Welcome to the European Association for Cancer Research
Connecting cancer researchers together
The Tumour Ecosystem: From Mechanisms to Novel Therapeutics
Bergamo, Italy : 17 - 19 March 2026
Scientific programme
To download and print the programme, use the links below.
Listed times are in Central European Time (CET)
REGISTRATION (light refreshments will be served at 12:00)
CONFERENCE WELCOME
SESSION 1
Chair: Leila Akkari
OPENING KEYNOTE LECTURE
Ashani Weeraratna Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, USA
'A Complex TIME: how the tumor immune microenvironment governs tumor progression'
Q&A 13:40 - 13:55
Erik Sahai The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
‘Modeling Tumor-Stroma Boundaries’
Q&A 14:15 - 14:25
Proffered Paper 1
Q&A 14:35 - 14:40
EXHIBITOR INTRODUCTIONS
Led by members of the Scientific Programme Committee
COFFEE BREAK, EXHIBITION AND SOLO TRAVELLER MEET-UP
Daniela Quail McGill University, Montreal, Canada
'Exploiting myeloid-driven inflammation in cancer progression'
Q&A 15:40 - 15:50
Neta Erez Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
'Stromal and Immune Plasticity Shape the Metastatic Microenvironment'
Q&A 16:10 - 16:20
POSTER SPOTLIGHTS
Led by members of the Scientific Programme Committee
INDUSTRY SYMPOSIUM
Led by members of the Scientific Programme Committee
NETWORKING QUIZ
WELCOME RECEPTION
POSTER DISCUSSION SESSION 1
Led by members of the Scientific Programme Committee
Listed times are in Central European Time (CET)
EARLY POSTER VIEWING
INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT
Led by members of the Scientific Programme Committee
SESSION 2
Chair: Erik Sahai
Yardena Samuels Weizmann Institute, Rehovot, Israel
'The various layers of intratumor heterogeneity and their impact on tumor immunity'
Q&A 09:20 - 09:30
Proffered Paper 2
Q&A 09:40 - 09:45
Mikael Pittet Agora, Lausanne, Switzerland
'Myeloid cells : Uncovering conserved functions shaping cancer immunity'
Q&A 10:05 - 10:15
Andrea Schietinger MSKCC, New York, USA
'Tumor-specific CD8 T cell differentiation and dysfunction'
Q&A 10:35 - 10:45
COFFEE BREAK & EXHIBITION
Mara Sherman Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, USA
'Mapping cellular hierarchies in the pancreatic tumor microenvironment'
Q&A 11:35 - 11:45
Proffered Paper 3
Q&A 11:55 - 12:00
POSTER SPOTLIGHTS
Led by members of the Scientific Programme Committee
INDUSTRY SYMPOSIUM
Led by members of the Scientific Programme Committee
LUNCH
POSTER DISCUSSION SESSION 2
Led by members of the Scientific Programme Committee
SESSION 3
Chair: Johanna Joyce
The EMBO Young Investigator Lecture
Leila Akkari Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, Netherlands
'Metabolic regulation in the brain tumor microenvironment'
Q&A 15:30 - 15:40
Proffered Paper 4
Q&A 15:50 - 15:55
Proffered Paper 5
Q&A 16:05 - 16:10
Anna Obenauf IMP, Austria
'Unlocking immunity: Decoding and reprogramming the immune-evasive tumor microenvironment'
Q&A 16:30 - 16:40
COFFEE BREAK & EXHIBITION
Ilaria Malanchi Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
'Emergency granulopoiesis and Cancer Progression'
Q&A 17:30 - 17:40
Jacco van Rheenen NKI, Amsterdam, Netherlands
'Intravital microscopy of the fate of cells carrying mutations in cancer driver genes'
Q&A 18:00 - 18:10
PANEL DISCUSSION - Meet the Expert
Ashani Weeraratna (Johns Hopkins, USA), Daniela Quail (McGill University, Canada), Direna Alonso-Curbelo (IRB Barcelona, Spain), Jacco van Rheenen (NKI, Netherlands)
CONFERENCE DINNER (optional ticketed event)
Listed times are in Central European Time (CET)
EARLY POSTER VIEWING
INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT
Led by members of the Scientific Programme Committee
SESSION 4
Chair: Neta Erez
Johanna Joyce University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
'Unraveling the Complexity of Cancer Ecosystems'
Q&A 09:20 - 09:30
Dinorah Friedman-Morvinski TAU, Tel Aviv, Israel
'Overcoming the immunosuppressive Microenvironment to enhance CAR T cell therapy in brain tumors'
Q&A 09:50 - 10:00
Proffered Paper 6
Q&A 10:10 - 10:15
COFFEE BREAK & EXHIBITION
Direna Alonso-Curbelo IRB Barcelona, Spain
'Unmasking tissue ecosystem dynamics uncoupling regeneration and tumorigenesis'
Q&A 11:05 - 11:15
CLOSING KEYNOTE LECTURE
Frank Winkler DKFZ, Heidelberg, Germany
'Neural influences on brain tumors: from fundamental insights to new therapies'
Q&A 11:45 - 12:00
SUMMARY & CLOSE
DEPART
