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SUMMARY:EPFL BioE Talks SERIES  "Engineering Strategies to Modulate the Gu
 t Microbiome and Immune System"
DTSTART:20221010T160000
DTEND:20221010T170000
DTSTAMP:20260527T185847Z
UID:0df872f6ddeee256a341d9d7f5f7800a32e50275575664f932fe1cb5
CATEGORIES:Conferences - Seminars
DESCRIPTION:Prof. James J. Moon\, University of Michigan\, Ann Arbor\, MI 
 (USA)\nWEEKLY EPFL BIOE TALKS SERIES\n\nAbstract:\nCancer immunotherapy is
  now considered the fourth pillar of cancer therapy\, joining the ranks of
  surgery\, radiotherapy\, and chemotherapy. However\, only a small subset 
 of cancer patients responds to cancer immunotherapy. Thus\, new approaches
  are needed to amplify anti-tumor immunity\, to convert cold tumor into ho
 t tumor\, and to potentiate immunotherapies with minimal immune-related ad
 verse events. The gut microbiome has recently emerged as the next frontier
  in drug development\; however\, it remains unclear how to effectively alt
 er gut microbiota for treating various diseases\, including cancer. Here\,
  we present new biomaterial-based strategies for altering the gut microbio
 me and amplifying anti-tumor immune responses in a safe and effective mann
 er. We are developing new dietary fiber-based biomaterials for in situ mod
 ulation of the gut microbiome for augmenting local and systemic immune res
 ponses. We will present the therapeutic potential of our gut modulation ap
 proach in the context of improving the safety and efficacy of immune check
 point blockers. In our second research thrust\, we are developing a new na
 noparticle platform for systemic delivery of STING (stimulator of IFN gene
 s) agonists. While local STING activation can convert cold tumor into hot 
 tumor\, it has been challenging to develop STING agonists that can treat d
 isseminated cancer due to their toxicity. Here\, we will present our next-
 generation STING agonists that allow for systemic cancer therapy with pote
 nt efficacy\, favorable pharmaceutical properties\, and acceptable safety 
 profiles. Our biomaterial-based strategies may offer powerful and convenie
 nt approaches to regulate the immune system as potential therapies for can
 cer and other diseases.\n\nBio:\nDr. James Moon is John Gideon Searle Prof
 essor in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences\, Biomedical Engineerin
 g\, and Chemical Engineering at the University of Michigan\, Ann Arbor. Hi
 s interdisciplinary research program aims to develop novel biomaterials-ba
 sed strategies to advance fundamental understanding of the immune system\,
  with the ultimate goal of improving patients’ lives with effective vacc
 ines and immunotherapies. Dr. Moon has published over 100 research article
 s\, including those published in Nature Materials\, Nature Medicine\, Natu
 re Nanotechnology\, Nature Biomedical Engineering\, Nature Reviews Materia
 ls\, and Science Translational Medicine. He has over 20 pending/approved U
 .S. and international patent applications\, and his novel nano-vaccine del
 ivery technologies have led to 3 new start-up companies\, including EVOQ T
 herapeutics and Saros Therapeutics. Dr. Moon contribution to the field has
  been recognized with numerous awards\, including AAPS Emerging Leader Awa
 rd\, NSF CAREER Award\, and DOD-CDMRP Career Development Award. Dr. Moon r
 eceived his bachelor’s degree from the University of California\, Berkel
 ey\, and his Ph.D. from Rice University\, and he completed his postdoctora
 l training at MIT.\n\n\n\nZoom link (with one-time registration for the wh
 ole series) for attending remotely: https://go.epfl.ch/EPFLBioETalks\n\n\n
 Instructions for 1st-year Ph.D. students who are under EDBB’s mandatory 
 seminar attendance rule:\nIF you are not attending in-person in the room\,
  please make sure to\n\n	send D. Reinhard a note before noon on seminar da
 y\, informing that you plan to attend the talk online\, and\n	be signed in
  on Zoom with a recognizable user name (not a pseudonym making it difficul
 t or impossible to be identified).\n\nStudents attending the seminar in-pe
 rson should collect a confirmation signature after the talk - please print
  your own signature sheet beforehand (71 kB pdf available for download her
 e).\n 
LOCATION:SV 1717 https://plan.epfl.ch/?room==SV%201717 https://go.epfl.ch/
 EPFLBioETalks
STATUS:CONFIRMED
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