MDPI World Cancer Day 2026 Webinar Series | April—Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Month
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To commemorate World Cancer Day 2026, MDPI is pleased to introduce the “World Cancer Day 2026 Webinar Series”. Reflecting the global theme “United by Unique”, this series highlights how every story, discovery, and voice contributes to strengthening the global fight against cancer.
In our April session, we welcome leading voices in head and neck cancer research to share impactful insights, raise awareness, and highlight recent advances in prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.
Through this series, we aim to empower the global community with knowledge, inspire collaboration, and support ongoing efforts to address cancer worldwide. Together, we honour every patient’s journey, recognize every researcher’s contribution, and reinforce the power of collective action in the fight against cancer.
Date: 30 April 2026
Time: 17:00 CEST | 11:00 EDT | 23:00 CST Asia
Webinar ID: 824 5069 5488
Webinar Secretariat: journal.webinar@mdpi.com
Important Dates
- Registration end dateApr 30, 2026
Meet Our Speakers
Dr. Kousik Kumar Kesh
Department of Pathology, St. Louis University, USA;
Dr. Kousik Kumar Kesh is a Research Associate in the Department of Pathology at Saint Louis University, USA. He earned his PhD in Cancer Biology from the Indian Institute of Chemical Biology (IICB), Jadavpur University, and has held research positions at the University of Miami and Washington University in St. Louis.
His research focuses on cancer biology, particularly tumor–stroma interactions, cancer metabolism, cancer stem cells, gene signature analysis, and the role of the microbiome in cancer progression and therapy resistance. His work spans multiple cancer types, including pancreatic, colorectal, breast, and head and neck cancers.
Dr. Kesh has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications and received recognition at international conferences. His research integrates molecular biology, metabolic pathways, and microbiome analysis to advance translational cancer research and identify novel therapeutic strategies.
Prof. Dr. Richard Yuxiong Su
Chief of the Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong S.A.R;
Professor Richard Su is currently serving as Clinical Professor and Chief of the Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the University of Hong Kong. Having dedicated his career to advancing the fields of oral and maxillofacial oncology and reconstructive surgery, Professor Su has established himself as one of the global authorities in his specialty. He specializes in oral and maxillofacial oncology and microsurgical reconstruction, with a particular interest in the application of computer-assisted surgery, 3D printing, and artificial intelligence in head and neck surgery and reconstruction.
Professor Su is an active member of several prestigious international organizations, including Secretary General of the International Academy of Oral Oncology (IAOO). He has been a Scientific Committee Member of various International Conferences, including ICOMS, IAOO, and ACOMS. He also contributes to the academic community, serving as a Section Editor of the International Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Associate Editor of Frontiers in Oncology and Craniomaxillofacial Trauma and Reconstruction.
Professor Su has published over 160 manuscripts in international peer-reviewed journals and is the inventor of eight patents, including three US and EU patents and five Chinese patents. His innovative work has been supported by ten peer-reviewed external research grants for studies in which he has served as the principal investigator, reflecting the impact and relevance of his research. He has been ranked by Clarivate Analytics as being in the top 1% of researchers worldwide by citations for four consecutive years, 2021–2025, and has also been ranked by Stanford University as being in the top 2% of scientists in 2023–2025.
A sought-after speaker, Professor Su has been invited to deliver lectures at numerous international and regional conferences and courses, sharing his expertise and insights with the global medical community.
Dr. Jay J. Liao
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Washington Medical Center, USA;
I am an Associate Professor in Radiation Oncology at the University of Washington, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center with clinical and research focus in Head and Neck cancer. I currently serve as the Director of the Head and Neck Cancer Service for the Department of Radiation Oncology at our institution since 2024. Our head and neck cancer program is a large tertiary care referral program and the largest in the Pacific Northwest Region of the US. I am involved in clinical research focused on advances in particle beam radiation therapy for H&N cancers, including proton beam therapy and fast neutron radiotherapy. I also have special interests in sinonasal cancers and salivary gland cancers. I am active in many clinical trials in these areas as well as others as a collaborator, co-investigator, and PI, including investigator-initiated, industry-sponsored, multicenter, as well as cooperative group trials.
Dr. Jennifer Anderson
MD Anderson Cancer Center, The University of Texas, USA;
Dr. Jennifer Anderson, MD, PhD, is a surgeon-scientist on faculty at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. She completed her PhD in molecular biology from UCLA, followed by her MD from the University of California, Irvine. She then completed her residency in Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, followed by fellowship training in advanced head and neck surgical oncology at MD Anderson. Dr. Anderson’s research focuses on tumor immunology and the tumor microenvironment in head and neck cancer, with particular emphasis on immunomodulatory therapeutic strategies, as well as single-cell and spatial approaches. She is actively engaged in both clinical and translational research. Her work has been presented at national and international conferences and published in leading journals, including Clinical Cancer Research and Nature Reviews Cancer. She is a member of several national professional organizations, including the American Association of Cancer Research (AACR), the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC), and the American Head and Neck Society (AHNS). She also serves on the NRG Oncology Head and Neck Cancer General Committee.
