Conference Description
The analysis of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and tumor cell products (DNA, RNA, extracellular vesicles) released into the blood may provide clinically relevant information as "liquid biopsy" and provide new insights into tumor biology. Various technologies have been developed over the past 10 years which include label-dependent assays based on the expression of tumor-associated cell surface antigens and label-independent assays based on physical properties of tumors cells distinct from the surrounding leukocytes. After detection, CTCs can be further analyzed at the DNA, RNA and protein level to obtain global information on tumor biology and targets relevant to cancer therapy. In particular, microRNAs control various genes and pathways that impact the biology of tumor cells.
Liquid biopsy analyses with validated platforms provides reliable information on early detection of cancer, identification of cancer patients at risk to develop relapse (prognosis), and it may serve to monitor tumor evolution, identify therapeutic targets or mechanisms of resistance on metastatic cells. Metastatic cells have unique characteristics that can differ from the bulk of cancer cells in the primary tumor currently used for stratification of patients to systemic therapy. Moreover, monitoring of blood samples before, during and after systemic therapy (e.g., chemotherapy, targeted therapy or immunotherapy) will provide unique information for the future clinical management of the individual cancer patient and might serve as surrogate marker for response to therapy.
This conference will focus on the biology behind liquid biopsy biomarkers, new technical developments and members of the liquid biopsy biomarker family and how liquid biopsy analysis can be used to improve the management of cancer patients and contribute to precision medicine.
Grand Challenges in Liquid Biopsy Research
Discussion Leaders
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Min Yu (University of Southern California, USA)
Speakers
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Howard Scher (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, USA)
The Biology Behind Liquid Biopsy Biomarkers
Discussion Leaders
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Rosandra Kaplan (National Institutes of Health, USA)
Speakers
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John Condeelis (Albert Einstein College of Medicine, USA)
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Jacky Goetz (INSERM and University of Strasbourg, France)
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Jean Paul Thiery (National University of Singapore, Singapore)
Genotypic CTC and ctDNA Analysis
Discussion Leaders
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Daniel De Carvalho (Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Canada)
Speakers
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Wai Kei Jacky Lam (The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR China)
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Jacqui Shaw (University of Leicester, United Kingdom)
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Brian Dougherty (AstraZeneca, USA)
Phenotypic and Functional Analysis for Liquid Biopsy
Discussion Leaders
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Wai Kei Jacky Lam (The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR China)
Speakers
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Nicola Aceto (ETH Zurich, Switzerland)
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Matt Trau (University of Queensland, Australia)
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Catherine Alix-Panabieres (Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Montpellier, France)
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Ryan Sullivan (Massachusetts General Hospital, USA)
High Performance Analytical Technologies for Liquid Biopsy
Discussion Leaders
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Shannon Stott (Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, USA)
Speakers
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Amy Herr (University of California, Berkeley, USA)
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Daniel Chiu (University of Washington, USA)
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Vanessa Jonsson (Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, USA)
Liquid Biopsy and Clinical Utility
Discussion Leaders
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Harriet Wikman (University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany)
Speakers
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Andrew Armstrong (Duke University, USA)
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Alison Allan (London Health Sciences Centre, Canada)
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Ellen Heitzer (Medical University of Graz, Austria)
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Ralph Graeser (Boehringer Ingelheim, USA)
Early-Career Investigator Presentations
Discussion Leaders
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Amy Herr (University of California, Berkeley, USA)
Speakers
Extracellular Vesicles
Discussion Leaders
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Catherine Alix-Panabieres (Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Montpellier, France)
Speakers
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David Lyden (Weill Cornell Medicine, USA)
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Yong Zeng (University of Florida, USA)
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Shannon Stott (Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, USA)
New Liquid Biopsy Biomarkers
Discussion Leaders
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Alison Allan (London Health Sciences Centre, Canada)
Speakers
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Michael Sixt (Institute of Science and Technology Austria, Austria)
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Daniel Chiu (University of Washington, USA)
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Harriet Wikman (University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany)