The WCM Cell and Cancer Pathobiology Symposium, featuring current and former EIPM colleagues Drs. Himisha Beltran, Ekta Khurana, and David Rickman, is a new series of two-day meetings on fundamental questions on the biology and pathology of cancer. The goal is to create a discussion-friendly type of conference, restricted to about 100-120 participants, in which interactions among speakers and attendees will spark new ideas and potential collaborations. An interactive environment is key for the success of this type of symposia.
This first symposium was focused on the metabolism of cancer and the inflammatory response that either drives tumor initiation or favors the creation of tissue microenvironments conducive to tumorigenesis and metastatic spread. Inflammation and the immune response are hot areas of research in cancer and are producing new therapies that, by harnessing the immune system's power, hold the promise of a cure or at least better treatments.
This second symposium will focus on the processes controlling cell plasticity and differentiation in epithelial cancer cells and their surrounding stroma and on how the crosstalk between these two types of cells impacts the tumor microenvironment. The acquisition of a plastic phenotype is linked to developmental processes of cell reprogramming in response to injury and inflammation and during therapy resistance. Examples of these mechanisms include the metaplasia of epithelial cells during acute and chronic inflammation or the acquisition of small-cell carcinoma/neuroendocrine lineages in different cancers in response to therapy resistance. The stroma fibroblast compartment is also reprogrammed in response to epithelial cues. It is becoming progressively apparent that the fibroblast’s signaling back to the tumor epithelium impinges on its plasticity and mesenchymal features. A more complete understanding of the molecular and cellular interactions governing these processes is key for identifying new vulnerabilities potentially targetable therapeutically. These critical questions in cancer research will be presented and discussed in a very interactive environment.