Samik Upadhaya, Director of Scientific Affairs at Cancer Research Institute (CRI), shared on LinkedIn:
“A full Friday at SITC 2026 in Phoenix, with plenty of interesting science and even better conversations!
A few things that stood out to me:
- Cancer vaccines are coming of age. Cathy Wu’s lecture was a great reminder of how decades of foundational science have brought us to this moment. I’m particularly interested in how we optimize combinations and sequencing with checkpoint blockade. Lots of cool data anticipated in the coming months!
- Cell therapies are getting more sophisticated, and programmable. From cytokine engineering and molecular boosters to leveraging antiviral immunity, there’s exciting work exploring how to make T cells more effective, persistent, and adaptable.
- The tumor microenvironment remains central. Particularly interesting to see approaches that don’t just engineer better immune cells, but also change the conditions around them to make immunotherapy work, including in challenging cancers like pancreatic cancer.
And, of course, the science is only half the reason to be here. Reconnecting with colleagues, meeting new people, and having those spontaneous conversations between sessions are just as valuable and keeps this job fun and exciting!
Looking forward to another day of learning and conversations tomorrow!”
About SITC 2026
SITC 2026 is the 41st Annual Meeting of the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer, bringing together cancer researchers, oncologists, immunologists and healthcare professionals from around the world to share the latest developments in cancer immunotherapy.
The conference explores several key areas of cancer research and treatment, including:
- Immunotherapy research: Understanding how the immune system identifies and fights cancer, along with new ways to strengthen this response.
- Immune checkpoint inhibitors: Exploring treatments that help the immune system recognize and attack cancer cells more effectively.
- Cellular therapies: Discussing progress in CAR T-cell therapy and other treatments that use immune cells to target tumors.
- Cancer vaccines: Presenting developments in therapeutic vaccines designed to trigger the immune system to fight cancer.
- Combination treatments: Examining how immunotherapy can be used alongside chemotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted treatments and other approaches.
- Clinical trials: Sharing recent clinical findings, results from ongoing studies and new treatment strategies.
Read more articles about SITC 2026 on OncoDaily.
