InauguralInvitation Only
Cell Therapy & Autoimmunity
USFocus Meeting 2027
Two days, 52 people, one room.
March 12 to 13, 2027
Chicago, IL
Dates
March 12-13, 2027
Two-day program
Venue
Chicago, IL
Hotel TBC
Audience
52 by invitation
26 KOLs & 26 fellows
Format
8 sessions · 26 talks
Plenary, panels + keynotes
A Curated Room: The People Shaping Practice
This inaugural, invitation-only meeting convenes a deliberately small faculty: 26 leading cell therapy, rheumatology and neurology KOLs alongside 26 hand-selected fellows and junior faculty, the clinicians running the first autoimmune CAR T trials and the ones who will run the pivotal programs, in one room for two days.
The science tracks where treatment is moving: deep B-cell depletion and durable immune reset, trial readouts across SLE, SSc, myositis, gMG and SPS, safety and lymphodepletion in non-malignant patients, and next-generation platforms from CAR-Tregs to in vivo delivery. Every session pairs expert talks with a moderated panel, sustained, close-quarters engagement rather than a lecture hall.
Deep B-Cell DepletionLymphodepletion & ConditioningCAR-Tregs & ToleranceIn Vivo CAR-T & LNP DeliveryAllogeneic & Rapid ManufacturingSLE · SSc · Myositis · gMG · SPS
Meeting Co-Chairs
Michael Bishop
The University of Chicago Medicine, Chicago, IL
David Porter
Penn Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
Ran Reshef
Columbia University, New York, NY
Faculty Drawn From
University of Chicago · Penn · Columbia · Memorial Sloan Kettering · Massachusetts General and other leading US academic centers
52
Invited attendees only, sustained access, not a crowd
1:1
KOLs to rising faculty, a hand-picked balance in every session
14
Established US Focus Meetings behind it, a proven platform, not a one-off
Cell Therapy & Autoimmunity US Focus Meeting 2027
Faculty
Listed alphabetically by surname
Rohit Aggarwal
University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
Amit Bar-Or
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Jeffrey Bluestone
University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
Claudio Brunstein
Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH
Joseph Fraietta
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Alfred Garfall
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Saar Gill
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Shaun Jackson
Seattle Children’s Hospital, Seattle, WA
Carl June
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Michelle Kahlenberg
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Marcela Maus
Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
Richard Maziarz
Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR
Peter Merkel
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Kevin O’Connor
Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
Aimee Payne
Columbia University, New York, NY
Miguel Perales
Memorial Sloan Kettering, New York, NY
David Porter
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Ran Reshef
Columbia University, New York, NY
Marco Ruella
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Ignacio Sanz
Emory University, Atlanta, GA
Nirali Shah
University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD
Saira Sheikh
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC
Christina Ulane
Columbia University, New York, NY
Iazsmin Ventura
University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Anastasia Zekeridou
Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
Two Days, Eight Sessions
Agenda
Presentations15 min
Panel Discussions30 min
Lunch50 min
20 min
65 min
Day One · Friday, March 12, 2027
Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
Session IBiological Rationale & Mechanisms of Immune Reset
Moderator
Historical Perspective: CAR-T Cells for Malignancy
David PorterUniversity of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Deep B-Cell Depletion vs. Chronic Biologics: The Biology of “Immune Reset”
Peter MerkelUniversity of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
B-Cell Repopulation Dynamics After CAR-T
Ignacio SanzEmory University, Atlanta, GA
Panel Discussion & Q&A
Session IICross-Disciplinary Landscape: Disease Primers & Clinical Operations
Moderator
Rheumatology Primer for Cell Therapists: SLE Disease Activity, Flares & Target Populations, Trial Design and Endpoints
