Spotlight on the Cancer Cell: Intrinsic Properties and Vulnerabilities for Therapeutics
Jan 26–29, 2026 | Embassy Suites by Hilton Raleigh Durham Research Triangle, Cary, NC, United States
Scientific Organizers:
Anwesha Dey, Laura D. Attardi, and Mariam Jamal-Hanjani
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Jan 26–29, 2026 | Embassy Suites by Hilton Raleigh Durham Research Triangle, Cary, NC, United States
Scientific Organizers: Anwesha Dey, Laura D. Attardi, and Mariam Jamal-Hanjani
Anwesha Dey, PhD
Genentech, Inc.
Anwesha Dey, Ph.D., Anwesha Dey is an Executive Director and Distinguished Scientist in the Research Oncology Department at Genentech. Her scientific research is focused on understanding the biology of Hippo and PI3K signaling pathways and how they can be targeted for cancer therapy. She leads an interdisciplinary team focused on small molecule drug discovery. She has previously organized multiple meetings and conferences including AACR and FASEB meetings, and currently serves on Keystone Symposia’s Scientific Advisory Board. Dr. Dey is a recipient of several awards including the 2022 GWP Emerging Leader Award at Genentech, the 2023 University of Maryland Distinguished Alumni award, and selected as one of the 2024 National Academy of Medicine’s emerging leaders in health and medicine scholar.
Laura D. Attardi, PhD
Stanford University School of Medicine
Laura Attardi, Ph.D., is a Professor at Stanford University’s School of Medicine Departments of Radiation Oncology and Genetics and is the Co-Director of the Cancer Biology Ph.D. Program. Dr. Attardi is a leading cancer researcher whose work is providing new insight into the tumor suppressor protein p53 and the gene that encodes it, TP53, to better understand mechanisms for preventing cancer, particularly in lung and pancreatic cancers. Her research has also uncovered links between p53 and developmental disorders, including CHARGE syndrome. She is a soughtafter lecturer and actively participates on editorial boards, scientific review committees and conference organizing committees including as a co-organizer of the Salk Institute’s biannual “Mechanisms and Models of Cancer” meeting (2007-2019). She is the recipient of NCI’s Outstanding Investigator Award in 2015 and 2022and was elected as a Fellow of the American Association for Cancer Research Academy in 2024.
Mariam Jamal-Hanjani
University College London
Mariam JamalHanjani, MD, Ph.D., is Professor of Cancer Genomics and Metastasis, a Thoracic Medical Oncologist and Group Leader at the University College London Cancer Institute. Her research is focused on the biological processes linked to metastatic disease, including genomic drivers of tumor dissemination, tumor-and host-initiated mediators of catabolic states, and failure of the adaptive immune system. Her research has significantly advanced the understanding of intratumour heterogeneity, which has important implications for how cancers evolve and respond to treatment. She has been awarded various prizes, including the McElwain Prize from the Association of Cancer Physicians and the Sylvia Lawler Scientific Prize from the Royal Society of Medicine.
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In Person
On Demand
***Meeting program subject to change.
Available Formats: = In Person = On DemandMonday, January 26, 2026
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Registration
4:00–8:00 PM
Welcome Mixer
6:00–8:00 PM
Tuesday, January 27, 2026
Breakfast
7:30–8:30 AM
Poster Setup
8:00–8:30 AM
Poster Viewing
8:15–5:00 PM
Welcome Remarks
8:30–8:40 AM
Keynote Address
8:40–9:30 AM
Kevan M. Shokat, University of California, San Francisco
Overcoming the Undruggable Nature of the Most Common Human Oncogene K-Ras
Overcoming the Undruggable Nature of the Most Common Human Oncogene K-Ras
Cancer Evolution, Tumor Heterogeneity and Metastasis
9:30–11:30 AM
Mariam Jamal-Hanjani, University College London
Tumor Evolution and Metastasis Revealed through Research Autopsies in PEACE
Tumor Evolution and Metastasis Revealed through Research Autopsies in PEACE
Manuel Valiente, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre
Metastatic Colonization and the Development of Brain Metastasis
Metastatic Colonization and the Development of Brain Metastasis
Rohit Bose †, UCSF - University of California, San Francisco
Short Talk: Engineering Tumor Evolution In Vivo to Reveal Cell-Intrinsic Vulnerabilities for Therapeutic Interception
Short Talk: Engineering Tumor Evolution In Vivo to Reveal Cell-Intrinsic Vulnerabilities for Therapeutic Interception
Christina Ferrer †, University of Maryland Baltimore
Short Talk: Slow-Cycling, Glutathione-Sensing GSTT1⁺ Cells Mediate Therapy Resistance and Metastasis in Pancreatic Cancer
Short Talk: Slow-Cycling, Glutathione-Sensing GSTT1⁺ Cells Mediate Therapy Resistance and Metastasis in Pancreatic Cancer
Coffee Break
10:00–10:20 AM
Lunch
11:30–12:30 PM
Poster Session 1
12:30–2:30 PM
Symposia Spotlight 1
2:30–4:30 PM
Makka Adam Ali †, Armeuar Hansen Research institute
Prognostic Impact of FoxP3 and PD1 Expression in the Tumor Microenvironment (TME) of Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma (cHL)
Prognostic Impact of FoxP3 and PD1 Expression in the Tumor Microenvironment (TME) of Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma (cHL)
Deepan Chatterjee †, University of Nebraska Medical Center
Tumor initiation and Therapy Resistance in SCLC
Tumor initiation and Therapy Resistance in SCLC
Bence Daniel †, Genentech Inc.
Promoter-Centric Gene Regulation in Drug Resistant Cancer Cells
Promoter-Centric Gene Regulation in Drug Resistant Cancer Cells
Thijs J Hagenbeek †, Genentech, Inc.
Covalent Pan-TEAD Inhibitors Block YAP Activity and Demonstrate Brain Penetrance in Hippo-dependent Cancer Models
Covalent Pan-TEAD Inhibitors Block YAP Activity and Demonstrate Brain Penetrance in Hippo-dependent Cancer Models
Wendy W. Hwang-Verslues †, Academia Sinica
BMAL2 as a Druggable Target for ARID1A-wildtype Ovarian Clear Cell Carcinoma
BMAL2 as a Druggable Target for ARID1A-wildtype Ovarian Clear Cell Carcinoma
Joseph Manu †, University of Georgia
In-vitro Investigations into Troxacitabine and Deazaneplanocin Combination for Pancreatic Cancer Therapy
In-vitro Investigations into Troxacitabine and Deazaneplanocin Combination for Pancreatic Cancer Therapy
Elisabeth D. Martinez †, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Targeting Canonical and Non-canonical Oncogenic Actions of Jumonji Demethylases in Lung Cancer
Targeting Canonical and Non-canonical Oncogenic Actions of Jumonji Demethylases in Lung Cancer
Rachel O'Rourke †, University of Michigan
Unraveling the Effects of eIF4E Cap Analogue Inhibitors on Cap-Dependent Translation to Assess their Therapeutic Potential in Cancer
Unraveling the Effects of eIF4E Cap Analogue Inhibitors on Cap-Dependent Translation to Assess their Therapeutic Potential in Cancer
Shadika Panta †, Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine
DNA-protein Interactions at a DNA Secondary Structure Forming Sequence
DNA-protein Interactions at a DNA Secondary Structure Forming Sequence
Coffee Available
4:30–5:00 PM
Drugging Cancer Pathways and New Targets on the Horizon
5:00–7:00 PM
Kevin Marks, Delphia Therapeutics
Exploiting Pathway Activation as a New Form of Synthetic Lethality
Exploiting Pathway Activation as a New Form of Synthetic Lethality
Gregory L. Verdine, Harvard University and FogPharma
Drugging Oncogenic Transcriptional Drivers
Drugging Oncogenic Transcriptional Drivers
Anwesha Dey, Genentech, Inc.
