Cancer Evolution: From Genome to Ecology

Cancers are an evolving ecosystem of cells, and so knowledge of evolution and ecology is important for understanding both the basic science and the clinical management of cancer

This year’s Cancer Evolution: from Genome to Ecology conference will highlight recent advances in phenotypic plasticity, multicellularity of ageing and cancer, as well as developments in spatial biology and ecology. Modelling the evolution of cancer, including using machine learning methods, and extra chromosomal studies will also be a focus. Scientific presentations will be complemented by optional scientific illustration workshops.

The programme will also include presentations selected from abstracts submitted on the broad themes of the conference. Posters and poster-pitch talks will provide opportunities to present research findings or get feedback on ongoing projects.

This highly-interactive meeting will foster knowledge exchange among evolutionary biologists, ecologists, cancer researchers, clinicians and those from other disciplines who would like to learn about recent developments with application to cancer evolution and ecology. There will be plenty of opportunities to establish collaborations through face-to-face networking with inclusive meals, and optional on-site accommodation.

This conference is held in collaboration with the International Society for Evolution, Ecology and Cancer (ISEEC).

The conference will run from 12:55 BST on Wednesday 8 May 2024 until approximately 14:30 BST on Friday 10 May.

Discussions will focus on a variety of exciting topics, including:

• Modelling the Evolution of Cancer
• Ageing and Cancer
• Phenotypic Plasticity and Evolution of Therapeutic Resistance
• Spatial Biology and Ecology
• Multicellularity in Cancer
• Beyond the Genome

Scientific programme committee

Athena Aktipis
Arizona State University, USA

Rebecca Fitzgerald
University of Cambridge, UK

Moritz Gerstung
German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Germany

Carlo Maley
Arizona State University, USA

Confirmed speakers

James DeGregori (Keynote speaker) 
University of Colorado, USA

Rebecca Fitzgerald (Keynote speaker)
University of Cambridge, UK

Núria López-Bigas (Keynote speaker)
Institute for Research in Biomedicine Barcelona, Spain

David Fernandez Antoran
Fundación Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Aragón, Spain

Amy Boddy
University of California Santa Barbara, USA

Alex Cagan 
Wellcome Sanger Institute, UK

Trevor Graham
Institute of Cancer Research, UK

Michael Lässig 
University of Cologne, Germany

Laura Machesky 
University of Cambridge, UK

Christoph Plass
German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Germany

Raheleh Rahbari
Wellcome Sanger Institute, UK

Amanda Rossiter
University of Birmingham, UK

Maria Secrier
University College London, UK

Arne Traulsen
Max-Planck-Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Germany

José Tubío
Center for Research in Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases, Spain

Organisers - Wellcome Connecting Science

Mel Sharpe – event logistics
Jane Murphy – programme development

Registration deadline:  Extended to 16 April 2024 (in person) | 30 April 2024 (virtual)

Deadlines close at 23.59 BST.

The in-person registration fee includes:

• Full access to scientific programme: oral and poster presentations, and networking on campus
• Access to the online conference portal to network with online participants
• Meals (lunch and dinner) and refreshments during the conference. Breakfast will be provided for delegates who have booked onsite accommodation.
• Recordings of the live-stream sessions, which will be available ‘on-demand’ for four weeks after the event ends

Virtual registration fee includes:

• Access to the virtual event portal (Log in details will be emailed a few days before the event starts)
• Live-stream sessions, including posters and online networking channels
• Recordings of the live-stream sessions, available ‘on-demand’ for four weeks after the event ends.

* To promote more inclusive scientific discussions with international colleagues at our conferences, virtual delegates based in Lower and Middle-Income Countries can register for free (see list of countries here).

If you are an editor or journalist, please contact the conference organiser for more information about the discounted fee.

Accommodation

Booked accommodation is for the nights of 8 and 9 May 2024.
Please note: there is limited onsite accommodation and this will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis; therefore, early registration is recommended. If you wish to book campus accommodation either side of the conference dates, please contact the Hinxton Hall Conference Centre directly.

Accommodation services phishing scam – please be vigilant. More information.

Travel visas

Citizens of many countries can travel to the UK for a course without needing a visa.
Please check the UK government website for visitor information
https://www.gov.uk/standard-visitor. 

Confirmed attendees requiring a letter to support a visa application should contact the conference organiser.

Financial assistance/ bursary deadline: Although the deadline has passed, applications submitted before 12 March 2024 at 23.59 GMT will be considered.

Registration bursaries (usually 50% of the registration fee) are available to attend this conference in person. Priority will be given to early carer researchers who are facing financial barriers.

To apply, use the dedicated bursary application link on the registration site.

Please be prepared to explain why you are applying for funding and to answer questions about your work. Submit your application before the bursary deadline to ensure it is considered.

Additional funding opportunities
Visit our support page for information on financial support, including carer grants to help delegates with the costs of caring for children or dependent family members while attending a course or a conference.

Abstract deadline has now passed.

We welcome abstracts from all areas relevant to the main themes of the meeting, for both oral and poster presentations. Several oral presentations will be chosen from the abstracts submitted. Presenters of oral presentations are expected to be onsite for the duration of the conference, whereas those presenting posters can do so in person or virtually.

Abstracts will only be considered from registered delegates. Please use our online abstract submission system and follow the instructions given to ensure your abstract is submitted correctly. All abstracts must be submitted by the deadline. You can make changes to your submitted abstract before of the deadline by logging into your account and following the instructions.

If you have already completed your registration and subsequently wish to submit an abstract, or wish to submit a second abstract, please follow these instructions.

The scientific programme committee will assess your abstract after the deadline has passed and you will be notified whether you have been selected to present an oral or poster presentation.

Poster boards onsite will accommodate 118 cm high by 84 cm wide (A0-portrait) of printed material. Accepted abstracts will appear in the conference programme book; poster board numbers will be allocated at the conference. All those accepted for a poster presentation will be given the opportunity to upload a short video describing their work.

If you are interested in supporting this meeting, please contact us.

For more information about the benefits of having a presence at this meeting, see our sponsorship page.

Feedback from our previous Evolution and Ecology of Cancer conference:

‘Outstanding science shared by great scientists in a pleasant and friendly environment’.

‘Excellent meeting! I liked that the meeting was very interdisciplinary and that there was a single site, so that everyone saw all talks–rather than split up in multiple concurrent sessions’.

‘Small size, no parallel sessions – all the talks were fantastic’.

‘Thanks to the presenters who have shown their unpublished work’.

‘The long breaks in between gave a great opportunity to network with other scientists and to refresh our minds, so that it was easier to concentrate for the next talks’.