NexTGen’s fourth annual research meeting was held on 5th and 6th November 2025, hosted by Robbie Majzner’s team at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI) in Boston. More than 70 people attended, representing around 20 research groups, global patient advocacy and funders.
Over the two-day meeting, NexTGen workpackage leads highlighted some impressive progress: in target discovery; probing the tumor microenvironment and developing models for CAR T-cell behaviour; CAR engineering; clinical trials and associated correlative studies; and data handling and exploitation.
A total of 25 researchers presented their work, including short-form “flash talks” from ECRs, demonstrating the truly cross disciplinary nature of the team: pediatric oncology, tumor biology, the tumor microenvironment, T cell engineering, cell therapy, mathematical modelling, and chemical engineering.
The keynote speaker, Dr David Williams from the DFCI and Boston Children’s Hospital, shared his insights on the pathway from early phase development to FDA approval and beyond for gene therapies.
NexTGen patient advocates never fail to inject purpose and inspiration, and their presentations ensured the team focus remains firmly on the goal: improving outcomes for children with solid cancers, with standard of care CAR T cell therapy. Researchers were also able to give back to the advocates – the DFCI team took advocates on a tour of their research facilities, including the Cell Manipulation Core Facility which will manufacture the CAR T cells for the DFCI NexTGen clinical trial.
Thanks to the DFCI team for organising a wonderful meeting!
