CANCER’S LEADING THINKERS. TOGETHER IN ONE ROOM. A YEAR OF GROUNDBREAKING CONVERSATIONS
UNDERSTANDING CANCER’S DIVERSITY FEBRUARY 27–MARCH 2
The year kicked off with a critical conversation about sex differences in cancer. Why do men and women develop different cancers at different rates? Why do they respond differently to the same treatments? Led by Dr. Defne Bayik and Dr. Amy Moran at the Hilton Denver Inverness, this Forum explored how understanding these differences can lead to more personalized, effective therapies for everyone.
LISTENING TO WHAT TUMORS DON’T SAY MARCH 27–30
Tumors are complex ecosystems. Beyond cancer cells, tumors are filled with supporting actors such as fibroblasts and immune cells that help cancers grow and resist treatment. The Asilomar Forum, chaired by Dr. Sara Zanivan and Dr. Max Mazzone, brought together international experts to decode the hidden conversations between these cells and discover how to disrupt them.
FORBECK TEAM AARON , JAMIE & MARLA
THE POWER PLANT PROBLEM APRIL 3–6 & MAY 15–18
Two separate Forums tackled mitochondria—the tiny powerhouses inside every cell. When these structures malfunction, they can fuel cancer’s growth. One Forum explored fundamental biology “from worms to patients” at Evin’s Mill, while another at Asilomar examined how targeting mitochondria might supercharge immunotherapy. These meetings represent a bet that understanding cellular energy could unlock entirely new treatment strategies. REWRITING THE CANCER PLAYBOOK THROUGHOUT THE YEAR Several Forums challenged how we think about cancer at its most fundamental level: • In May at The Mollie in Aspen, researchers examined how RNA molecules, the messengers between DNA and proteins, influence cancer’s behavior across multiple cancer types including pancreatic, breast, lung, and colorectal cancers. • At Ireland’s Dunboyne Castle in September, experts explored what happens when cancer cells refuse to die, hiding from treatment only to return later in a form that is resistant to therapy. • Another September gathering, at Italy’s Castello Dal Pozzo, focused on how the DNA within cancer cells is constantly changing, with major implications for aggressive forms of the disease like glioblastoma, neuroblastoma, and ovarian cancer. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) ENTERS THE LAB OCTOBER 19–22 Perhaps no Forum symbolized the future more than the AI meeting at The Mollie in Aspen. Dr. Peter Winter and Dr. Barbara Engelhardt led groundbreaking discussions on how artificial intelligence is transforming cancer research and drug discovery, potentially compressing years of laboratory work into months of computational analysis.
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