IMMUNOLOGY2026™ Conference Recordings For Attendees-Optimizing structural biology for improved human antibody effectiveness: pharmacology and mathematical modeling to achieve better clinical outcomes; from autoimmunity to cancer

Optimizing structural biology for improved human antibody effectiveness: pharmacology and mathematical modeling to achieve better clinical outcomes; from autoimmunity to cancer

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Video Summary

The speaker described decades of human immunology research on TNFR2, emphasizing its role in disease. TNFR2-positive regulatory T cells (Tregs) are abundant in tuberculosis granulomas and many cancers, but reduced in autoimmune diseases, suggesting the receptor is important in immune balance. TNFR2 agonist antibodies can expand stable, highly potent Tregs, reprogram their metabolism and methylation, and selectively suppress activated effector T cells. Unlike IL-2, TNFR2 targeting produces stronger, cleaner dose responses and appears to work through unique hexagonal receptor clustering rather than Fc-dependent mechanisms. The speaker traced the idea from mouse autoimmune diabetes models to human data, including clinical observations with BCG-induced TNF responses. He argued that TNFR2 agonism may offer a new strategy for treating autoimmunity, but warned that agonist antibodies require careful dosing: too little or too much can reduce activity.

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Date April 18, 2026 9:45 AM - 10:15 AM

Room 153AB

Session Modeling the Human Immune Response, Sponsored by AAI Clin. Immunol. Comm.

Speaker Denise Faustman

Track Translational and Interventional Immunology (TI)

Year 2026

Keywords

TNFR2

regulatory T cells

autoimmunity

agonist antibodies

immune balance

April 18, 2026 9:45 AM - 10:15 AM

153AB

Modeling the Human Immune Response, Sponsored by AAI Clin. Immunol. Comm.

Denise Faustman

Translational and Interventional Immunology (TI)

2026