TRANSPAN early career investigators’ workshop: Bridging Basic and Clinical Research in Pancreatic Cancer biomarkers

Fourth edition of the TRANSPAN early career investigators’ workshop. The workshop will provide an interactive platform focused on pancreatic cancer research, with the aim of defining current limitations and key challenges in translational research, particularly from the perspective of sample collection, processing, and data interpretation. It is designed to stimulate interdisciplinary discussion across clinical oncology, surgery, pathology, molecular biology, and related fields, while encouraging exchange between early-career researchers and experienced mentors. We also hope it will foster new international collaborations and help identify practical ways to better connect research approaches across disciplines.

Please register via the link: Application – TRANSPAN Early Career Investigators’ Workshop 2026 (Stránka 1 z 5) on or before the 30th of April 2026. We will inform applicants of their acceptance to the workshop by the 5th of May 2026.

MENTORS:

• DAVID J. HUGHES – Head of the Molecular Epidemiology of Cancer Group at the Conway Institute, University College Dublin, Ireland.

International expert in molecular epidemiology and cancer biomarkers

He trained in biochemistry at the University of Leeds and obtained his PhD in Medical Genetics at Queen´s University Belfast. During his career he worked at leading international institutions including WHO International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in Lyon, the Wellcome Sanger Institute in Cambridge, and Imperial College London. His researched focused on molecular epidemiology, biomarkers, and environmental and lifestyle determinants of cancer risk, including pancreatic cancer. Dr. Hughes leads large international cohort studies within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) and has authored more than 130 peer-reviewed publications in cancer epidemiology and biomarker research.

• Pinar Uysal-Onganer – Associate Professor/Reader in Cancer Molecular Biology at the University of Westminster, London.

Expert in cancer signalling and tumour biology

Pinar holds a PhD in Molecular Biology and Genetics and has built her academic career in the UK, focusing on molecular mechanisms that drive cancer initiation, progression, metastasis, and therapeutic resistance. Her research spans cancer signalling pathways and translational biomarker discovery, with the aim of improving cancer diagnosis and treatment. Dr Uysal-Onganer leads interdisciplinary collaborations that bridge basic and clinical cancer research, and contributes to precision oncology through peer-reviewed publications, international partnerships, and the mentorship of early-career scientists.

• Pavel SOUČEK – Head of the Laboratory of Toxicogenomics at the National Institute of Public Health in Prague and Professor at Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic.

Leading Czech expert in pharmacogenomics and molecular toxicology

He obtained his PhD in biochemistry and has built his career at the interface of molecular pharmacology, toxicogenomics, and cancer research. He completed several international research fellowships, including positions at Vanderbilt University (USA), Mount Sinai School of Medicine (USA), the Norwegian Radium Hospital in Oslo, and the University of Queensland in Australia, and participated in international collaborative projects investigating genetic susceptibility to cancer. Prof. Souček has authored more than 270 scientific publications, including over 250 papers in journals with impact factor, with nearly 8,000 citations. His research focuses on pharmacogenomics, mechanisms of carcinogenesis, and biomarkers predicting cancer risk and treatment response.

• Václav Liška- vice-dean for strategy and development, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University and Professor of Surgery at Charles University, Czech Republic.

Leading Czech expert in surgical oncology and pancreatic cancer treatment

He is a leading Czech surgical oncologist specializing in hepatopancreatobiliary surgery, and advanced gastrointestinal surgery. Prof. Liška has authored more than 170 peer-reviewed scientific publications, with over 1,800 citations and an H-index of approximately 20. His research focuses on multidisciplinary treatment strategies for gastrointestinal malignancies—particularly pancreatic cancer—combining advanced surgical techniques with modern systemic therapies. He is actively involved in international surgical and oncological collaborations, including activities within the European-African Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association and the European Society of Surgical Oncology, contributing to the development of modern surgical oncology and multidisciplinary cancer care.

• Riccardo Farinella – Post-Doctoral Researcher in Genetic Epidemiology at the University of Pisa, Italy.

Expert in pancreatic cancer genetic epidemiology and metagenomics

Riccardo holds a PhD in Biology (Genetics) from the University of Pisa, where his doctoral research focused on the integration of host genetics and microbiome data in early-life health. He completed research internships at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) in Heidelberg, applying Oxford Nanopore long-read sequencing to pharmacogenomic biomarker discovery in pancreatic cancer, and at the Catalan Institute of Oncology in Barcelona, where he conducted bioinformatic analyses of whole-metagenome shotgun sequencing data to investigate microbiome-cancer associations. In his current postdoctoral position, his research focuses on the identification of genomic and metagenomic determinants of pancreatic cancer susceptibility, as well as the development of computational pipelines for large-scale multi-omics data integration. His work integrates exposome (lifestyle, clinical, and health data), genomics (single-nucleotide and structural variants) and epigenetics, combined with statistical modelling. Dr. Farinella is an active member of the COST Action TRANSPAN network and contributes to the TRANSPAN Science Communication Task Force.

The Venue

Venue:  Café Kitchen
Lipenská 13, 779 00 Olomouc, Czech Republic.

The venue is easily accessible by public transport. It is located approximately 15 minutes on foot from the main railway station (1 km) and about 7 minutes on foot from the central bus station (400 m).

A Bolt taxi from the main railway station usually costs around 80 CZK (approximately 3 EUR). 

From Vienna International Airport, it is possible to reach Olomouc by direct bus connection (for example with RegioJet or FlixBus). The journey usually takes approximately 3 hours 25–40 minutes, depending on the connection. Tickets can be booked online here

From Prague, the easiest option is a direct train from Praha hlavní nádraží (Prague Main Railway Station) to Olomouc hlavní nádraží. Trains run very frequently (approximately every hour), and the journey takes about 2,5. Tickets can be purchased online via České dráhy or RegioJet.

For guests considering regional airports, Brno Airport currently offers direct flights mainly from London, Málaga, and Milan Bergamo, while Ostrava Airport has direct connections especially with Warsaw, London, Málaga, and Girona, with additional seasonal destinations depending on the period.