Michelle KahlenbergUniversity of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Neurology Primer for Cell Therapists: CNS Compartmentalization & Autoantibody Targets. Focus on MS/SPS
Amit Bar-OrUniversity of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Mount Sinai Medical Center, Miami Beach, FL
Panel Discussion & Q&A
Lunch Break & Networking
Session IIIClinical Trial Evidence in Systemic Rheumatic Diseases
Moderator
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE): Clinical Proof-of-Concept, Seroconversion & Remission Durability
Saira SheikhUniversity of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC
Systemic Sclerosis (SSc): Reversing Fibrosis and Modifying Microvascular Pathology
Iazsmin VenturaUniversity of Chicago, Chicago, IL
Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathies (Myositis) & Overlap Syndromes: Trial Readouts
Rohit AggarwalUniversity of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
Panel Discussion & Q&A
Session IVClinical Trial Evidence in Autoimmune Neurology
Moderator
Generalized Myasthenia Gravis (gMG): B-Cell Clearance, MG-ADL Dynamics & Trial Designs
Christina UlaneColumbia University, New York, NY
Stiff Person Syndrome (SPS) & GAD65-Mediated Neurological Disorders
Anastasia ZekeridouMayo Clinic, Rochester, MN
Neurology Primer for Cell Therapists: Peripheral Nervous System and Neuromuscular Junction. Focus on CIDP/MG
Kevin O’ConnorYale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
Panel Discussion & Day 1 Synthesis
KeynoteWhat Does the Future Hold for Cell Therapy (Tentative)
Carl JuneUniversity of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Day Two · Saturday, March 13, 2027
Session VSafety Profiling, Toxicity Management & Long-Term Surveillance
Moderator
Safety in Autoimmunity vs. Oncology: CRS, ICANS, and Infection Risk Stratification
Miguel PeralesMemorial Sloan Kettering, New York, NY
Re-evaluating Lymphodepletion: Chemo-Lite Regimens, Conditioning Alternatives & Fertility Risks
Nirali ShahUniversity of Maryland, Baltimore, MD
T-Cell Clonal Expansion, Secondary Malignancies & the 15-Year FDA Follow-Up Mandate
Marco RuellaUniversity of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Panel Discussion & Q&A
Session VINext-Generation Platforms, Cell Modalities and Indications
Moderator
Engineered Regulatory T Cells (Tregs): Restoring Active Immune Tolerance
Jeffrey BluestoneUniversity of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
Allogeneic Off-the-Shelf Platforms and Rapid (24–48h) Manufacturing Workflows
Marcela MausMassachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA
In Vivo CAR-T Delivery: Targeted Lipid Nanoparticles & mRNA Reprogramming
Saar GillUniversity of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Precision Cell Therapy: Antigen-Specific Targeting
Aimee PayneColumbia University, New York, NY
Novel Applications of CAR-T Cells to Promote Organ Transplant Out and Have Neuro Discussion. Alloimmunized Pts
Alfred GarfallUniversity of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Panel Discussion & Q&A
Lunch Break & Networking
Session VIITranslational Science, Biomarkers & Regulatory Trial Design
Moderator
Translational Biomarkers: B-Cell Repertoire Sequencing & Predictors of Remission vs. Relapse
Joseph FraiettaUniversity of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Endpoint Selection & Pivotal Trial Design: Single-Arm Phase 2 vs. Randomized Placebo Control
Claudio BrunsteinCleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH
CAR-T in Pediatric Autoimmune Disease
Shaun JacksonSeattle Children’s Hospital, Seattle, WA
Panel Discussion & Q&A
Session VIIICommercialization, Delivery Infrastructure & Strategic Industry Outlook
Moderator
Value Economics & Pricing: One-Time Curative Therapy vs. Chronic Biologic Maintenance
Richard MaziarzOregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR
Site Logistics & Capacity: Academic Authorized Treatment Centers (ATCs) vs. Community Infusion
David PorterUniversity of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Building the Integrated Care Model: Cross-Disciplinary Rheumatology/Neurology-Cell Therapy Teams
Ran ReshefColumbia University, New York, NY
Industry Keynote: Strategic Pipeline Integration, Market Readiness & Commercial Scaling
Speaker TBC
Co-Chairs’ Panel Discussion, Take-Home Messages & Meeting Adjournment
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Your Point of Contact
Tania Lifanova
Account Executive, MD Education
tania.lifanova@md-education.com