Grand Challenges Conference: Cancer and the host

This conference will explore cancer as a systemic disease, emphasising that tumours cannot be understood or treated in isolation. By integrating expertise across disciplines, the conference aims to deepen your understanding of cancer as a host-dependent process and open new frontiers in prevention, treatment, and patient care.

Cancer progressively co-opts and reconfigures immune, metabolic, and neural networks, hijacking normal evolved responses and establishing host-tumour bidirectional interactions that extend far beyond the tumour and its surrounding microenvironment. This systemic interplay shapes disease progression, therapeutic response and patients' outcomes, underscoring the need for approaches that consider the whole individual rather than focusing solely on the tumour.

SCIENTIFIC STEERING COMMITTEE

This conference is being organised by a dedicated steering committee: Gemma Balmer-Kemp (Cancer Grand Challenges), Marcus DaSilva Goncalves – (NYU Langone Health), Caroline Dive (Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute), Rebecca Eccles (Cancer Grand Challenges), Tobias Janowitz (Cold Spring Harbour Laboratory), Blake Sanders (Cancer Grand Challenges), Eileen White (Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey)

ABOUT THE CONFERENCE

The second edition of the Cancer Grand Challenges Conference Series aims to integrate diverse fields and define the therapeutic value of targeting the host to treat cancer by bringing together thought leaders from across the cancer research spectrum with experts from immunology through to metabolism and neuroscience. Cancer does not develop in isolation; it is influenced by the unique biology of its human host. The immune system, metabolic state, microbiome and factors such as aging and stress all shape tumour initiation, growth, metastasis, and therapeutic response. Research on these host-tumour interactions often remain siloed, limiting opportunities to integrate across disciplines. By uniting researchers from across the fields of cancer research and beyond, this conference will serve as a platform to drive innovative experimental approaches, thought-provoking discussions, and translational advances that reflect cancer not only as a disease of cells, but as a systemic host-influenced process.

Considering cancer as a systemic disease is integral to the approach of Cancer Grand Challenges team CANCAN in tackling the cachexia challenge, and an emerging theme across the Cancer Grand Challenges portfolio.

Who should attend?

With only 150 places, this conference is focused on enabling meaningful discussion. It will foster big-picture, interdisciplinary discussions between academic researchers, clinicians and medical professionals, members of the pharmaceutical industry and biotech, as well as funding bodies and policymakers. It has been designed for the wider scientific community, not just Cancer Grand Challenges funded researchers or those focused on cancer.

Topics will include:

• How host physiology influences tumor development and progression

• Interactions between cancer and the host immune, metabolic, and neural networks

• Strategies to harness host biology for cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment

• The role of the host environment in shaping therapeutic response

SPEAKERS

• Marcus DaSilva Goncalves, NYU Langone Health, US
• Caroline Dive, Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute, UK
• James DeGregori, University of Colorado Anschutz, US
• Evangelos Giampazolias, Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute, UK
• Mariam Jamal-Hanjani, University College London Cancer Institute, UK
• Tobias Janowitz, Cold Spring Harbour Laboratory, US
• Johanna Joyce, University of Lausanne, CH
• Jason Lewis, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, US
• Lydia Lynch, Princeton University, US
• Stephen O'Rahilly, University of Cambridge, UK
• Marco Sandri, University of Padova, IT
• Erica Sloan, Monash University, AU
• Claudio Vernieri, AIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology, IT
• Ashani Weeraratna, Johns Hopkins University, US
• Eileen White, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, US
• Frank Winkler, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), DE

REGISTRATION

Registration will close on Friday 1 May 2026.

FEES

Registration includes VAT, a light breakfast, networking lunch and coffee breaks on all days, and a welcome reception on Wednesday 17 June. See fees below:

Student/PhD/Postdoc - £150

Academic/Clinical - £300

Industry - £500

ABSTRACT SUBMISSIONS

Abstract submissions for selected talks are now closed. There are still a few spaces available for poster presentations so the opportunity to submit an abstract will remain open until Friday 24 April.

Abstract evaluation has now started and we aim to confirmed seleted talks before the end of April.

Please note that it is not required to submit an abstract to attend the conference.

CONTACT

If you have any questions about this event, please send us an email at [email protected]

We'll endeavour to respond to you within two working days.

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