Translational Cancer Research Conference 2026

Moderators:
Signe Borgquist, Department Chair, Clinical Professor, Department of Oncology, Aarhus University Hospital and Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University
Linn Gillberg, Assistant Professor, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Copenhagen

• Epigenetics
  Anja Groth, Professor, Group leader, Epigenome Replication and Maintenance, Danish Cancer Institute & Kirsten Grønbæk, Professor, Department of Haematology, Rigshospitalet
• Rare cancers
  Ninna Aggerholm Pedersen, Clinical Associate Professor, MD, Dep. Of Oncology, Aarhus University hospital/ Department of Clinical Research and Birgitte Sandfeld-Paulsen, MD PhD, Head of Department, Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Aalborg University Hospital
• Renalcancer
  Tommy Kjærgaard Nielsen, MD, PhD, Consultant, Head of Research, Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Renal and Urological Surgery, Aalborg University Hospital & Iben Lyskjær Heimann Associate Professor, PhD, Group leader, Department of Molecular Medicine, Aarhus University, MOMA
• Mechanisms of cancer drug resistance
  Henrik Ditzel, Professor, Head of Unit of Cancer Research, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Southern Den mark, Head of Research, Department of Oncology, Odense University Hospital & Marianne Vogsen, MD, PhD, Associate professor, Department of Oncology, Odense University Hospital
• Biologically guided radiation therapy
  Mikael Palner, Associate Professor, Head of Preclinical lmaging Core Facility, University of Southern Den mark & Faisal Mahmood, Professor, Research unit of Oncology, Odense University Hospital and Department of Clinical Research
• From Discovery to First-in-Human: Translating ADC Innovation into Clinical Trials
  Lars Engelholm, Group Leader, Associate Professor, Finsen Laboratory, Rigshospitalet & Ulrik lassen, Group Leader, Professor, Department of Oncology, Rigshospitalet

Moderators:
Henrik Ditzel, Professor, Head of Unit of Cancer Research, Department of Molecular Medicine, University
of Southern Denmark, Head of Research, Department of Oncology, Odense University Hospital
Malene Støchkel Frank, Chief Physician, Clinical Research Associate Professor, Department of Clinical Oncology and Palliative Care, Zealand University Hospital, Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen

• Whose Vision, Whose Ambition? Defining the Future of Danish Cancer Research
  Kristian Hel in, Professor, Chief Executive and President of The lnstitute of Cancer Research, London
• Preclinical animal models in cancer therapy
  Martin Roelsgaard Jakobsen, Professor, Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University
• Spatial transcriptomics and whole genome sequencing in high-grade serous ovarian cancer - insights into tumour evolution and early detection
  Ingrid Hedenfalk, Professor, Division of Oncology, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University Cancer Center, Sweden

Epigenetics in cancer

Moderotor:
Marta Cecylia Tapio, Postdoctoral Scientist, Finsen Laboratory, Rigshospitalet/Biotech Research and Innovation Centre (BRIC}, University of Copenhagen

• TET2-independent de-novo demethylation at distal regulatory elements activate a core set of 29 genes involved in cell proliferation and negative regulation of hematopoiesis to drive human and mouse MLL-AF9 leukemia
  Sachin Pundhir, Senior Scientist, Finsen Laboratory, Rigshospitalet/Biotech Research and Innovation Centre (BRIC), University of Copenhagen
• Inhibition of de novo Nucleosome Assembly - A new Strategy for Tumor Suppressor Desilencing in Cancer?
  Marcel Werner, Postdoc, Center for Epigenetic Cell Memory (EpiC), Epigenome Replication and Maintenance, Danish Cancer lnstitute and Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Copenhagen
• Tracing the origins of DNA methylation changes in cancer: inter-individual variation
  across genomic contexts Marina Salvadores Ferreiro, Postdoc, Danish Cancer Society Research Center, Danish Cancer Society and Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, University of Copenhagen

RNA dysregulation

Moderator:
Lasse Sommer Kristensen, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University

• Genome-wide profiling of lncRNAs in pediatric intracranial ependymomas identifies H19 as a novel pathogenic driver
  Stine Mary Vissing, PhD Student, Laboratory for Gene-Regulatory Mechanisms in Cancer, Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University
• A highly abundant circular RNA from the RMST locus plays a role in posterior fossa ependymoma pathogenesis
  Ulvi Ahmadov, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University
• The RNA epitranscriptome as a therapeutical target in MYC-driven oncogenesis
  Silvia Tucciarone, PhD Student, Biotech Research and Innovation Centre (BRIC), Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen
• ldentification and Characterization of Splice-derived T-cell Antigens in MDS and CLL
  Tommaso Ballocci, PhD Student, Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark (DTU)
• Transposable Element-Mediated Regulation of Spliceosomal RNU Genes in Multiple Myeloma
  Mostafa Khairy, PhD Student, Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University

