Tumor Microenvironment: From Pre-Cancer to the Metastatic Niche (V1)
January 1-5, 2028
| Location to be Determined
| 4:00–8:00 PM | Registration |
| 6:00–8:00 PM | Welcome Mixer |
| 7:30–8:30 AM | Breakfast |
| 8:30–8:40 AM | Welcome Remarks |
| 8:40–9:30 AM | Keynote Address (Joint) |
| Scott W. Lowe †, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Tissue Interface: Epigenetic and Microenvironmental Triggers of Tumor Initiation |
| 9:30–11:45 AM | Co-Opting the Niche: Cancer Cell–Microenvironment Interactions from Tumor Initiation to Progression (Joint) |
| Eileen White †, Rutgers Cancer Institute Metabolic Plasticity and Autophagic Support at the Early Cell–Niche Interface |
| Peter Sorger †, Harvard Medical School High-Plex Spatial Mapping of Premalignant Architecture and Cellular Interactions |
| Helen Piwnica-Worms †, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Modeling Early Genomic and Niche Alterations in Patient-Derived Precancerous Models |
| Short Talk(s) Chosen from Abstracts |
| 10:00–10:20 AM | Coffee Break |
| 11:45–12:45 PM | Lunch |
| 11:45–1:00 PM | Poster Setup |
| 11:55–12:55 PM | Workshop: Spatial Multi-Omics and AI Foundation Models for Cell–Niche Mapping (Joint) |
| 1:00–10:00 PM | Poster Viewing |
| 2:30–4:30 PM | Symposia Spotlight 1 |
| Short Talks Chosen from Abstracts |
| 4:30–5:00 PM | Coffee Available |
| 5:00–7:00 PM | Tumor / ECM Communication |
| Jing Yang, University of California, San Diego Regulation of Epithelial-Mesenchymal Plasticity by Extracellular Matrix Stiffness |
| Valerie M. Weaver †, University of California, San Francisco Mechanobiology in Cancer |
| Joo-Hyeon Lee †, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Early Fibrotic Niches Establish Tumor-Permissive Microenvironments |
| Short Talk(s) Chosen from Abstracts |
| 7:00–8:00 PM | Social Hour with Dinner |
| 7:30–10:00 PM | Posters |
| 7:30–8:30 AM | Breakfast |
| 8:30–11:30 AM | Modeling and Mapping TME |
| Lauriane Cabon †, Roche Institute of Human Biology New Human Models for Cancer |
| Denis Wirtz †, Johns Hopkins University Imaging of the Human TME at Unprecedented Resolution |
| Victoria Sanz-Moreno †, Institute of Cancer Research Metastatic Cancer Cells Interaction with their Microenvironment |
| Shang Cai †, Westlake University Bacteria-Cancer Cell Engagement in Tumor Immunity and Metastasis |
| Short Talk(s) Chosen from Abstracts |
| 9:30–9:50 AM | Coffee Break |
| 11:30–12:30 PM | Lunch |
| 11:30–1:00 PM | Poster Setup |
| 1:00–10:00 PM | Poster Viewing |
| 3:00–4:30 PM | Career Roundtable |
| 4:30–5:00 PM | Coffee Available |
| 5:00–7:00 PM | Cancer-Whole Body Connection |
| Ilaria Malanchi, Francis Crick Institute Tumor-Permissive Tissue States: Systemic Drivers of Plasticity and Common Infections as Modifiers |
| Serkan Kir †, Koç University Metabolism |
| Sohail F. Tavazoie †, Rockefeller University System Biology in Cancer |
| Short Talk(s) Chosen from Abstracts |
| 7:00–8:00 PM | Social Hour with Dinner |
| 7:30–10:00 PM | Posters |
| 7:30–8:30 AM | Breakfast |
| 8:30–11:30 AM | Metastatic Niche and Wakeup Cues |
| Louis Vermeulen, Genentech Inc. Niche Mimicry in CRC |
| Xiang Zhang †, Baylor College of Medicine The Bone Metastatic Niche in Breast Cancer |
| Yibin Kang †, Princeton University Co-Evolution of Tumor and their Supportive Niches during Breast Cancer Progression and Metastasis |
| Cyrus M. Ghajar †, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center The Brain Metastatic Niche |
| Short Talk(s) Chosen from Abstracts |
| 9:30–9:50 AM | Coffee Break |
| 11:30–12:30 PM | Lunch |
| 2:30–4:30 PM | Symposia Spotlight 2 |
| Short Talks Chosen from Abstracts |
| 4:30–5:00 PM | Coffee Available |
| 5:00–6:45 PM | Targeting Tumor Microenvironment |
| Dihua Yu †, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Targeting the Brain Metastatic Niche |
| Tommaso Biancalani †, Lila Sciences Foundation Models for Cancer – TME Interactions |
| Hua Wang †, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Cancer Immunotherapy Tool Building |
| Short Talk(s) Chosen from Abstracts |
| 6:45–7:00 PM | Meeting Wrap-Up: Outcomes and Future Directions |
| 7:00–8:00 PM | Social Hour with Dinner |
| 8:00–11:00 PM | Entertainment |
| 8:00–11:00 PM | Cash Bar |
| 12:00–11:59 PM | Departure |