Discover a dynamic virtual event spotlighting the latest advancements in spatial biology and their impact on drug discovery and development.
This program brings together leading experts who will share insights on how these novel innovations are unraveling complex biological systems, optimizing therapeutic development and paving the way for precision medicine. During this program, the expert speakers will be focusing on the following topics:
Session 1: Advancing Spatial Biology Discoveries to The Clinic
In this session, Mark Landers from Akoya Biosciences will discuss how the PhenoCycler-Fusion for high-plex spatial discoveries and PhenoImager HT for rapid spatial signature development are advancing spatial biology from drug discovery to clinical applications. He will highlight how multiplex immunofluorescence (mIF) biomarkers address tumor heterogeneity and enhance decision-making in immuno-oncology trials. Attendees will gain insights into mIF’s role in supporting precision medicine and companion diagnostics, offering transformative potential for clinical trial outcomes and patient care.
Session 2: Multiplex Immunohistochemistry Assay for Identification of Immune Cells in Non-Human Primate Ocular Tissues
In this session, Ronnie Nie from AbbVie will discuss the development and application of a multiplex immunostaining method to improve understanding of the causes and mechanisms of intraocular inflammation (IOI).
In non-clinical studies, administering biologics to the eyes of nonhuman primates can lead to sporadic IOI in individual animals, often with uncertain causes and clinical relevance. Identifying the causes and mechanisms of IOI throughout preclinical development has been a major challenge and is critical for advancing biologic therapies targeting ocular conditions.
The speaker will share insights into the development and validation of a multiplex immunostaining method using Akoya’s PhenoCode Signature multiplex assay to investigate the causes and mechanisms of IOI. The results demonstrate the assay’s ability to identify immune cell types and their spatial relationships, providing valuable insights into the immunology of IOI and helping to clarify its underlying mechanisms.
Session 3: Application of Multiplex Immunofluorescence Assays for Immuno-Oncology Drug Development and the Potential for Companion Diagnostics
In this session, Dr. Chung-Wein Lee from Genmab will discuss the growing importance of understanding the tumor microenvironment (TME) in immuno-oncology. He will highlight how multiplex immunofluorescence (mIF) assays uniquely assess TME by preserving tumor structure and revealing spatial relationships between tumor and immune cells and will address the difficulties these assays face in lymphoma, where the lack of clear tumor-stromal boundaries and high tumor density present significant challenges.
In his presentation, Dr. Chung will describe the development and optimization of a reliable workflow using Akoya Opal staining kits to label and analyze 6 markers per slide in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) tissue sections and demonstrates the first attempt to calculate the combined positive score (CPS) using mIF images, a measure used to predict response to anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapy, traditionally scored manually by a Pathologist. Preliminary results from a clinical trial in recurrent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (rHNSCC) show a strong correlation with pathologist-scored CPS, suggesting the potential to use mIF as a future companion diagnostic tool in oncology.
Session 4: Round Table Discussion
After the three sessions, there will be an engaging roundtable discussion, moderated by Cameron Smurthwaite from Akoya Biosciences, in which the expert speakers delve deeper into key insights from their presentations. Cameron will guide the conversation to explore emerging trends and discuss the evolving role of spatial biology in drug discovery and development.
Register for this webinar today to explore the latest advancements in spatial biology and its critical role in drug discovery, development and clinical applications.
Speakers
Mark Landers, Vice President, Precision Medicine, Akoya Biosciences
Mark Landers is Vice President of Precision Medicine at Akoya Biosciences and has over 25 years’ experience in oncology diagnostics. Prior to joining Akoya, Mark held leadership positions at Exact Sciences, Guardant Health and Epic Sciences focused on driving precision medicine with pharma partners. Leveraging a strong technical background from years in R&D, he has successfully brought multiple diagnostic tests and companion diagnostics to market.
Message Presenter
Ronnie Nie, Principal Research Scientist, Pathology, AbbVie
Rong Nie (Ronnie) holds an MS in Animal Physiology from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) and an MS in Pathophysiology from China. She is currently a Principal Research Scientist in Pathology at AbbVie, bringing over 25 years of experience in histology, immunohistochemistry and digital pathology. Specializing in multiplex immunofluorescence assay development, Ronnie applies her expertise to preclinical samples across various species, including rodents, rabbits, pigs and non-human primates. Before joining AbbVie, she held roles at NeoGenomics, Washington State University and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Message Presenter
Dr. Chung-Wein Lee, Director, Pathology, Genmab
Dr. Chung-Wein Lee holds a PhD from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. He is currently with Genmab in Princeton, NJ, where he leads digital pathology initiatives. His work involves using multiplex immunofluorescence (mIF) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) imaging to support drug development, with a particular focus on KYSO antibody discovery and oncology clinical trials.
Message Presenter
Cameron Smurthwaite, Senior Strategic Pharma Account Executive, Akoya Biosciences
Cameron Smurthwaite holds a Master of Science and an MBA from San Diego State University. With over 15 years of diverse experience in both academia and industry, he has developed a strong background in sales and marketing, particularly in the fields of immunology and immuno-oncology. Currently, he serves as a Senior Strategic Pharma Account Executive at Akoya Biosciences, where he leverages his expertise to drive innovation and foster strategic partnerships in the life sciences and biopharma sectors.
Message PresenterWho Should Attend?
This webinar will appeal to professionals in pharma and biotech companies and is relevant to immune-oncology fields, including biotech and biopharma companies looking to develop companion diagnostics for immunotherapy clinical trials. It will benefit decision-makers with responsibilities including, but not limited to:
- Drug discovery and preclinical development teams
- Biomarker program/project management
- Biomarker Leads
- Translational/Medicine Biomarker Leads
- Clinical Biomarker Leads
- Clinical Development Directors/Medical Directors
- CDx development
What You Will Learn
Attendees will gain insights into:
- How spatial biology platforms enable high-resolution tumor profiling, significantly enhancing decision-making in immuno-oncology clinical trials
- How multiplex immunostaining assays advance preclinical research by providing detailed insights into immune cell interactions
- How tumor-immune profiling through multiplex immunofluorescence holds promise for developing companion diagnostics, aiding in the selection of responsive patient populations
Xtalks Partner
Akoya Biosciences
As The Spatial Biology Company®, Akoya Biosciences’ mission is to bring context to the world of biology and human health through the power of spatial phenotyping. The company offers comprehensive single-cell imaging solutions that allow researchers to phenotype cells with spatial context and visualize how they organize and interact to influence disease progression and response to therapy. Akoya offers a full continuum of spatial phenotyping solutions to serve the diverse needs of researchers across discovery, translational and clinical research: PhenoCode™ Panels and PhenoCycler®, PhenoImager® Fusion, and PhenoImager HT Instruments.
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