MDPI Canada & USA | Summary of an MDPI Subject Workshop—Cutting-Edge Advances in Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy: From Basic Science to Clinical Impact

On 8 May 2026, MDPI Canada & USA welcomed over 40 researchers, clinicians, and oncology professionals to our Subject Workshop, “Cutting-Edge Advances in Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy: From Basic Science to Clinical Impact”, held at the HSC Conference Center in Los Angeles, California.

	Our workshop host, Bob Vrooman, Head of Business Development at MDPI USA, opened the event and emphasized the importance of advancing cancer care. He introduced the workshop chair, Dr. W. Martin Kast, highlighting his achievements in immunology and cancer research.
	Dr. W. Martin Kast welcomed attendees, emphasizing the transformative impact of cancer immunotherapy and the challenges that remain.
	Then, MDPI Canada & USA’s Operating Director, Elvis Wang, emphasized the company's core values of transparency, service, and integrity. Furthermore, he explained the importance of collaboration in scientific research.

The day’s presentations were full of exciting discussion as ten speakers discussed their research findings. These presenters included Dr. Abhinava Mishra, Dr. Alan L. Epstein, Dr. De-Chen Lin, Dr. Casey O’Connell, Dr. Henry K. Wong, Dr. Hossein Jadvar, Dr. Kawaljit Kaur, Dr. Lili Yang, Dr. W. Martin Kast, and Dr. Sonia Sharma.

The presentations included topics such as immune checkpoint blockade therapy, CAR-T and CAR-macrophage therapies, and the role of NK cells in cancer therapy. Furthermore, presentations focused on how epigenetic mutations reshape T-cell behavior.

The second half of the day included presentations covering imaging treatment response criteria and multimodal single-cell analysis. Further presentations focused on the treatment of cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCLs) and the development of therapeutic vaccines to treat HPV-associated cancers.

Dr. Sheridan Baker, a representative of MDPI, covered MDPI's role in supporting open science and MDPI’s publishing trends in oncology. His presentation allowed audience members to further understand how MDPI can support researchers working within a variety of research areas.

During the day’s proceedings, multiple Q&A sessions were held, allowing valuable engagement between speakers and attendees. These sessions were a highlight of the event and helped build a platform for meaningful scientific exchange.

Looking Ahead

The MDPI 2026 LA Subject Workshop “Cutting-Edge Advances in Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy: From Basic Science to Clinical Impact” was a successful collaboration between MDPI and local academics. We are thankful to all attendees for their part in making this event possible and for contributing to its success.

We have received positive feedback regarding this event and look forward to continuing to host these Subject Workshops. For more updates regarding this event and other upcoming workshops, follow MDPI Canada on LinkedIn.