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.
Francisco Sanchez-Vega is an Assistant Attending at the Computational Oncology Service in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics with a secondary appointment in the Colorectal Cancer Service of the Department of Surgery. He is also the Head of Real-World Data Analysis at The Halvorsen Center for Computational Oncology. His research focuses on translational applications of machine learning, statistical modeling and computational methods to the field of cancer genomics and precision oncology. Since his arrival at MSK in 2015, he has worked in a wide variety of translational research projects. Notable examples include the analysis of molecular determinants of response to anti-HER2 targeted therapies in patients with ERBB2 positive esophagogastric adenocarcinomas, understanding the interplay between mutational burden and response to immune checkpoint inhibitors in lung adenocarcinoma and characterizing the genomic bases of organ-specific metastasis. Dr. Sanchez-Vega was also actively involved and played leadership roles in several projects from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). In April 2019, he joined the Colorectal Cancer Research Center at MSK, where he leads several research projects that aim to characterize the genomic landscape of somatic and transcriptomic alterations in colorectal cancer, including work focused on understanding racial disparities in colorectal cancer outcomes. His current research also involves the use of novel computational approaches for multimodal integration of genomic sequencing data and orthogonal sources of biological and clinical information. These include features extracted from diverse imaging modalities (e.g., MRI, CT scans, endoscopies, tissue staining, etc.), other non-invasive approaches for longitudinal monitoring (e.g., liquid biopsies), and comprehensive clinicopathological annotations (e.g., lab results, multiple lines of treatment, detailed clinical outcomes).
Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain - Website
Mustafa is a doctoral INPhINIT fellow with a deep interest in spatial biology and its implications for cancer research. His research focuses on spatial transcriptomics to explore the spatial organization of cancer hallmark activities within tumors. He uses Visium and Xenium platforms to generate high-resolution gene expression maps, analyzing the distinct contributions of cancer cells and the tumor microenvironment to hallmark expression. He investigates the interplay between genetic variation and phenotypic behavior across space. His work also emphasizes how spatial patterns influence treatment sensitivity and could inform targeted therapeutic strategies.
Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain
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.
Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, and Molecular Biotechnology Centre, University of Turin, Italy - Website
Dr. Cappello earned her master’s in biology at the University of Turin, Italy, and completed her PhD in Immunology, focusing on tumor vaccines, antigen-presenting cells, and T cell activation. She then trained as a postdoc at the University Hospital, Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, studying pancreatic cancer and anti-tumor responses to identify new therapeutic targets. She designed and validated a new DNA vaccine, later optimized in a second-generation version. She spent two years in Dr. Tak Mak’s lab at the Campbell Family Institute for Cancer Research in Toronto, working on novel breast cancer therapy targets. In 2012, she joined the University of Turin faculty, shifting back to pancreatic cancer and the tumor microenvironment to develop new therapeutic strategies and immunotherapy combinations. She now leads a research group investigating how the immune system affects pancreatic cancer progression. Her team has developed mouse models to study the IL17 family, the Paired Immunoglobulin-like Receptor, and iron metabolism. Dr. Cappello has published 98 peer-reviewed articles and holds four international patents. She has received awards for her contributions to translational research.
Director, Integrated Bioanalysis, Clinical Pharmacology and Safety Sciences, BioPharmaceutical R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK
Gregory Hamm (PhD) is a Director at AstraZeneca (AZ) from the Integrated Bioanalysis team in Clinical & Pharmaceutical Safety Sciences (CPSS). He holds a PhD in physics and chemistry from the Paul Verlaine University of Metz (France) in 2010. As R&D manager in the Mass Spectrometry Imaging (MSI) department of ImaBiotech from 2010 to 2016, he developed a new methodology for quantification by MSI (patented and published extensively) and coordinated international research program for the company. Since 2016, he’s supporting AstraZeneca portfolio using a range of advanced imaging technology including MSI, Spatial Proteomics & Transcriptomics as well as digital pathology. He has extensive experience in supporting projects for safety and efficacy studies especially in Respiratory & Immunology (R&I) and Oncology therapies areas. He’s the author of over 50 peer reviewed papers in the field these last 15 years and is involved in the Pathology 2.0 group on MSI from the European Society of Toxico-Pathology (ESTP) where he strives to promote the integration of MSI to wider imaging technologies and histopathology.
Dr. Jana Fischer has a background in computational biology and bioinformatics. During her PhD at the University of Zurich, she focused on analyzing tumor ecosystems and investigating the complex interactions between tumor and immune cells. In 2022, Jana and her co-founders started the company Navignostics in order to develop novel diagnostic tools for personalized treatment decision making based on their cutting-edge tumor analysis approach. Jana has been the CEO of Navignostics ever since and is dedicated to benefitting patients broadly with their personalized diagnostics.
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)
Instructions for Authors
Cancers 2025 will accept abstracts only. The accepted abstracts will be available online on Sciforum.net during and after the conference.
The conference will be held fully in person; it is not possible to participate online. Please note that abstract submission and conference registration are two separate processes. Please use your institutional email address for both processes.
To present your research at the event
- Create an account on Sciforum if you do not have one, then click on ‘New Submission’ in the upper-right corner of the window; or, click on ‘Submit Abstract’ at the top of this webpage.
- Choose a session that is best suited for your research.
- Submit an abstract in English—the word limits are a minimum of 150 words and a maximum of 300 words.
- The deadline to submit your abstract is 8 July 2025. You will be notified about its acceptance by 5 August 2025.
- Upon submission, you can select if you wish to be considered for oral or poster presentation (or both). Following assessment by the Chairs and Scientific Committee, you will be notified by 5 August 2025 whether your contribution has been accepted for oral or poster presentation.
- Please note that, in order to finalize the scientific program in due time, at least one registration by any of the authors, denoted as 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.
Oral presentations
Invited talks will be 30 minutes long, including questions (25-minute oral presentation + 5-minute Q&A). Short talks will be 15 minutes long, including questions (10-minute oral presentation + 5-minute Q&A). Please ensure that your slides are formatted in a widescreen (16:9) aspect ratio.
Poster presentations
Each presenter will be provided with a vertical poster board. Maximum poster size is limited to A0: 84 x 120 cm / 33 x 47 in (width x height) in the vertical orientation (portrait). Please print your poster prior to the conference. A plan for the poster session will be circulated later. For suggestions on poster design, click the button below.
Publication Opportunities
More details will follow soon.
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
We want your stay in Barcelona during the conference to be as comfortable as possible. With that in mind, we have agreed on a discount with several hotels to make your choice of accommodations easier. Please book your accommodation online and contact the hotels directly with any issues or requests related to accommodation bookings.
We are delighted to announce that the following hotels will offer a discounted price for all Cancers 2025 attendees:
Hotel |
Description |
How to book |
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A 3-star boutique hotel located next to the emblematic Avenida Diagonal and Paseo de Gracia, the city's most chic shopping area and just 5 minutes on foot from the conference venue. The hotel has a terrace with an outdoor swimming pool and gym, parking, a restaurant, and a museum room dedicated to the Catalan illustrator Ricard Opisso. |
Click below to complete your booking and add the 10% discount code ‘CANCERS25’.
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Stay in the heart of Barcelona's Eixample district at the Catalonia Diagonal Centro hotel, just a 1-minute walk from the conference venue. Located next to Passeig de Gràcia and close to the city's Modernist architecture route, the hotel offers excellent connections to various public transport options, making it easy to explore Barcelona for both tourism and business. |
Click below to make a reservation with a 10% discount for Catalonia Diagonal Centro or use the code "CATALONIABCN".
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These accommodations have been carefully chosen to provide comfort and convenience for our guests while ensuring affordability through negotiated rates. Prepare to make the most of your conference experience with our exclusive lodging options designed to enhance your stay.
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
Partnership Opportunities
Sponsoring
As organizers, we are excited to create an immersive and insightful conference, and we invite you to be a vital part of Cancers 2025. Your support is instrumental in making this event a success. Explore our sponsorship opportunities and join us in shaping the future of materials-related research and innovation.
Find the perfect sponsorship package tailored to your budget and desired exposure in our sponsorship brochure. Simply click on the icon below to access it.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact us via email at cancers2025@mdpi.com. We appreciate your consideration!
Society Collaboration
Are you part of a society that isn't partnering with the conference? Contact us via email at cancers2025@mdpi.com to discuss a possible partnership! Noteworthy detail: Members from partnering societies are granted a 20% discount on all registration fees.
Sponsors and Partners
Organizers
Partnering Societies
Media Partners
