Pre-Conference Workshops - Oct 20, 2025Monday, 20 October 2025 - JT (Japan Time, GMT+09:00)

Add-on this optional pre-conference workshop to your main conference registration package and gain a comprehensive overview of antibody engineering in an easy-to-follow classroom setting to help you prepare for the main conference program.

• Workshop registration begins at 7:30 am
• Morning Break: ~10:30-10:50

WORKSHOP OVERVIEW

Today’s wealth of knowledge of antibody structures will be reviewed along with the genetics of diversity generation, to give insights into the best strategies for improving function. There is particular emphasis on the choice of a functional assay to effectively monitor the changes in a desired property, and the use of functional enrichment steps where a library approach is employed. Not only is amino acid sequence amenable to engineering, but glycan structures and other modifications may also be engineered. The course will focus on the engineering and enhancement of antibodies and antibody-like scaffolds. Examples will include work on antibody fragment affinity improvement by 100-fold to low pM affinity. Also, the engineering of bispecific antibodies by diverse approaches and the adaptation to generate Chimeric Antibody Receptor (CAR) constructs will be discussed. Expression platforms for producing antibodies for testing and for manufacture will also be covered. A background in biochemistry and molecular biology is useful, as the course is designed to progress rapidly from simple to advanced concepts.

INSTRUCTOR
David Bramhill, Ph.D., Founder, Bramhill Biological Consulting, LLC

WORKSHOP AGENDA

• Functions amenable to engineering: affinity, specificity, stability, solubility, immunogenicity
• The measure of success: functional assays
• Engineering by design
• Engineering by random mutation
• Designed libraries
• Display technologies
• Improving manufacturing by protein engineering methods
• Glycosylation engineering – function and homogeneity
• Other protein modifications
• Immunogenicity engineering
• Bispecific antibodies
• CAR-T strategies
• Expression of antibodies and fragments for discovery and testing
• Manufacturing platforms for antibodies and fragments

NOTE: The afternoon workshop “Introduction to Bispecific & Multispecific Antibodies” is an excellent complement to the morning introduction course.

Add-on this optional pre-conference workshop to your main conference registration package and gain a comprehensive overview of bispecific and multispecific antibodies t in an easy-to-follow classroom setting to help you prepare for the main conference program.

• Workshop registration begins at 12:30 pm
• Afternoon Break: ~ 3:30-3:50

WORKSHOP OVERVIEW

This workshop covers the key aspects of bispecific antibody design, how best to achieve desired therapeutic function, and then explores the challenges posed for manufacturing such complex molecules. The various parameters for a bispecific antibody are each examined – valency and affinity for engaging each individual target, optimum physical distances for desired binding and outcome, requirement for Fc function(s) or not, etc. A discussion of antibody formats that may be especially applicable to rapid screening of the optimum valency, affinity, spacing, etc., of each specific binding component is included. It is aimed to provide even beginners with explanations of the nomenclature and science.

INSTRUCTOR
David Bramhill, Ph.D., Founder, Bramhill Biological Consulting, LLC

WORKSHOP TOPICS TO BE DISCUSSED

• Review of Antibody Structure, Fc Function(s)
• Fundamental Bispecific Antibody Design Considerations
• Symmetric vs. Asymmetric Formats – Valency of Target Binding
• Is Fc Function Required for a Particular Bi-specific Antibody Therapeutic?
• Aligning Format with Desired Bispecific Antibody Function
• Examples of a Variety of Bispecific Antibody Applications, from T-Cell Engagers to crossing the blood-brain barrier
• Manufacturing Multi-subunit Bispecific Antibody Molecules

WHAT WILL YOU LEARN?

• Gain an overview of the key aspects for design parameters for Bi-specific Antibodies.
• Scientific terms and acronyms relating to Bi-specific Antibody will be defined and explained.