Perineural invasion and Pancreatic Cancer MEETING

Dear TRANSPANers,

We are happy to announce the Perineural invasion and Pancreatic Cancer MEETING.

This workshop is specifically designed for researchers and clinicians who are interested in metastasis.

This meeting is open to all (established researchers, clinicians, PhD students and post-docs, patient representatives) however the priority for the funding will be given to the early career researchers (PhD students and/or postdocs with no faculty/permanent position).

The workshop will be held in London (UK) on September 20th, 2024 (one full day).

Venue: University of Westminster, 115 New Cavendish Street, London, W1W 6UW, UK

Participants will have the chance to present their ongoing projects on several topics related to the TRANSPAN mission. These sessions will be led by experienced mentors from different research fields.

For the upcoming TRANSPAN event, we will financially support up to 12 participants. They can claim reimbursement up to 350€ for travel expenses and 222€ per day as a maximum daily allowance. Please read the reimbursement COST rules. In addition, we welcome up to 10-15 more participants who can attend the meeting without reimbursement.

If you are interested in attending, please fill out the application form at this link.

[link: https://forms.gle/pzEc8kPrsiaEZhwx6]

The deadline for submitting your application is July 5th July 31st, 2024. Your application will be evaluated by the workshop organizer and a group of selected specialists based on the quality of your CV and the content of your motivation letter. The results of the evaluation will be announced before July 15th August 15th, 2024. If you are selected to participate in the workshop, your abstract will be published in a Special Issue of Pancreatology

We strongly believe this workshop is a great opportunity for early career stage investigators to build new connections and to start new collaborative projects within the Action and beyond.

Understanding Neuron-Cancer Interactions in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma

DATE: 20^th of September 2024

Venue: University of Westminster, 115 New Cavendish Street, London, UK

Perineural invasion (PNI) is a typical feature of PDAC and is present in 70% to 95% of resected pancreatic carcinomas with the highest prevalence in PDAC compared to that of other solid tumours. Several signalling molecules secreted by neural and tumour cells regulate the process. PNI is associated with tumour progression, increased local recurrence, strong pain, and poor prognosis in PDAC patients. Therefore, understanding PNI may provide an alternative strategy to improve the prognosis of PDAC patients. The aim of this workshop is to uncover the cellular mechanisms and molecular underpinnings of PNI in PDAC and propose/validate clinically targetable pathways.

Agenda

08:30 – 09:00 Registration and Coffee

09:00 – 09:15 Welcome and Opening Remarks

– Dr Pinar Uysal-Onganer, Workshop Chair &Host

09:15 – 10:00

Prof Ekin Demir, Technical University of Munich, Germany

Keynote: The Complexity of Neuron-Cancer Interactions in PDAC

10:00 – 11:00

Session 1: Advanced Spatial Transcriptomics Techniques- Dr Pinar Uysal Onganer

Oral presentations

– Overview of current techniques

– Case studies and recent findings

11- 11.15 Coffee break

11:15 – 12:30

Session 2: Mapping Cell-Cell Communication in PDAC with Neural Invasion Chair-Prof Elisa Giovannetti, VU University Amsterdam, Netherlands

– Comprehensive array of mediators

– Interactive Q&A session

12:30 – 14:00  Lunch and Networking

14:00 – 14:45 – Facilitator –Dr Manuel Gentiluomo, University of Pisa, Italy

Early Career Researchers Roundtable

– Networking session for early career scientists

– Sharing experiences and challenges

– Strategies for career development and collaboration

14:45 – 15:15 Afternoon Break

15:15 – 16:15

Session 3: Identifying Actionable Targets for Therapeutic Interventions

– Panel Discussion with invited speakers

– Case studies and emerging therapies

– Collaborative discussion on innovative interventions

16:15 – 17:00  Session 4 –Chair Dr Martin Lovecek, University Hospital Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic

Interactive Workshop: Translating Insights into Clinical Practice

– Flash talks and/or Poster presentations (one ppt slide)

– Developing actionable plans for research and clinical trials

17:00 – 17:30

Wrap-Up and Future Directions

– Summary with contributions from Patient Interest Group (PCUK RIN)

– Next steps and future collaborations

– Closing remarks by the Organisation Committee (Dr Pinar Uysal-Onganer, Prof Elisa Giovannetti and Dr Manuel Gentiluomo)

17:30-19:00

Networking Reception

– An opportunity to connect with peers, discuss potential collaborations, and share insights

Optional Dinner with the group-TBC