Targeting the PI3K Pathway in Cancers
Targeting the PI3K Pathway in Cancers
Peter C. Scacheri, Amgen Research
Targeting Signaling Pathway in Cancers
Targeting Signaling Pathway in Cancers
On Own for Dinner
7:00–8:00 PM
Wednesday, January 28, 2026
Breakfast
7:30–8:30 AM
Poster Setup
8:00–8:30 AM
Poster Viewing
8:15–5:00 PM
Cancer Cell Vulnerabilities and Therapeutic Opportunities
8:30–11:30 AM
Ashok R. Venkitaraman, Cancer Science Institute
p53 and Therapeutic Vulnerabilities
p53 and Therapeutic Vulnerabilities
Karen M. Cichowski, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School
Chemical Synthetic Lethal Interactions for the Development of Combinatorial Therapies
Chemical Synthetic Lethal Interactions for the Development of Combinatorial Therapies
LaQuita Jones, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center
Unexpected Resistance Mechanisms Underlying AML Targeted Therapy
Unexpected Resistance Mechanisms Underlying AML Targeted Therapy
Josh Plotnik, AbbVie, Inc.
Novel Synthetic Lethal Targets in Cancer
Novel Synthetic Lethal Targets in Cancer
Valentina Posada †, The Ohio State University
Short Talk: Uncovering Melanocyte-Intrinsic Drivers of Melanoma in MC1R Deficiency
Short Talk: Uncovering Melanocyte-Intrinsic Drivers of Melanoma in MC1R Deficiency
Benjamin Sunkel †, Nationwide Children's Hospital
Short Talk: NR0B1 Alters the Retinoid Response in Ewing Sarcoma Cells: A Pathway to Therapy?
Short Talk: NR0B1 Alters the Retinoid Response in Ewing Sarcoma Cells: A Pathway to Therapy?
Coffee Break
9:30–9:50 AM
Lunch
11:30–12:30 PM
Poster Session 2
12:30–2:30 PM
Career Roundtable
3:00–4:30 PM
Coffee Available
4:30–5:00 PM
Metabolic Rewiring in Cancer and Metabolic Approaches to Therapy
5:00–7:00 PM
Ralph J DeBerardinis, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Cell-Intrinsic Metabolic Features Contributing to Cancer Initiation and Progression
Cell-Intrinsic Metabolic Features Contributing to Cancer Initiation and Progression
Poul H Sorensen, University of British Columbia
Metabolic Adaptation Mechanisms that Confer Resistance to Oxidative Stress in Cancer Cells
Metabolic Adaptation Mechanisms that Confer Resistance to Oxidative Stress in Cancer Cells
Dohoon Kim, University of Massachusetts Medical School
Cancer Metabolism and Metabolic Toxicity
Cancer Metabolism and Metabolic Toxicity
Taras Shyp †, BC Cancer Research Institute
Short Talk: Ewing Sarcoma Metabolic Fitness Depends on the STEAP1–STEAP2 Partnership
Short Talk: Ewing Sarcoma Metabolic Fitness Depends on the STEAP1–STEAP2 Partnership
Noura Srour †, The Ohio State University
Short Talk: Protein Phosphatase 2A Activation Impairs Energy Metabolism in Mantle Cell Lymphoma
Short Talk: Protein Phosphatase 2A Activation Impairs Energy Metabolism in Mantle Cell Lymphoma
On Own for Dinner
7:00–8:00 PM
Thursday, January 29, 2026
Breakfast
7:30–8:30 AM
Cellular Plasticity and Cell State Changes in Cancer
8:30–11:30 AM
Karuna Ganesh, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Regenerative Plasticity during Colorectal Cancer Metastasis
Regenerative Plasticity during Colorectal Cancer Metastasis
Cédric Blanpain, Universite Libre de Bruxelles
Stem Cell Function in Development, Homeostasis and Cancer
Stem Cell Function in Development, Homeostasis and Cancer
Laura D. Attardi, Stanford University School of Medicine
p53 Governs Cell State Changes in Lung and Pancreatic Cancers
p53 Governs Cell State Changes in Lung and Pancreatic Cancers
David Millan, Auron Therapeutics
Targeting Drivers of Tumor Cell Plasticity
Targeting Drivers of Tumor Cell Plasticity
