From Bench to Fireside

• From Biological Limits to Intelligent Immunity with Kole Roybal, PhD

  What if our immune cells could be reprogrammed to sense, decide and act—outsmarting even the most elusive tumors?In this episode of From Bench to Fireside Kole Roybal, PhD, Director of the Parker Institute of Cancer Immunotherapy Center at UCSF, joins PICI Chief Scientific Officer John Connolly, PhD, to break down how engineered immune cells are moving from the lab to the clinic—and changing how we approach solid tumors. They discuss how technologies like SynNotch and SNIPR are giving immune cells programmable intelligence—and how PICI’s collaborative model helped accelerate these innovations from discovery to patient-ready therapies.Along the way, Dr. Roybal reflects on mentorship, team-building and how engineered immunity could reshape medicine far beyond cancer.—From Bench to Fireside™ is a podcast from the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy (PICI) that takes you from behind the lab bench to the frontiers of cancer research. Each episode features an interview with members of the PICI Network, pioneers in cancer immunotherapy and leaders at world-renowned cancer research institutions. Throughout the conversations, these experts weigh in on the potential of the human immune system to target and eradicate cancer cells, from the latest breakthroughs in immuno-oncology to their impact on patients. Along the way, they unpack the hurdles encountered and the opportunities that lie ahead.Tune in to hear from scientific leaders who stand at the forefront of developing breakthrough immune therapies with the goal of turning all cancers into curable diseases. From Bench to Fireside™ is produced by the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy. Follow PICI on LinkedIn, X @parkerici or visit www.parkerici.org.

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• From Cancer’s Hidden Metabolic Tricks to Breakthrough Discoveries That Overcome Them with Roberta Zappasodi, PhD

  In this episode of From Bench to Fireside, host John Connolly, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer at the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy (PICI), interviews Roberta Zappasodi, PhD, Assistant Professor of Hematology and Medical Oncology and member of the PICI Center at Weill Cornell Medicine.Dr. Zappasodi has been instrumental in uncovering immunotherapy resistance -- from her early career preparing vaccines from tumor samples, to her current, cutting-edge research on how tumor environments impact treatment. Together, they explore her discoveries on the relationship between tumor glycolytic states and vasculature, the importance of T-cell trafficking, and the transformative potential of combining therapies.They also discuss the importance of moving immunotherapies to earlier treatment stages, PICI's role in fostering collaborative research, mentoring the next generation of researchers, her upcoming research on tumor metabolism... and more!--From Bench to Fireside™ is a new podcast from the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy (PICI) that takes you from behind the lab bench to the frontiers of cancer research. Each episode features an interview with members of the PICI Network, pioneers in cancer immunotherapy and leaders at world-renowned cancer research institutions. Throughout the conversations, these experts weigh in on the potential of the human immune system to target and eradicate cancer cells, from the latest breakthroughs in immuno-oncology to their impact on patients. Along the way, they unpack the hurdles encountered and the opportunities that lie ahead.Tune in to hear from scientific leaders who stand at the forefront of developing breakthrough immune therapies with the goal of turning all cancers into curable diseases. From Bench to Fireside™ is produced by the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy. Follow PICI on LinkedIn, X @parkerici or visit www.parkerici.org.

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• From Metastatic Melanoma to Immune Engineering with Antoni Ribas, MD, PhD

