About the Event
In this installment of Neurosurgery Grand Rounds, James Markert, M.D., MPH, presents “Oncolytic Viruses for Glioma: An Odyssey in Progress.” Markert serves as the James Garber Galbraith Endowed Chair of Neurosurgery and is a professor at The University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Heersink School of Medicine.
Email Matthew Philbrook for the Zoom information.
Objectives
By the end of this presentation, the audience participant should be able to:
- Describe the historical development and rationale for using oncolytic viruses (OVs) in the treatment of malignant gliomas, including how genetic engineering enabled selective tumor targeting.
- Explain the mechanisms by which oncolytic viruses exert antitumor effects, including selective replication in cancer cells and the induction of innate and adaptive immune responses that convert “cold” tumors into “hot” tumors.
- Summarize key clinical findings from early and ongoing OV trials (e.g., G207, M032, C134), focusing on safety, biological responses and evidence of immune activation.
- Identify current challenges and emerging strategies in OV therapy, such as improving delivery, distinguishing progression from pseudoprogression, enhancing immune response and combining OVs with immunotherapies (e.g., checkpoint inhibitors, CAR-T cells, STING agonists).
Target Audience
- Primary: Neurosurgeons, neurologist and other medical specialties
- Secondary: Nursing staff, residents, students and allied health professions
Attributes/Competencies
This activity has been designed to promote some of the following desired physician attributes and competencies:
- ACGME: Patient Care and Procedural Skills, Medical Knowledge, Practice-based Learning and Improvement, Interpersonal and Communication Skills, Professionalism, Systems-based Practice
- IOM: Provide patient-centered care, Work in interdisciplinary teams, Employ evidence-based practice, Apply quality improvement, Utilize informatics
- IECC: Values/Ethics for Interprofessional Practice, Roles/Responsibility, Interprofessional Communication, Teams and Teamwork
Speaker Disclosure
James Markert, M.D., MPH, speaker for this educational activity, is a co-founder and an equity holder in Trevir Inc. He is also the co-founder and an equity holder for Aettis Inc., from which he also receives royalties. Markert has licensed IP and holds equity with Mustang Biotech and M8Bio. He receives funding from Merck for a clinical trial. He is a speaker with UCSF NS and Charlotte NS.
Planner Disclosure
Nicholas Barbaro, M.D., and Matthew Philbrook, planners of this educational activity, have no relevant relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.
The CME Advisory Committee, reviewers of this educational activity, have no relevant relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.
All of the relevant financial relationships listed for these individuals have been mitigated.
Accreditation Statement
The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.