Prof. Dr. Wendell G. Yarbrough
Department of Otolaryngology (Head and Neck Surgery), School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, USA;
Wendell G. Yarbrough, MD, MMHC, FACS, is the Thomas J. Dark Distinguished Professor and Chair of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. A Morehead Scholar, he earned his MD with honors and distinction from UNC before completing residency training as a Womack Scholar in otolaryngology/head and neck surgery and fellowship training in surgical oncology also at UNC. Dr. Yarbrough has held faculty and leadership positions at UNC, Vanderbilt, and Yale. His research focuses on human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, including the identification of biologically distinct tumor subtypes, a new mechanism of HPV carcinogenesis, and translational discovery of molecular vulnerabilities informing clinical trials.
Dr. Joshua D. Smith
Department of Otolaryngology (Head and Neck Surgery), University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, USA;
Joshua D Smith is an Assistant Professor of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) and Veterans Affairs (VA) Pittsburgh Healthcare System. He completed his residency training at the University of Michigan in 2024 and a surgical fellowship in Advanced Head and Neck Oncologic and Microvascular Reconstructive Surgery at UPMC in 2025. His clinical interests are in complex surgical ablation of benign and malignant tumors of the upper aerodigestive tract, salivary glands, skin, and thyroid gland. His research interests are in understanding mechanisms of tumor-immune evasion, particularly in human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated oropharynx cancers, to identify novel immunomodulating treatments for these patients.
In this section, you will find the recordings of this webinar to watch, re-watch and share with your colleagues!
| Speaker | Presentation | Time (CEST) | Time (EDT) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Introduction | 17:00–17:10 | 11:00–11:10 | |
| Dr. Kousik Kesh | Effect of Momordicine-I (Bioactive Compound from Bitter Melon) in Head & Neck Tumor Microenvironment | 17:10–17:30 | 11:10–11:30 |
| Q&A | 17:30–17:35 | 11:30–11:35 | |
| Prof. Dr. Richard Su | Artificial Intelligence in Oral Cancer Risk Prediction | 17:35–17:55 | 11:35–11:55 |
| Q&A | 17:55–18:00 | 11:55–12:00 | |
| Dr. Jay Liao | Particle Beam Radiation Therapy for Head and Neck Cancer: Current Experience at The University of Washington / Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center | 18:00–18:20 | 12:00–12:20 |
| Q&A | 18:20–18:25 | 12:20–12:25 | |
| Dr. Jennifer Anderson | Liposomal Doxorubicin Potentiates Anti-Tumor Immune Response in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma | 18:25–18:45 | 12:25–12:45 |
| Q&A | 18:45–18:50 | 12:45–12:50 | |
| Dr. Wendell Yarbrough | TBC | 18:50–19:10 | 12:50–13:10 |
| Q&A | 19:10–19:15 | 13:10–13:15 | |
| Dr. Joshua D Smith | Mechanisms of Tobacco-Mediated Immunosuppression in Patients with HPV+ Oropharynx Cancer Who Smoke | 19:15–19:35 | 13:15–13:35 |
| Q&A | 19:35–19:40 | 13:35–13:40 | |
| Final Q&A | 19:40–19:55 | 13:40–13:55 | |
| Closing of Webinar | 19:55–20:00 | 13:55–14:00 |
Cancers
"The Advances in Proton Therapy in Head-and-Neck Cancers"
Guest Editors: Nancy Lee and Edward Christopher Dee
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2026
"Decoding and Remodeling the Suppressive Tumor Immune Microenvironment in Head and Neck Cancer"
Guest Editors: Andrew G. Sikora and Dr. Jennifer L. Anderson
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 June 2026
Current Oncology
"The Role of Targeted Therapy in Head and Neck Cancers"
Guest Editor: Rikki A.M. Brown
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026
"Targeting Head and Neck Cancer: From Tumor Microenvironment to Therapy Resistance"
Guest Editors: Ratna B. Ray and Subhayan Sur
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 November 2026
IJMS
"Molecular Targets for HPV-Related Head and Neck Cancer"
Guest Editor: Joshua D. Smith
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2026
Biomedicines
"Head and Neck Cancer: From Mechanisms to Therapeutic Approaches—Advances and Challenges"
Guest Editors: Barbara Verro, Carmelo Saraniti and Daniela Carlisi
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2026