radiotheranostics have changed how we diagnose and treat human cancers. However, many of the agents being evaluated now are derivatives of molecules specific to targets we have known about for decades. For the modality to gain a firmer foundation, systematic development of novel agents is needed—that is new molecules specific to new targets for new diseases. Using hepatocellular carcinoma, a radiosensitive cancer for which there is both a need for functional imaging and improved treatments, Dr. Escorcia shares work attempting to address these unmet clinical needs from his lab and beyond. 

2:35 p.m. - 2:55 p.m.

Pelton Auditorium, Weintraub Building
Fred Hutch Cancer Center

Brenda Sandmaier, MD

Deputy Director and Professor, Translational Science and Therapeutics Division, Fred Hutch Cancer Center
Professor, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of Washington School of Medicine
Alpha emitter radiopharmaceutical therapy in hematological malignancies

Dr. Sandmaier will discuss the preclinical development and translation to first-in-human studies of astatine-211 radiolabeled monoclonal antibodies used as conditioning prior to allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation. 

2:55 p.m. - 3:15 p.m.

Pelton Auditorium, Weintraub Building
Fred Hutch Cancer Center

Panel Discussion – Q/A

Moderated by Amir Iravani, MD and Delphine Chen, MD

Featuring all speakers from Session 4 + audience 

03:15 p.m. - 03:45 p.m.

Pelton Auditorium, Weintraub Building
Fred Hutch Cancer Center

Delphine Chen, MD and Amir Iravani, MD

Concluding Remarks

3:45 p.m. - 3:50 p.m.

Pelton Auditorium, Weintraub Building
Fred Hutch Cancer Center

Reception

Hors d'oeuvres and beverages with symposium speakers and attendees

3:50 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

B-Suites, Weintraub Building 
Fred Hutch Cancer Center