Reprogramming the immune system: A new era of precision immunotherapy for cancer and autoimmune disease – Travis Young, PhD
August 20, 2025
Your immune system is your body’s natural defense, capable of identifying what belongs and what doesn’t. But when it falters, it can let cancer grow unchecked or mistakenly attack your own healthy tissues, leading to autoimmune diseases. What if we could reprogram the immune system to tip the balance in our favor, gaining an advantage over both cancers and autoimmune disorders? In this free Front Row lecture, Calibr-Skaggs’ vice president of biologics, Travis Young, will share how Scripps Research is using genetic engineering to reprogram patients’ own immune cells to create personalized “switchable” CAR-T cell therapies. This approach represents a new class of precision immunotherapy designed to induce deep and durable remissions in patients with a wide range of cancers, from lymphoma to breast cancer, as well as in chronic autoimmune conditions such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and systemic sclerosis. Young will explain how this breakthrough strategy works and what it could mean for the future of medicine.
The science of longer, healthier lives: Eric Topol, MD
May 21, 2025
How close are we to a future where aging is no longer a barrier to vitality? Scripps Research executive vice president and professor Eric Topol will discuss the themes of his new book on longevity. Drawing on the latest breakthroughs, he’ll explore how innovations in artificial intelligence and drug discovery are combating chronic diseases like cancer, diabetes and neurodegeneration. Topol will reveal how these advances are not only extending lifespans but also improving health at every stage of life.
Regenerative medicine for the treatment of MS: Enhancing repair to prevent progression: Luke Lairson, PhD
April 16, 2025
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a debilitating autoimmune disease that disrupts the central nervous system, causing symptoms like muscle weakness, cognitive challenges and a gradual loss of function that current treatments cannot fully repair. MS arises when the immune system attacks the myelin sheath, the protective layer insulating neurons. Scripps Research chemistry professor Luke Lairson will discuss his research on the body’s natural repair pathways—specifically those that activate endogenous stem cells to restore myelin. His work aims to develop therapies that complement existing therapeutic approaches and halt MS progression.
Decoding viruses for vaccine innovation: Andrew Ward, PhD
March 19, 2025
Viruses use specialized proteins to infect human cells, and understanding their structure is key to creating more effective vaccines and antiviral therapies. Scripps Research professor Andrew Ward will delve into his pioneering work on mapping these proteins with cutting-edge imaging techniques. Ward’s research provides critical insights into viral neutralization mechanisms, paving the way for advancements in vaccine development against pathogens like HIV, influenza, coronaviruses and much more.