Navigating Challenges: Immune Cells vs. Cancer Cells

In the ever-evolving world of cancer treatment, immuno-oncology (IO) continues to stand at the forefront of innovation. With recent FDA approvals for TIL therapies and bispecific antibodies, and new developments in CAR-T technologies, the field is rapidly expanding into combination-based strategies that integrate with standard care. Researchers are also exploring how to overcome challenges posed by the tumor microenvironment and immune cell exhaustion to increase therapeutic success rates.How can scientists and biotech innovators harness the immune system more effectively to combat cancer—and what does the next generation of immuno-oncology look like?On this episode of Crowncast by Crown BioScience, host Jonny McMichael welcomes Gera Goverse, Director of Immuno-Oncology at Crown BioScience, for a deep dive into the scientific advances and strategic considerations shaping immuno-oncology today. From bispecifics and checkpoint inhibitors to personalized and allogeneic CAR-T therapies, they explore the complexity of immune response modeling, the need for combination therapies, and how the tumor microenvironment impacts treatment outcomes.Key discussion points from this episode:The rise of combination therapies and their role in overcoming immune resistanceEmerging innovations in CAR-T design to address exhaustion and broaden applicationThe critical importance of tumor microenvironment and model precision in preclinical researchDr. Gera Goverse is an accomplished immunologist with a PhD from Amsterdam UMC and a postdoctoral fellowship at KU Leuven. She has over a decade of experience in immunology and oncology, having transitioned from academia to biotech, where she now leads the immuno-oncology efforts at Crown BioScience Netherlands following their merger with organoid research CRO Ocello.