Engineering the Future of ADCs: Innovation, Efficacy, and Clinical Integration
Join us for an exclusive thought leadership interview with Dr. Victor Jeffrey Leyton, Associate Professor at the University of Ottawa, as he shares his insights into how tumour biology and chemical engineering can be more tightly integrated to advance ADC efficacy and safety. Then, hear from a leading panel of experts from King’s College London, Pfizer, and Zymeworks to uncover how tumour biology is shaping the future of ADC design—all in this 1-hour virtual session.
4.00pm Thought Leader Interview with Dr. Victor Jeffrey Leyton
4.30pm Panel Discussion: Interfacing Tumour Biology with ADC Chemical Design
- How tumour heterogeneity, the tumour microenvironment (TME), and cell-surface antigen biology should inform ADC design
- Current limitations in how biologic and chemical domains collaborate and Strategies to bridge the translational gap between tumour biology insights and chemical engineering choices
- Case studies exploring lessons learned from clinically successful and unsuccessful ADCs and what tumour biology revealed in hindsight about efficacy and toxicity
- Data-Driven Redesign looking at the role of real-world clinical data in refining preclinical models and implications for linker–payload matching and target selection
- Where the field might go in the next 3–5 years in tumour-selective chemical engineering
Thought Leader & Moderator
Dr Victor Jeffrey Leyton is an Associate Professor in the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and holds a cross-appointment in the Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine at the University of Ottawa. His research focuses on engineering nuclear localisation signals and mechanisms of nuclear transport to enhance intracellular delivery of antibody-based therapeutics, particularly antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs) for cancers and inflammatory diseases.
- Professor Sophia N. Karagiannis, Professor of Translational Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy, St. John’s Institute of Dermatology, School of Basic & Medical Biosciences, King’s College London
- Sharsti Sandall, Executive Director, Pfizer
- Stuart Barnscher, Senior Director, Preclinical Programs, ADC Therapeutic Development, Zymeworks
Designing Next Gen Biomaterials: Peptide Hydrogels in 3D Culture & Regenerative Platforms
Join us for an exclusive thought leadership interview with Aline Miller, Professor of Biomolecular Engineering, Associate Dean for Business Engagement & Innovation, and Chief Scientific Officer of Unit M at the University of Manchester. Hear her insights into how peptide-based hydrogels are transforming 3D cell culture and regenerative medicine. Then, listen to a leading panel of experts from the Wellcome Sanger Institute, Nestle and the European University of Cyprus uncover the challenges of animal-free innovation in organoids & 3D cell culture.
1.30pm Thought Leader Interview with Aline Miller
2.00pm Panel Discussion: Advancing Drug Discovery: Animal-Free Innovation in Organoids & 3D Cell Culture
- Redefining the Matrix: Replacing animal-derived scaffolds with synthetic, peptide-based hydrogels for reproducible, ethical organoid culture.
- From Serum to Standards: Transitioning to chemically defined, xeno-free reagents to enhance translational relevance and regulatory compliance.
- Towards Scalable Biology: Enabling industrialisation of organoid systems through animal-free 3D bio fabrication and quality-controlled workflows
Thought Leader & Moderator
Aline Miller is Professor of Biomolecular Engineering, Chief Scientific Officer of Unit M and Associate Dean for Business Engagement and Innovation within the Faculty of Science and Engineering at the University of Manchester. Her research investigates the self-assembly of peptides, proteins, and polymers, from molecular structure through to functional materials, for applications in regenerative medicine, drug delivery, and tissue engineering.
- Maryna Panamarova, Cellular Modelling Specialist, Cellular Operations, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus
- Andy Wiranata Wijaya, BioProcess Development Lead, Nestle
- Vasiliki Kalodimou, Assistant Professor Dr/Director, Flow Cytometry-Research & Regenerative Medicine, EUC Frankfurt Branch