Journal of Clinical and Cellular Immunology
Open Access

The provocative issue of tumor genomic heterogeneity with respect to active and passive immunotherapy

4^th International Conference and Exhibition on Immunology

September 28-30, 2015 Crowne Plaza Houston River Oaks, Houston, TX, USA

Michael G Hanna

Vaccinogen Inc., USA

Keynote: J Clin Cell Immunol

Abstract :

While it has always been presumed that neoplasia is a consequence of somatic cell mutations, only in the last few years has the magnitude and diversity of these mutations been elucidated by modern DNA sequencing technology. Immunotherapy is the premier biological approach to targeted therapy. Target therapies require targets. In this case the targets are tumor specific or associated antigens, the proteins expressed from thesesomatic cell mutations. While the immunotherapeutic approach to eliminating cancer was launched with the assumption that cancer cells were homogeneous, the recent genomic understanding of tumor cells indicates that there is both inter and intra-tumoral heterogeneity. This presentation will discuss the consequences of this new knowledge of tumor cell biology to the immunotherapeutic approach to treating cancer. What is more, this presentation will discuss the translational development of an active specific immunotherapeutic approach from preclinical to beneficial clinical benefit.

Biography :

Michael G Hanna, Jr., PhD founded Vaccinogen, Inc., in 2007 and serves as its Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and Member of Medical Advisory Board. He served as the Chief Scientific Officer of Vaccinogen, Inc., and served as its Chief Executive Officer until October 1st 2010. He served as the Chief Scientific Officer of Intracel Holdings Corporation. He served as the Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer and President of PerImmune, Inc. He served as President of Intracel Holdings Corporation. From 1985 to 1994, he was the Chief Operating Officer of Organon Teknika/Biotechnology Research Institute. He founded the Litton Institute of Applied Biotechnology (LIAB), which Organon Teknika acquired in 1985, and was a Senior Vice President at Organon Teknika. He served as the Chairman of Intracel Holdings Corporation. He served as the Director of the National Cancer Institute, Frederick Cancer Research Center. In addition to cancer therapy research and development, he has been intellectually involved in Homeland Security. He was Chairman of the Frederick County Local Emergency Planning Committee (“LEPC”) responsible for Homeland Security; threat assessment, preparedness and response for a county containing the cross-roads of Baltimore and Washington, D.C., Fort Detrick, FEMA, Camp David, and numerous other sensitive sites. He has over 250 publications to his credit, has 10 patents in immunotherapy and has been the recipient of numerous honors, and served on many editorial board. He received a Doctoral degree in experimental pathology and immunology from the University of Tennessee.

Email: mghannajr@vaccinogeninc.com