CancersScape: Spatial Biology of the Tumor Ecosystem
CancersScape: Spatial Biology of the Tumor Ecosystem
8 July 2025
5 August 2025
7 September 2025
21 September 2025
31 October 2025
Cancer, Health, Tumor microenvironment, Spatial Biology, Cancer Diagnosis, Cancer Drug Discovery, Omics
Welcome from the Chairs
Dear Colleagues,
On behalf of MDPI and the journal Cancers, we would like to invite you to participate in the conference “Cancers 2025 – CancersScape: Spatial Biology of the Tumor Ecosystem”, to be held in Barcelona, Spain, from November 5–7, 2025.
This two-and-a-half day-conference will bring together researchers and experts in the field of multi-omics and spatial biology from academia and biotech companies to discuss the latest development, and the application of these platforms to explore and dissect the tumor ecosystem. It is a must-attend conference for anyone who are interested in applying the spatial biology platforms in cancer diagnosis and treatment.
We invite you to participate in this dynamic, interdisciplinary forum by submitting abstracts for posters or short talks related to the conference themes. Cancers 2025 promises a stimulating environment where you can present your research, engage in insightful discussions, and connect with fellow experts.
We look forward to welcoming you to Barcelona.
Sincerely,
Dr. Sammy Ferri-Borgogno, Professor Samuel C. Mok & Dr. Eduard Porta-Pardo
Cancers 2025 Chairs
Conference Secretariat
Mina Marjanović
Carmen Ruiz
Jovana Vanovac
Cédric Spinnler
Dr. Ana Sanchis
Email: cancers2025@mdpi.com
Event Chairs
Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA -
Website
Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA -
Website
Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), Barcelona, Spain; Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute (IJC), Badalona, Spain -
Website
Event Committee
Alexandre Escargueil holds a PhD in molecular and cellular biology (“Université Pierre et Marie Curie”, France). During his career, he carried out his research activities in France (Gustave-Roussy Institute, French Atomic Energy Commission and St-Antoine Hospital), England (University of Oxford) and Brazil (University of Caxias do Sul). In 2008, he joined Sorbonne University (SU) and became full professor in Cancer Biology and Genetics in 2014. His work is focused on the interplay between cancer biology and therapeutics. Since 2012, he is member of the Strategic Guidance Council of the “Institut Universitaire de Cancérologie” (APHP-Sorbonne University) and became its education director in 2021. In 2015, he created the bachelor in Innovate Public Health Sciences and co-founded in 2020 the Biomedical Humanities Initiative. In 2023, he was nominated scientific co-Coordinator of the “Global approach to Health” program run at SU and in 2025, he joined the newly created Alliance Sorbonne University Global Health Institute as a member of its executive committee.
Keynote Speakers
Department of Leukemia, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, USA - Website
Jared K. Burks, Ph.D. is a prominent molecular biologist and technologist at MD Anderson Cancer Center, where he serves as a Professor and Associate Director of Shared Resources for the Cancer Center Support Grant (CCSG). Recognized by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) as a Research Specialist in Spatial Biology (R50 award), he specializes in spatial biology and has introduced several innovative technologies such as live cell imaging, eight-color TSA imaging, mass cytometry (suspension and imaging), and sequential immunofluorescence. Dr. Burks earned his Ph.D. in Biology from Texas A&M University, focusing on protein folding and trafficking under the National Academy member, Dr. Max D. Summers. He furthered his research at Baylor College of Medicine before joining MD Anderson, where he has directed a core facility for 14 years and founded the Innovation Nexus. The Innovation Nexus focusing on early adoption of novel technologies and has secured $5 million in novel technology partnerships within the last 18 months leading to multiple publications and funded grant awards. His current work involves developing methods for data integration to enhance understanding of cellular communications in tumors. He regularly serves as a Key Opinion Leader for various technology companies. Most recently he established the Lunaphore Comet sequential immunofluorescence system and introduced STOmics spatial transcriptomics. Through these technologies Dr Burks helped create a pipeline to combine spatial metabolomics, glycomics, pepidomics, proteomics, transcriptomics, and microbiome data in 3D to understand the functional interactions that occur in unique spatial niche. These efforts were driven to support a now funded U01 HTAN grant. Dr. Burks’ expertise in emerging technologies drives collaborative efforts that lead to significant advancements in cancer research and biology.
Invited Speakers
Mass Spectrometry Imaging Facility Director, Department of Chemistry, University of Texas, Austin, USA - Website
Dr. Seeley is the Director of the Mass Spectrometry Imaging Facility. She has over 20 years of experience in mass spectrometry and analytical techniques, beginning with her undergraduate research at Penn State University. She completed her Ph.D. at Purdue University under the direction of Dr. Fred Regnier studying comparative proteomic analyses with a focus on phosphoproteomics. She spent a combined 9 years in the laboratory of Dr. Richard Caprioli (the inventor of MALDI MSI) as a Postdoc and then Associate Director of the Vanderbilt University Tissue Imaging Core, where she worked with a wide variety of sample types and analyte targets in clinical and preclinical imaging studies. During this time, she developed and streamlined a histology-guided MS profiling workflow for high throughput analysis of clinical samples for diagnostic and prognostic applications. After leaving Vanderbilt, she worked for 6 years in a CRO setting offering MSI services. Over her career, her main focus has been on clinical applications of mass spectrometry imaging for improving diagnostics and prognostics. Erin is committed to providing collaborators with high-quality mass spectrometry imaging data and advancing the MSI field.
