MDPI World Cancer Day 2026 Webinar Series | August—Ovarian Cancer
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 August session, we welcome leading voices in ovarian 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: 31 August 2026
Time: 17:00 CEST | 11:00 EDT | 23:00 CST Asia
Webinar ID: 865 6852 3905
Webinar Secretariat: webinar@mdpi.com
Meet Our Speakers
Hull York Medical School, University of Hull, UK;
A Cell Line Model of Ovarian Cancer Highlights the Roles of SSX Variants in Early Disease
Dr Barbara Guinn is an Associate Professor in the Centre for Biomedical Sciences at the Hull York Medical School, University of Hull. With a background in genetics, immunology and hematology, Barbara's research has focused on understanding the biology of women's health conditions, particularly ovarian cancer and endometriosis, and exploring new approaches to earlier, less invasive diagnoses. She is keen to model early disease and the role of cancer–testis antigens in the development of the most aggressive and lethal form of gynecological cancer.
Department of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry, Brown University, USA;
From Metabolic Plasticity to Polyploidy: Adaptive Resistance in Ovarian Cancer
Dr. Michelle Dawson is a tenured Associate Professor of Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry at Brown University and Associate Director for Cancer Research Training and Education Coordination (CRTEC) at the Legorreta Cancer Center. With interdisciplinary training in Biomedical Engineering (BS), Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (PhD), and Tumor Biology (postdoctoral training), she brings an engineering perspective to understanding how cancer cells adapt to and remodel their microenvironment. Her research integrates mechanobiology, metabolism, and quantitative cell biology to define mechanisms of tumor progression and therapeutic resistance. Her work on polyploid giant cancer cells (PGCCs) has identified distinct features of their cytoskeletal organization, metabolic adaptation, and chemoresistance, providing insight into how these stress-induced cell states persist and contribute to tumor recurrence. In complementary studies, her laboratory investigates how cellular senescence drives extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling, altered tissue mechanics, and fibrosis, and how these changes create microenvironments that influence subsequent cellular behavior. Her research has been supported by both the National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health, reflecting its contributions to fundamental cell biology and its relevance to cancer and human disease.
Department of Immunology, Mayo Clinic, USA;
Cracking the Code: Identifying Immunogenic Targets in Ovarian Tumors
Dr. Marion Curtis, Associate Professor at Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, AZ, focuses on immunology and cancer biology, particularly ovarian cancer. Her research investigates the tumor microenvironment’s impact on immune metabolism, the DNA damage response, and antigen discovery to develop new therapies. Her lab is working on enhancing tumor immunity by inhibiting protein phosphatase 4 (PP4) and reprogramming CAR-engineered macrophages for better performance against ovarian tumors. Dr. Curtis is also leading a Phase 1 trial of MUC1-activated T cells. Since joining Mayo Clinic in 2018, she has received several honors, including the NCI R37 MERIT Award, and published in leading journals.
