Cancer therapies and diagnostics, October 2022

Purpose and goal

The two main goals are to:

1. provide an overview of the biological mechanisms that underlie cancer initiation, growth, and metastasis
2. discuss how novel cancer treatment strategies and drugs have been - and will be - developed based on an improved understanding of cancer biology.

The course will provide participants with a conceptual framework that will support well-informed evaluation of the novelty and significance of emerging findings in the areas of tumor biology and drug development.

Target group

The course is directed towards pharmaprofessionals with a profound interest in novel diagnostics and treatment approaches.

Basic knowledge of cell/tumor biology is recommended, whether from academic training or professional experience from the oncology subfield of pharmaceutical companies, or both.

Participants with a deep interest, that have attended the Introduction course are also welcome to apply.

Course team

The course will involve active researchers representing leading national expertise in tumor biology and clinical research, providing complementary perspectives on how biological research can be transformed to novel treatments.

Course content

The tumor biology part of the course presents an overview of current understanding of the biological mechanisms underlying tumor initiation, growth and progression and covers concepts such as:

• The tumor microenvironment
• Cancer immune surveillance
• Novel immune therapies¨
• Novel targeted cancer drugs
• Precision medicine
• Early detection and diagnosis
• Clinical trials

Course set-up

The course will consist of lectures and seminars as well as some online course literature accessible on a web portal. The course format will encourage direct and informal interactions between participants and lecturers. The course is provided in a larger context that recognizes the potential of novel collaborative formats between academic and company-driven cancer research.

More information

For about course content, please contact:
Charlotte Rolny ph, course leader,
Department of Oncology-Pathology
Email: charlotte.rolny@ki.se

Hanna Eriksson PhD,MD, co-organizer
Email: Hanna.Eriksson@ki.se

For questions about administrative issues, please contact:
Susanna Sjunneryd, project coordinator
Karolinska Institutet Executive and Professional Education
E-mail: susanna.sjunneryd@ki.se

Course dates and venue

20-21th of October 2022. Campus Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Solna.

Course Schedule

Day 1 - The tumor microenvironment; current and novel therapies

8.30-08.45: Welcome; introduction, Charlotte Rolny, Hanna Eriksson

08.45-09.30: Hallmarks of cancer, Charlotte Rolny

09.30 -10.15: The current and next generation immunotherapies, Andreas Lundqvist and Hanna Eriksson

10.15-10.30: Coffee

10.30-11.15: Tumor antigens and tumor vaccine, Rolf Kiessling

11.15-12.00: Adoptive transfer of NK cells, Hans-Gustav Ljunggren

12.00-13.00: Lunch

13.00-13.45: The role of immunosuppressive and pro-metastatic macrophages in cancer, Charlotte Rolny

13.45-14.30: The role of fibroblasts in cancer: PDGFR expression on stromal cells as prognostic and predictive biomarkers, Arne Östman

14.30-14.45: Coffee

14.15-15.00: TKI and checkpoint inhibiters and beyond in lung cancers, Simon Ekman

15.35-16.15: TBT

16.25-17: Discussions and questions

Day 2 - Precision Medicine and novel therapies

9.00-9.45: Precision Medicine an overview, Päivi Östling

9.45-10.30: Proteomics in precision medicine, Janne Lehtiö

10.30-10.45: Coffee

10.45-11.15: Radiology as a tool in precision medicine, Lennart Blomquist

11.15 12.00: AI in pathology, Johan Hartman

12.00-13.00: Lunch

13.00-13.45: Targeting the DNA damage response DDR, Thomas Heliday

13 .45-14.30: TBT GI

14.30-14.45: Coffee

14.45-15.30: Clinical Trials, Elham Hedayati

15.30-16.30: Beehives

Application

We will strive for an even distribution among the member companies of LIF. Please note that if the number of applicants exceeds the number of places available, an even distribution among the member companies of LIF will be made.

The course is conducted under the condition that we receive a sufficient number of participants.