General
Cancer: faced with the poison of persistent cells, the creativity of researchers as an antidote
Even bombarded with treatment, small battalions of cancer cells survive, lurking in the body. Researchers are trying to unmask them, in order to neutralize them before they cause relapses. Focus on this little-known part of anti-cancer research on the occasion of World Cancer Day, February 4.
Florence Rosier
We are pleased to announce the first edition of the VIB Conference ‘Tumor heterogeneity, plasticity and therapy’. This international conference will take place Q1 or Q2 2021 (date to be confirmed soon) in the beautiful historic city of Leuven.
Tumors are complex and evolving ecosystems composed of a wide variety of cell types, in addition to the cancer cells themselves. Increasing evidence indicates that the bi-directional interplay between tumor cells and their tumor microenvironment shape tumor evolution and therapy resistance.
Within a tumor, many cancer cells differ from each at the (epi-)genomic, transcriptional and proteomic level, as well as phenotypically and functionally. Tumor heterogeneity represents a major hurdle for therapy, which may only target a subset of tumor cells. In addition, cancer cell plasticity permits rapidly adaption to therapeutics and development of tolerance and resistance, presenting additional challenges for both targeted and immunotherapies.
During this conference a range of world leaders from academia and industry will discuss the latest developments in basic research, translational and clinical research and therapeutic avenues, in the following sessions:
- Plasticity in initiation, progression and metastasis
- Heterogeneity and reprogramming of the tumor immune- and microenvironment
- Adaptation and resistance to targeted therapies
- Adaptation and resistance to immunotherapies
The Case Comprehensive Cancer Center (Case CCC) and the National Center for Regenerative Medicine (NCRM) were greatly looking forward to?CSC 2020, originally scheduled for August 4-6, 2020 at Tinkham Veale University Center at Case Western Reserve University. In light of recent events surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, the CSC planning committee has made the difficult decision to postpone the conference until July 12-14, 2021.
In its fourth year, CSC 2021?will feature renowned thought leaders in the field of cancer stem cell research. This conference is guaranteed to offer cutting-edge keynote presentations from a variety of niches within the field. Attendees will join world-class investigators for this three-day summit and network with scientists and clinicians advancing cancer stem cell research and therapeutic applications.
Identification of clinically relevant drivers of breast cancers in intact mammary epithelium!
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