May 17–20, 2026 | Whistler Conference Centre, Whistler, BC, Canada
Scientific Organizers:
Lisa M. Coussens, Sandra S. McAllister, and Laura L. Kiessling
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Scientific Organizers: Lisa M. Coussens, Sandra S. McAllister, and Laura L. Kiessling
Lisa M. Coussens, PhD
Oregon Health & Science University
Sandra S. McAllister, PhD
Brigham & Women's Hospital/Harvard Medical School
team led the first preclinical study combining CDK4/6 inhibitors with immune checkpoint blockade, forming the rationale for a phase 1b clinical trial that reported improved outcomes over standard therapies. Dr. McAllister has co-organized several impactful meetings, including the 2016 Keystone Meeting on Cancer Pathophysiology and the AACR Tumor Microenvironment Working Group’s networking event for early-career investigators.
Laura L. Kiessling, PhD
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Important Deadlines
Meeting Summary
Transforming Cancer Therapeutics from Molecular Pathways to Patients—
Join us in-person &/or On-Demand for our 2026 Cancer Conference Series, uniquely designed to bring together leaders in cancer research & treatment to collaboratively examine the disease from all angles & redefine the future of cancer medicine. Discover more on the Keypoint Blog
This Keystone Symposia Conference will explore interactions between tumor cells and their surrounding microenvironment, examining both tumor-intrinsic and -extrinsic signaling programs that influence cancer progression and systemic host responses such as aging, cachexia, obesity, and immunity. The program will highlight innovative experimental and computational tools to study the tumor microenvironment (TME), with a focus on identifying tumor vulnerabilities, new therapeutic targets, and methods for patient stratification. A hands-on “data jamboree” workshop will showcase analytical tools developed by the NCI Human Tumor Atlas Network (HTAN) to analyze the TME.
This meeting will bring together experts in cancer biology, immunology, computational biology, chemical biology, and beyond, to catalyze cross-disciplinary collaborations and insights with clinical impacts. To further promote interdisciplinary exchange, the conference will be held jointly with the Keystone Symposia conference on Inflammation Resolution: Emerging Concepts, Mechanisms and Disease Insights, sparking new insights and therapeutic strategies at the intersection of cancer and inflammation research.
This meeting will feature our People’s Choice Poster Award, an opportunity to highlight an outstanding poster presenter at this conference. Poster presenters will not only share their work with a global audience of peers and leaders but also have the chance to be recognized by attendees and win a free future conference registration! Poster presenters, who are not giving a short talk, are eligible to win, with one winner chosen by attendee votes.
Submit your abstract today.
Check out the speaker highlights in the video below:
Unique Career Development Opportunities
This meeting will feature a Career Roundtable where trainees and early-career investigators will have the opportunity to interact with field leaders from across academic and industry sectors for essential career development advice and networking opportunities. Find out more about Career Roundtables here: https://www.keystonesymposia.org/diversity/career-development-initiatives
SPECIAL RECOGNITION:
KEYSTONE SYMPOSIA THANKS OUR MEETING EXHIBITOR(S):
KEYSTONE SYMPOSIA THANKS THESE DONOR(S) FOR GENEROUSLY SUPPORTING THIS MEETING:
THESE COMPANIES HAVE GENEROUSLY AGREED TO COVER THE EXPENSES OF THEIR EMPLOYEES WHO ARE SPEAKING AT THIS MEETING:
GRANT RECOGNITION:
KEYSTONE SYMPOSIA THANKS OUR GIFT-IN-KIND MEDIA SPONSORS
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