Translational Cancer Research Conference – Integration of basic and clinical perspectives
We are excited to announce the return of this annual conference — an excellent opportunity to connect with a vibrant community of scientists from both basic and clinical perspectives and to engage in meaningful discussions.
The main purpose of the conference is to increase visibility across the various local research environments while exploring how the connection and integration between basic and clinical cancer research can be strengthened. We hope that the conference can contribute to a more distinct national dimension in translational cancer research and ultimately generate more translational studies.
The conference is open to all researchers working within the field of translational cancer research. As the working language in this field in Denmark is English, the conference will be conducted in English.
Organisers: DCCC – Danish Comprehensive Cancer Center & DSCF - Danish Association for Cancer Research.
- Date: 2 March 2027
- Location: Radisson Blu Scandinavia Hotel in Copenhagen.
- Registration: Further information regarding registration will follow
- Programme 2027: To be announced
We hope to see you on 2 March 2027 at the Radisson Blu Scandinavia Hotel in Copenhagen.
Organising committee
Claus Lindbjerg Andersen, Professor, Aarhus University and Aarhus University Hospital, Department of Molecular Medicine
Karen Dybkjær Sørensen, Professor, Aalborg University Hospital, Hematology research laboratory,
Lars Engelholm, Associate Professor, Rigshospitalet, Finsen Laboratory and Chair og the Danish Association for Cancer Research
Mike Barnkob, Assistant Professor, Odense University Hospital, Department of Clinical Immunology
Niels Fristrup, Associate Professor, Aarhus University and Aarhus University Hospital, Department of Oncology
Translational Cancer Research Conference 2026
Translational cancer research Conference - Integration of basic and clinical perspectives on 25 February 2026 at the Danish Architecture Centre in Copenhagen:
09:15 AM
Arrival and breakfast
09:45 AM
Welcome & Opening Keynote Speech
Targeting DNA Methylation in Cancer
Peter Jones, Distinguished Professor, PhD, DSc, Van Andel lnstitute
10:20 AM
Session 1: Integration of basic and clinical perspective
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
12:20 AM
Lunch and networking
01:00 PM
Session 2: A continuum from research discoveries to clinical application - Leading basic and translational cancer research
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
02:10 PM
Coffee break and networking
02:35 PM
Session 3: Flash Talks - based on submitted abstracts
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
05:10 PM
Walk to restaurant. Frankies Pizza, Nygade 6, 1. Sal, 1164 Indre By
05:30 PM
Networking and dinner
Organizing committee 2026
- Henrik Ditzel, Professor, Head of Unit of Cancer Research, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Southern Denmark.
Head of Research, Department of Oncology, Odense Univeristy Hospital. - Kirsten Grønbæk, Director, Danish Research Center for Precision Medicine in Blood Cancer. Professor, Department of Haematology, Rigshospitalet & Biotech Research and Innovation Centre (BRIC).
- Signe Borgquist, Department Chair, Clinical Professor, Department of Oncology, Aarhus University Hospital & Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University
- Lasse Sommer Kristensen, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University
- Marianne Vogsen, MD, PhD, Associate professor, Department of Oncology, Odense University Hospital.
- Marta Cecylia Tapia, Postdoctoral Scientist, Finsen Laboratory, Rigshospitalet/Biotech Research and Innovation Centre (BRIC), University of Copenhagen.