THE FIRST CAIXARESEARCH INSTITUTE INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM

CaixaResearch Institute International Symposium on Cancer Immunology

From Cellular States to Tumor–Immune Ecosystems

20–21 January 2027

CosmoCaixa Science Museum, Barcelona

A forum for the future of cancer immunology

The CaixaResearch Institute International Symposium on Cancer Immunology will bring together leading international researchers to discuss the latest advances in our understanding of tumour–immune interactions, from the fundamental mechanisms governing immune surveillance and evasion to the development of next-generation therapeutic strategies.

Across two days, the symposium will provide a forum for scientific exchange and discussion around emerging discoveries, technologies and approaches that are redefining cancer immunology and shaping the future of cancer treatment.

Programme

All times are in CET. Programme subject to change.

08:30–08:45

Welcome and Opening Remarks

Symposium Organizers (Gabriel Rabinovich, Josep Tabernero, Javier Carmona)

08:45–09:30

Opening Keynote – James P Allison, James P. Allison Institute, MD Anderson Cancer Center

Immune Checkpoint Blockade in Cancer Immunotherapy: Mechanistic insights to provide new therapeutic opportunities.

Session 1

CHAIR: JIM ALLISON

09:30–10:05

Caetano Reis e Sousa, The Francis Crick Institute

Immune evasion in metastatic colorectal cancer

10:05–10:40

Toni Celià-Terrassa, Hospital del Mar Research Institute

LCOR Connects Cancer Cell States to T-Cell Responses and Immunotherapy

10:40–11:10

Coffee Break

Session 2

CHAIR: PADMANEE SHARMA

11:10–11:45

Padmanee Sharma, James P. Allison Institute, MD Anderson Cancer Center

Immune Checkpoint Therapy: Evaluating Human Immune Responses to Identify Mechanisms of Response & Resistance

11:45–12:20

Sergio Quezada, University College London

Identification and Characterisation of a Novel Immunogenicity Checkpoint in Cancer Cells

12:20–12:55

Michael Platten, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ)

Deconvoluting and harnessing T cell responses to brain tumors

12:55–13:30

Alena Gros, Vall d’Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO)

Advancing Personalized T-Cell Therapies and Tumor Antigen Discovery

13:30–14:30

Lunch

Session 3

CHAIR: SEBASTIÁN AMIGORENA

14:30–15:05

Sebastián Amigorena, Institut Curie

The dark immunoproteome in cancer

15:05–15:40

Francisco Martínez-Jiménez, Vall d’Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO)

Functional-immune trade-offs of human missense variants

15:40–16:15

Roser Vento-Tormo, Wellcome Sanger Institute

Tissue biology through the lens of women’s health

16:15–17:00

Closign Keynote – Antoni Ribas, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)

Targeted immunotherapy with PD-1 blockade

Session 4

CHAIR: JOHANNA JOYCE

08:30–09:05

Johanna Joyce, Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University of Lausanne

Unraveling the Complexity of Cancer Ecosystems

09:05–09:40

Lela Akkari, Netherlands Cancer Institute

Niche and Ontogeny Rewire Macrophage Metabolic Plasticity in the Brain Tumor Ecosystem

09:40–10:15

María Casanova, Spanish National Cancer Research Center (CNIO)

Myeloid cells as temporal architects of the tumor microenvironment

10:15–10:50

Direna Alonso-Curbelo, Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona)

When Tissues Decide: Epigenetic Plasticity at the Crossroads of Inflammation and Cancer

10:50–11:20

Coffee Break

Session 5

CHAIR: IGNACIO MELERO

11:20–11:55

Ignacio Melero, CIMA Universidad de Navarra

On 4.1BB and GDF-15 in combined cancer immunotherapies

11:55–12:30

Santiago Zelenay, Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute

Inflammatory determinants of tumour immunity and immune escape

12:30–13:05

Héctor Huerga Encabo, CaixaResearch Institute

Clonal hematopoiesis shapes tissue immunity in inflammation and cancer

13:05–14:05

Lunch

Session 6

CHAIR: GABRIEL RABINOVICH

14:05–14:40

David Sancho, Spanish National Center for Cardiovascular Research (CNIC)

Harnessing Dendritic Cells for Cancer Immunotherapy

14:40–15:15

Eduard Batlle, Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona)

Dendritic cells in cancer immunity

15:15–15:50

Juan R Cubillos-Ruiz, Weill Cornell Medicine – Cornell University

Decoding and Intercepting Organelle Stress in Intratumoral Immune Cells

15:50–16:25

Gabriel Rabinovich, CaixaResearch Institute

A Sweet Challenge: Reprogramming the Tumor Microenvironment by Targeting Glyco-Immune Circuits

16:25–16:45

Symposium closing remarks and departure

Organisers

Gabriel Rabinovich

CaixaResearch Institute

VIEW PROFILE

Josep Tabernero

Vall d’Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO)

VIEW PROFILE

Javier Carmona

Vall d’Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO)

VIEW PROFILE

Speakers

Jim Allison

James P. Allison Institute, MD Anderson Cancer Center

VIEW PROFILE

Eduard Batlle

Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona)

VIEW PROFILE

Toni Celià-Terrassa

Hospital del Mar Research Institute

VIEW PROFILE

Padmanee Sharma

James P. Allison Institute, MD Anderson Cancer Center

VIEW PROFILE

Sergio Quezada

University College London

VIEW PROFILE

Michael Platten

German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ)

VIEW PROFILE

Alena Gros

Vall d’Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO)

VIEW PROFILE

Sebastian Amigorena

Institut Curie

VIEW PROFILE

Francisco Martínez-Jiménez

Vall d’Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO)

VIEW PROFILE

Roser Vento-Tormo

Wellcome Sanger Institute

VIEW PROFILE

Johanna Joyce

Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, University of Lausanne

VIEW PROFILE

Leila Akkari

Netherlands Cancer Institute (NKI)

VIEW PROFILE

Maria Casanova

Spanish National Cancer Research Center (CNIO)

VIEW PROFILE

Direna Alonso-Curbelo

Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona)

VIEW PROFILE

Ignacio Melero

CIMA Universidad de Navarra

VIEW PROFILE

Santiago Zelenay

Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute

VIEW PROFILE

Héctor H Encabo

CaixaResearch Institute

VIEW PROFILE

David Sancho

Spanish National Center for Cadriovascular Research (CNIC)

VIEW PROFILE

Caetano Reis e Sousa

The Francis Crick Institute

VIEW PROFILE

Juan R Cubillos-Ruiz

Weill Cornell Medicine – Cornell University

VIEW PROFILE

Gabriel Rabinovich

CaixaResearch Institute

VIEW PROFILE

Antoni Ribas

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)

Registration

Join leading researchers and clinicians for two days of scientific exchange in Barcelona.

At ”la Caixa” Foundation Science Campus

The symposium will take place at CosmoCaixa Science Museum, located next to the CaixaResearch Institute in Barcelona. Together, they form the ”la Caixa” Foundation’s Science Campus, a unique environment that brings together scientific research and public engagement, fostering new connections between science and society.

CosmoCaixa Science Museum

C/ Isaac Newton, 26
08022 Barcelona, Spain

HOW TO GET THERE OPEN IN GOOGLE MAPS

About the CaixaResearch Institute

The CaixaResearch Institute is a research centre promoted by the ”la Caixa” Foundation dedicated to advancing the understanding of the immune system and its role in health and disease.

With immunology at its core, the Institute studies how the immune system contributes to the onset and progression of cancer, infections, neurological disorders and autoimmune conditions, while also exploring how environmental exposures affect human health.

EXPLORE MORE