Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide, accounting for nearly 10 million deaths in 2020, or nearly one in six deaths.

The most common cancers are breast, lung, colon and rectum and prostate cancers.

Around one-third of deaths from cancer are due to tobacco use, high body mass index, alcohol consumption, low fruit and vegetable intake, and lack of physical activity. In addition, air pollution is an important risk factor for lung cancer.

Associate Professor at University of Seville

Keywords: brain tumor, immunotherapy, glioblastoma, brain metastasis, neuroinflammation

Researcher at University of Seville

Keywords: brain tumor, glioblastoma, brain metastasis, neuroscientist, neurobiochemistry, Connexin43

Strategic Director at the Institute of Research on Cancer and Ageing (IRCAN), Université Côte d’Azur

Keywords: cancer research, innovation

Scientist at the Institute of Research on Cancer and Ageing (IRCAN), Université Côte d’Azur

Keywords: chemotherapy, neutrophils, metastatic breast cancer

Professor at University of Genoa and IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino

Keywords: Breast Cancer Research, Oncology Innovation, Personalized Cancer Medicine

Medical Oncologist and Assistant Professor in Medical Oncology at the University of Genoa and IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino.

Keywords: thoracic cancer, molecular medicine, liquid biopsy, personalized cancer medicine

Associate Professor at University of Seville

Manuel Sarmiento earned a Biology degree in 2005 from the University of Seville, where he also completed a PhD, focusing on the impact of inflammation in Parkinson’s disease. His first postdoctoral research was conducted at the Department of Oncology at the University of Oxford, where he developed novel therapies against brain metastasis. A second postdoctoral position at Imperial College London involved creating innovative treatments for glioblastoma. In 2017, he was awarded a Marie Curie Fellowship, which facilitated his return to the University of Seville. He currently holds an Associate Professor position, continuing his research in neuro-oncology.

Researcher at University of Seville

Rocío Talaverón Aguilocho obtained her Ph.D. in Neuroscience from the University of Seville in 2015, graduating summa cum laude and receiving the extraordinary doctoral prize that very same year. She completed two pre-doctoral stays, one at the University of Insubria in Italy, and another at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile. She then worked for seven years as a postdoctoral researcher in the Neurobiochemistry Group at the Instituto de Neurociencias de Castilla y León, University of Salamanca. During this time, she received a project grant from the Spanish Association Against Cancer to develop her own line of research. At this stage, she also completed a postdoctoral stay at the University of Southampton. She is now working in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Seville, with a contract from Juan de la Cierva, collaborating on research with José Luis Venero and Manuel Sarmiento, studying glioblastoma and brain metastasis.

Strategic Director at the Institute of Research on Cancer and Ageing (IRCAN), Université Côte d’Azur

John Rowell is a seasoned leader in scientific research and innovation, currently serving as the Deputy Director and Director of Innovation and International Collaboration at IRCAN in Nice, France. With a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Cambridge, John has cultivated a distinguished career at the intersection of cancer and aging research, biotechnology, and strategic consulting. He has held key roles in prominent institutions such as Université Côte d’Azur, Gustave Roussy, and Cancer Core Europe, where he has driven cutting-edge research initiatives and fostered international collaborations.
John’s expertise spans across a diverse range of scientific fields including stem cells, epigenetics, molecular biology, and biophysics. He is particularly skilled in innovation management, market evaluation, and strategic positioning within the biotech and pharmaceutical industries. His leadership at IRCAN focuses on amplifying the institute’s global impact through multidisciplinary research and comprehensive educational programs aimed at combating cancer and aging.

Scientist at the Institute of Research on Cancer and Ageing (IRCAN), Université Côte d’Azur

Jean Albrengues earned his PhD from the University Côte d’Azur in 2014, followed by postdoctoral training in New York until 2019. Since then, he has been a researcher at the Institute for Research on Cancer and Aging, Nice (IRCAN). His research explores the interaction between cancer cells and their surrounding microenvironment, focusing on how this crosstalk influences cancer progression and treatment response. Jean’s work specifically examines the role of neutrophils, a type of inflammatory cell, in altering cancer cells’ sensitivity to anti-cancer therapies. By understanding how neutrophils interact with cancer cells, Jean aims to uncover new strategies to improve therapeutic outcomes.

Professor at University of Genoa and IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino

Director of the Clinical Oncology unit since 2021 and Coordinator of the Breast Unit since 2017 at Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova Italy, Lucia Del Mastro is Full Professor of Oncology and Director of the Postgraduate School of Oncology at University of Genova, Italy. A medical oncologist specializing in breast cancer, her work involves various areas of research in oncology: from translational research to clinical research. She is the principal investigator of multicenter national academic phase II and III studies in metastatic and early breast cancer patients. She is member of the Scientific Committee of GIM (Gruppo Italiano Mammella, Italy) and Early Breast Cancer Trialists’ Cooperative Group (Oxford – Uk), chairperson of the steering committee of the AIOM (Associazione Italiana Oncologia Medica) recommendations for fertility preservation in cancer patients and she is a member of the steering committees of the AIOM and ESMO (European Society of Medical Oncology) guidelines for the management of early breast cancer (Ann Oncol. 2024;35:159-182).

Medical Oncologist and Assistant Professor in Medical Oncology at the University of Genoa and IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino.

He is former Research Fellow at the Gustave Roussy Institute (Villejuif, France) and Fellow of the International Lung Cancer Foundation. His main activity is in thoracic cancers, with special focus on molecular medicine, liquid biopsy, and personalized cancer medicine. He is part of the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Lung Cancer Group and Young Investigators Group, member of the Young Cancer Professionals Group of the European Cancer Organisation, and active member of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) and European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO). He is involved in drafting the national guidelines in Oncology for the Italian Association of Medical Oncology (AIOM). He is passionate about clinical and translational research. He has honed his training by attending the University Diploma in Translational and Clinical Research in Oncology and the Inter-University Diploma in Molecular Medicine in Oncology run by the University Paris-Saclay.