  In this episode of From Bench to Fireside, host John Connolly, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer at the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy (PICI), interviews Antoni Ribas, MD, PhD, Director of the PICI Center at UCLA, professor of medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and Director of the Tumor Immunology Program at the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center.Dr. Ribas, who led one of the largest phase 1 clinical oncology trial to date, has been instrumental in advancing our understanding of immune checkpoint inhibitors and cellular therapies. Together, they explore Dr. Ribas' journey from his early work in immunology to his current cutting-edge research in reprogramming immune system cells, discussing overarching trends in patient outcomes and the transformative potential of multiplex trials. They also discuss PICI's collaborative approach to uniting scientists, investors and cell therapies together, Dr. Ribas's perspective on prioritizing scientific advancement over publication, his vision of shifting cancer from a surgical disease to an immunotherapy-treatable condition, his insights on mentoring the next generation of researchers… and more.--From Bench to Fireside™ is a new podcast from the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy (PICI) that takes you from behind the lab bench to the frontiers of cancer research. Each episode features an interview with members of the PICI Network, pioneers in cancer immunotherapy and leaders at world-renowned cancer research institutions. Throughout the conversations, these experts weigh in on the potential of the human immune system to target and eradicate cancer cells, from the latest breakthroughs in immuno-oncology to their impact on patients. Along the way, they unpack the hurdles encountered and the opportunities that lie ahead.Tune in to hear from scientific leaders who stand at the forefront of developing breakthrough immune therapies with the goal of turning all cancers into curable diseases. From Bench to Fireside™ is produced by the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy. Follow PICI on LinkedIn, X @parkerici or visit www.parkerici.org.

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• From the Front Lines to the Frontiers of Defeating Breast Cancer with Elizabeth Mittendorf, MD, PhD

  In this episode of From Bench to Fireside, host John Connolly, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer at the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy (PICI), interviews Elizabeth Mittendorf, MD, PhD, MHCM, FASCO - Director of the Breast Immuno-Oncology Program and Co-Director of the PICI Center at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Robert and Karen Hale Distinguished Chair in Surgical Oncology and the Director of the Breast Immuno-Oncology Program at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and the 2026-2027 incoming President for the American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO). A leading expert in cancer immunotherapy, Dr. Mittendorf’s groundbreaking research has advanced the role of vaccines and immune checkpoint inhibitors in breast cancer treatment.Together, they discuss how Dr. Mittendorf made the move from engineering to medicine, the impact of her military experience on her early medical career, her frontline studies of tumor microenvironments, how the rise of generative AI has impacted patients' knowledge base and clinical trial design, the benefits of mentorship and importance of "paying it forward," insights on the future of breast cancer immunotherapy, and more.--From Bench to Fireside™ is a new podcast from the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy (PICI) that takes you from behind the lab bench to the frontiers of cancer research. Each episode features an interview with members of the PICI Network, pioneers in cancer immunotherapy and leaders at world-renowned cancer research institutions. Throughout the conversations, these experts weigh in on the potential of the human immune system to target and eradicate cancer cells, from the latest breakthroughs in immuno-oncology to their impact on patients. Along the way, they unpack the hurdles encountered and the opportunities that lie ahead.Tune in to hear from scientific leaders who stand at the forefront of developing breakthrough immune therapies with the goal of turning all cancers into curable diseases. From Bench to Fireside™ is produced by the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy. Follow PICI on LinkedIn, X @parkerici or visit www.parkerici.org.

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• From CAR T-Cell Therapy to the Impact of Mentorship with Carl June, MD

  In this episode of From Bench to Fireside, host John Connolly, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer at the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy (PICI), interviews Carl June, MD, Director of the PICI Center at the University of Pennsylvania. Known as "the Father of CAR T-cell therapy," Dr. June's groundbreaking work led to the first FDA-approved CAR T-cell therapy in 2017, revolutionizing precision medicine. Together, they explore the impact of the PICI Network in breaking barriers to accelerate patient-focused progress, the latest advances in CRISPR and CAR T-cell delivery shaping cellular therapy's future, and Dr. June’s reflections on his legacy, the next generation of scientists, and the importance of collaborative research.--From Bench to Fireside™ is a new podcast from the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy (PICI) that takes you from behind the lab bench to the frontiers of cancer research. Each episode features an interview with members of the PICI Network, pioneers in cancer immunotherapy and leaders at world-renowned cancer research institutions. Throughout the conversations, these experts weigh in on the potential of the human immune system to target and eradicate cancer cells, from the latest breakthroughs in immuno-oncology to their impact on patients. Along the way, they unpack the hurdles encountered and the opportunities that lie ahead.Tune in to hear from scientific leaders who stand at the forefront of developing breakthrough immune therapies with the goal of turning all cancers into curable diseases. From Bench to Fireside™ is produced by the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy. Follow PICI on LinkedIn, X @parkerici or visit www.parkerici.org.

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