Margaret W Barbier †, Duke University School of Medicine
Short Talk: PI3K-gamma Signaling as a Lineage-specific Vulnerability of Tuft-like Cancers
Short Talk: PI3K-gamma Signaling as a Lineage-specific Vulnerability of Tuft-like Cancers
Derrick Ong †, National University of Singapore
Short Talk: A Non-canonical Role of HDAC7 in Regulating TAZ Phosphorylation and Nuclear Localization via 14-3-3gamma/eta in Glioblastoma
Short Talk: A Non-canonical Role of HDAC7 in Regulating TAZ Phosphorylation and Nuclear Localization via 14-3-3gamma/eta in Glioblastoma
Coffee Break
9:30–9:50 AM
On Own for Lunch
11:00–2:30 PM
Symposia Spotlight 2
2:30–4:30 PM
Charly Ryan Good †, University of Pennsylvania
Mutation-Specific Protein Interaction Networks Define Gain-of-Function p53 Mechanisms in Cancer
Mutation-Specific Protein Interaction Networks Define Gain-of-Function p53 Mechanisms in Cancer
Fatemeh Dehpanah †, SUNY Stony Brook University Hospital
Deoxysphingolipid Accumulation Induces Mitochondrial-mediated Activation of cGAS-STING1 and Anti-tumor immunity
Deoxysphingolipid Accumulation Induces Mitochondrial-mediated Activation of cGAS-STING1 and Anti-tumor immunity
Peter K. Jackson †, Stanford University
Mass Spectrometry and Platform Secretomics Reveal Consistent KRAS Tumor Secretotypes in Human Lung Adenocarcinoma Cell Lines and Primary Tumors
Mass Spectrometry and Platform Secretomics Reveal Consistent KRAS Tumor Secretotypes in Human Lung Adenocarcinoma Cell Lines and Primary Tumors
Zhixiang Lei †, University of Texas at Dallas
Topoisomerase-dependent eccDNA Abundance Reveals Topological Vulnerabilities in Cancer Cells
Topoisomerase-dependent eccDNA Abundance Reveals Topological Vulnerabilities in Cancer Cells
Shihui Liu †, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
A Potent Tumor-selective MEK Inactivator with High Therapeutic Index
A Potent Tumor-selective MEK Inactivator with High Therapeutic Index
Srinivas Malladi †, UT Southwestern Medical Center
Patient Derived Organoids Identify Targetable Metabolic Adaptations in Metastatic ccRCCs
Patient Derived Organoids Identify Targetable Metabolic Adaptations in Metastatic ccRCCs
Rachael Pulica †, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences
Phosphatidylserine Scramblases and Immune Escape in Cancer
Phosphatidylserine Scramblases and Immune Escape in Cancer
Truc T Vuong †, Indiana University School of Medicine - Bloomington
DNA Methyltransferase Inhibition Prevents Platinum-Induced Ovarian Cancer Stem Cell Enrichment
DNA Methyltransferase Inhibition Prevents Platinum-Induced Ovarian Cancer Stem Cell Enrichment
Coffee Available
4:30–5:00 PM
Looking to the Future: Provocative New Themes in Cancer
5:00–6:45 PM
Laura Wood, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
New Insights into Tumor Development from CODA 3D Reconstruction
New Insights into Tumor Development from CODA 3D Reconstruction
Anne E. Carpenter †, Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT
Talk Title to be Announced
Talk Title to be Announced
Hoifung Poon, Microsoft Research
Multimodal Generative AI for Precision Health
Multimodal Generative AI for Precision Health
Mats Ljungman †, University of Michigan Medical School
Short Talk: Precision Targeting of the Cancer Genome
Short Talk: Precision Targeting of the Cancer Genome
Meeting Wrap-Up: Outcomes and Future Directions
6:45–7:00 PM
Social Hour with Dinner
7:00–8:00 PM
Entertainment
8:00–11:00 PM
Cash Bar
8:00–11:00 PM
Friday, January 30, 2026
Departure
12:00–11:59 PM
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