Speaker Profile
M.D., Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine, Stanford University
Biography
Crystal L Mackall MD is Professor of Pediatrics and Internal Medicine at Stanford University. She serves as Associate Director of Stanford Cancer Institute, Leader of the Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy Program and Director of the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy at Stanford. Her group was among the first to demonstrate impressive activity of CD19-CAR in pediatric leukemia and her laboratory identified T cell exhaustion as a major factor limiting the efficacy of this novel class of therapeutics. During a 26 year tenure at the National Cancer Institute, Dr. Mackall led numerous cutting edge clinical trials that were characterized by incorporation of deep biologic endpoints that furthered our understanding of fundamental principles of human immunology. She has published over 150 manuscripts in peer-reviewed journals and serves in numerous leadership positions, including co-Leader of the StandUp2Cancer Pediatric Dream Team. She is Board Certified in Pediatrics and Internal Medicine.
Session Abstract – PMWC 2017 Silicon Valley
Session Synopsis: Cancer immunotherapies, though very promising, face a number of challenges as they strive to reach their full potential. These challenges are both technical and scientific in nature and include sensitivity, specificity, efficacy, and cost. Other issues include overcoming production issues and the high cost of developing these therapeutics. This session will address these challenges through the perspective of respected leaders in the field.