Registration
The conference will be held fully in person; it is not possible to participate online. The registration fee includes attendance at all conference sessions, morning/afternoon coffee breaks, lunches, a conference bag, and a program book. Participation in the conference is considered final only once the registration fees have been paid. The number of participants is limited: once the number of paid registrations reaches the maximum number of participants, unpaid registrations will be canceled.
When registering, please provide us with your institutional email address. This will accelerate the registration process.
Important Information
Please note that abstract submission and conference registration are two separate processes. During registration, please provide us with the same email address you used to submit your abstract(s). Otherwise, leave us a comment in the registration form, providing the email address used during the submission process. In addition, please use your institutional email address for both processes. If you are registering several people under the same registration order, please do not use the same email address for each person but their individual institutional email addresses. Thank you for your understanding.
In order to finalize the scientific program in due time, at least one registration by any of the authors, denoted as the Covering Author, is required to cover the presentation and publication of any accepted abstract. The Covering Author registration deadline is 21 September 2025. Your abstract will be withdrawn if your registration is not complete by this date.
Participants of the event will be able to download an electronic Certificate of Attendance by accessing their dashboards on Sciforum.net once the event is concluded. The certificates will be found under the "My Certificates" category.
Partnering Societies
Members from partnering societies are granted a 20% discount on all registration fees. Please ask the society representative for a discount code to activate your registration discount, or ensure that you provide us with proof of your membership in one of our partnering societies. Are you part of a society that isn't partnering with the conference? Contact us to discuss a possible partnership!
Group Registration
Groups of five or more attendees are offered a 10% discount on the registration fees. To enjoy this discount, you need to complete one multiple registration by selecting the number of people attending in each category (type of registration) during the first step of the registration process. Please note that no other discounts will be applicable.
Reduced fees
If you are affiliated with a university in a low- or middle-income country, you are automatically eligible for a price reduction. However, please note that the reduced price will only be added to your registration when it is processed. This means that you do not have to pay the stated price immediately upon registration, and you will receive an invoice with the price adjustment after registering. The list of low- and middle-income countries eligible for reduced prices can be found by clicking on the button below.
Registration Fees
|
Early Bird Until 7 September 2025 |
Regular Until 31 October 2025 |
Supported documents | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Academic | 600.00 EUR | 700.00 EUR | |
| Undergraduate Student | 100.00 EUR | 100.00 EUR |
Scanned copy or photograph of your current student ID is required. |
| Graduate Student | 250.00 EUR | 250.00 EUR |
Scanned copy or photograph of your current student ID is required. |
| Editorial Board Members of Cancers | 400.00 EUR | 500.00 EUR | |
| Author/Reviewer of Cancers | 500.00 EUR | 600.00 EUR | |
| Non-Academic | 900.00 EUR | 1000.00 EUR | |
| Chairs, Invited Speakers, MDPI Guests | Free | Free |
Active discounts
Group of 5: 10% discount
Society Discount: 20% discount
Note: Group size refers to the number of registered attendees in the same registration order.
Cancellation policy
| Cancellation of paid registration is possible under the terms listed below: | |
| > 2 months before the conference | Full refund but 100 EUR is retained for administration |
| > 1 month before the conference | Refund 50% of the applying fees |
| > 2 weeks before the conference | Refund 25% of the applying fees |
| < 2 weeks before the conference | No refund |
Disclaimer
In the unlikely event that MDPI deems it necessary to cancel the conference, all pre-paid registration fees will be reimbursed. MDPI shall not be liable for reimbursing the cost of travel or accommodation arrangements made by individual delegates.
Insurance
The organizers do not accept liability for personal accident, loss, or damage to private property incurred as a result of participation in Cancers 2025. Delegates are advised to arrange appropriate insurance to cover travel, cancellation costs, medical, and theft or damage of belongings.
MDPI Conference Admissions Policy
- All registered conference delegates are asked to always wear their badges throughout the conference.
- Conference sessions, the catering area, and the poster area are solely restricted to badge holders. Any person attending these areas without a badge will be asked to leave the premises.
- Badge holders must not allow their badges to be worn by anyone else. Any failure to do so is likely to lead to the badge holder and the person wearing the badge being removed from the premises.
- Press badges are restricted to publishers, editors, journalists, broadcasters, and web bloggers associated with the conference subject area. Members of the press may be asked to produce accreditation in the form of a photocopy of a recognized press or media card, a business card, a letter from the editor, or an official web address linking to a press release in order to verify their position.