Spatial biology & tumor microenvironment

Moderator:
Lasse Sommer Kristensen, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University

• IBSP+ Myeloid Cells Drive Hypoxia-lnduced Stress Tolerance and Malignant Progression in Glioblastoma
  Atul Anand, PhD, Postdoc, Department of Clinical Medicine and Biotech Research and Innovation Center (BRIC), University of Copenhagen
• Mass spectrometry-based spatial proteomics reveals differentially expressed proteins in the core and periphery of glioblastoma
  Kartikey Saxena, PhD Student, Biotech Research and Innovation Centre, University of Copenhagen
• Spatial transcriptomics reveals heterogeneity of tumour microenvironment interactions in adenocarcinomas
  Frederik Post, Postdoc, PhD, MSc, Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University

Biomarkers

Moderator:
Marianne Vogsen, MD, PhD, Associate professor, Department of Oncology, Odense University Hospital

• Assessment of the Prognostic Relevance of ICAM-1 and AURKA Expression in Follicular Lymphoma
  Cecilie Dohrmann, MSc Student, Department of Hematology, Aarhus University Hospital and Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University
• Towards a Blood-Based Diagnostic Model for Colorectal Cancer Using Extracellular Vesicle Biomarkers
  Malene Møller Jørgensen, Head of Research, Senior Scientist, Dr.Med., PhD, Department of Clinical lmmunology, Aalborg University Hospital and Department of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg University
• Liquid biomarkers from the tumor microenvironment track myCAF and fibrotic changes in pancreatic cancer patients treated with combined radioimmunotherapy (CheckPAC)
  Martin B. Rasmussen, MSc, PhD, Nordic Bioscience A/S
• Proteomic Profiling of Follicular Lymphoma to ldentify Correlation with Early Disease Progression (POD24)
  Caroline Maren Stengaard Jensen, MSc Student, Department of Hematology, Aarhus University Hospital and Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University

lmproving and predicting drug response in cancer

Moderator:
Marta Cecylia Tapio, Postdoctoral Scientist, Finsen Laboratory, Rigshospitalet/Biotech Research and Innovation Centre (BRIC}, University of Copenhagen

• Advancing cancer immunotherapy using thiopurines
  Daniela De Zio, Associate professor, Team Leader, Department of Cancer and Inflammation Research, lnstitute of Molecular Medicine, University of Southern Denmark and Cancer and Medicine, Danish Cancer lnstitute
• Aptamers for discovery of proteins predicting chemotherapy benefit in patients with pancreatic cancer
  Sofie lunden Jensen, PhD Student, MD, Department of Oncology, Aalborg University Hospital
• Evaluating subpopulation responses to guide the selection of combination therapies in medulloblastoma
  Jason Haw, PhD Student, Biotech Research and Innovation Centre (BRIC), University of Copenhagen
• Ebastine sensitizes bladder cancer cells to Enfortumab Vedotin-induced cell death
  Marja Jaattela, Professor, Head of the Cell Death and Metabolism Unit, Danish Cancer lnstitute
• ADAPT: Advanced molecular and Drug response profiling Aiming at Pediatric brain Tumors
  Oneka Perea Ariznabarreta, PhD Student, Biotech Research and Innovation Centre (BRIC), University of Copenhagen and Paediatric Oncology Research Laboratory (Bonkolab), Rigshospitalet

Clinical trials & novel treatment strategies

Moderator:
Marianne Vogsen, MD, PhD, Associate professor, Department of Oncology, Odense University Hospital

• Risk Stratified Breast Cancer Screening: Early Outcomes and Psychological lmpact from PRSONAL - a Randomized Clinical Trial
  Stig E. Bojesen, Clinical Professor, Chief Physician, Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen and Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Herlev Gentofte Hospital
• LP-184, an acylfulven, for PTGRl-Positive, DNA repair deficient, urothelial carcinoma in third line setting - a study protocol
  Helle Pappot, Clinical Professor, Consultant, DMSc, Department of Oncology, Rigshospitalet
• Lipid Nanoparticle-based Delivery of Gene Therapy Targeting the RUNXl::RUNXlTl Fusion Oncogene in Acute Myeloid Leukemia
  Johannes Frasez Sørensen, PhD Student, Department of Hematology, Aarhus University Hospital
• CRISPR-Cas9 as a novel gene therapy for treatment of KMT2A rearranged childhood leukemia
  Katharina Walter, MSc, PhD Student, Department of Hematology, Aarhus University Hospital and Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University