- Photographs and videos may be taken during the conference. Anyone attending the conference consents to such photography and filming without compensation and confirms that the Organizers shall be entitled to use such photographs and videos, which may include photographs and videos of visitors, for the purpose of marketing the conference in the future and for exploitation in any and all media, without liability.
Payment methods
Wire transfer, Credit card
Currencies accepted by this event
Swiss francs (CHF) , Euros (EUR) , US dollars (USD) , Pounds sterling (GBP) , Japanese yen (JPY) , Canadian dollars (CAD) and Singapore dollars (SGD)
Visa Information
Please note that you must apply for your own visa application. MDPI is not responsible for any visa application. However, MDPI can provide a Visa Support Letter. To be eligible for such a document, the criteria below must be fulfilled.
Visa Support Letter
- Applicants must have paid for registration and submitted an abstract in order to get a letter of support.
- Applicants must provide us with a scan of their valid, in-date passport that contains a photo of them.
- Applicants must provide us with a letter of support from their institution to confirm that they support the delegate attending the meeting.
- This must be carried out in good time before the meeting; "last minute" requests will not be processed
More useful information on visa application
Plan Your Trip
Travel
Barcelona is a vibrant and accessible city with excellent transportation links. Whether you're arriving by plane, train, or other means, there are convenient options to reach your destination. Below, you'll find detailed guidance to ensure a smooth journey to the conference venue.
By plane:
The international airport of Barcelona, Barcelona-El Prat, is located 10 km from the city center. It is well connected to major airport hubs in Europe and various locations worldwide. For more information about the airport and flights, please visit the official website: https://www.aena.es. Once you arrive at the airport, you have several options to reach the venue:
- By train: Take the TRAIN R2 NORD (https://rodalies.gencat.cat). Disembark at Barcelona Sants station. From there, you can either take METRO L5 (get off at Diagonal) or a taxi, available just outside the station. The train from the airport costs EUR 4.60, and the metro costs EUR 2.55. Tickets can be purchased at train stations and metro stops, respectively. A taxi from the station to the conference venue costs approximately EUR 10.
- By metro: Take LINE L9 (https://www.tmb.cat). which connects Barcelona Airport (both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2) to the city. Disembark at Collblanc station, and from there, transfer to METRO L5 (get off at Diagonal). The metro from the airport costs EUR 5.50, and the city metro costs EUR 2.55.
- By taxi: Taxis are readily available just outside the arrivals area. A taxi from the airport to the conference venue costs approximately EUR 30–35. Alternatively, VTC apps like Bolt and Cabify also operate in Barcelona and might offer more competitive rates.
By train:
Barcelona Sants is the city's largest train station, providing rail services for Barcelona, the rest of Spain, and international destinations. For more information about the station and train services, please visit the official website: https://www.renfe.com. Once you arrive at the station, you have the following options to reach the venue:
- By metro: Take LINE L5 (https://www.tmb.cat) and get off at Diagonal.
- By taxi: axis are available just outside the station. A taxi from the station to the conference venue costs approximately EUR 10.
Accomodation
TBA soon!
Beware of Unauthorized Registration and Hotel Solicitations!
Note that Sciforum is the only official registration platform to register to Cancers 2025 and that we are not associated with any hotel agency. While other hotel resellers and travel agencies may contact you with offers for your trip, they are not endorsed by or affiliated with Cancers 2025 or Sciforum. Beware that entering into financial agreements with non-endorsed companies can have costly consequences.
Location and Venue
Barcelona
Barcelona is the capital and largest city of Catalonia and is Spain's second-largest city, with a population of over one and a half million people.
Located on the northeastern Mediterranean coast of Spain, this city has a rich and diverse history, with its roots dating back to Roman times. The fruitful medieval period established Barcelona's position as the economic and political center of the Western Mediterranean. The city's Gothic Quarter bears witness to the splendor enjoyed by the city from the 13th to the 15th centuries.
The 20th century ushered in widespread urban renewal throughout Barcelona city, culminating in its landmark Eixample district, which showcases some of Barcelona's most distinctive Catalan art-nouveau, or modernista, buildings. The Catalan Antoni Gaudí, one of the most eminent architects, designed buildings such as La Pedrera, the Casa Batlló, and the Sagrada Família church, which have become world-famous landmarks.
In 1992, Barcelona gained international recognition by hosting the Olympic games, which brought about a massive upturn in its tourism industry. For visitors, this has translated into the very modern yet incredibly old city you see now in the 21st century, where new elements work to both preserve and celebrate the city’s heritage and origins.
Barcelona has plenty of outdoor markets, restaurants, shops, museums, and churches. The city is also very walkable, with an extensive and reliable Metro system for more far-flung destinations.
For a complete overview, see wikitravel.org or visit barcelonaturisme.com.
Venue: UPF – BSM
Address: C/ de Balmes, 132, 134, 08008 Barcelona, Spain
Sponsors and Partners
Organizers
Media Partners
