Dr. Alexandra Boitor, EACR Scientific Manager, gives a few of the highlights from Cancer Neuroscience (Bilbao, 14-16 October 2025).
Recent interdisciplinary research shows that the nervous system influences cancer in many ways, and vice versa. The EACR organised, on 14-16 October 2025, a conference on Cancer Neuroscience to explore the recent seminal discoveries in this exciting and rapidly evolving field of cancer research and how they can lead to new therapeutic concepts to target harmful neuro-cancer interactions.
Featuring an exceptional international faculty and extensive networking opportunities, the Cancer Neuroscience meeting brought together 280 participants from some of the biggest research institutes in Europe, the US, Australia and Canada, including 131 posters of which 6 poster spotlights, 7 proffered papers selected from the submitted abstracts, 15 renowned invited speakers and 2 keynote speakers. Through its Travel Grants programme, the EACR supported 5 researchers who needed financial assistance to attend the meeting. The EACR Travel Grant programme is designed to support Student and Early Career EACR members alongside EACR members based in countries with a low- or middle-income economy.
The talks and panel discussions at the conference aimed to facilitate a comprehensive approach to cancer biology by covering four main topic areas: the neural influences on cancer cells, the neural influences on the tumour environment, the influences of cancer (therapies) on the nervous system and the cancer-intrinsic neural mechanisms.
The conference debuted with a keynote lecture from Michelle Monje (Stanford University, US), who discussed ‘The Neuroscience of Brain Cancers’ and what it means from tumour progression to patient quality of life. The conversation at the conference expanded beyond brain cancers to include encouraging insights into a range of other cancer types. Keynote speaker Doug Hanahan (EPFL, Switzerland) presented his group’s latest research on the neuronal RNA-binding protein FMRP as a master regulator of the immuno-evasive tumour microenvironment, with examples spanning brain-metastatic breast and pancreatic cancers. Several other speakers further broadened the discussion: Humsa Vankatesh (Harvard Medical School, US) explored neural communication axes in small-cell lung cancer; Vera Thiel (DKFZ, Germany) examined how cancer-associated neurons shape the tumour microenvironment in pancreatic cancer; Erica Sloan (Monash University, Australia) discussed neural–tumour crosstalk in breast cancer progression and treatment response; Sebastien Talbot (Queen’s University, Canada) focused on neuro-immune crosstalk in melanoma; and Timothy Wang (Columbia University, US) highlighted interactions between nociceptive neurons and cancer cells in gastric cancer.
In addition to the valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms of neuron-cancer-microenvironment interactions, talks at the conference also highlighted outstanding technological advances. Worth mentioning here is the ‘trace-n-seq technology’ presented by Vera Thiel (DKFZ, Germany), which enables, for the first time, researchers to molecularly characterise peripheral neurons that infiltrate tumours in non-neuronal cancers. The need for new technologies in the study of cancer neurobiology—ranging from adapted electrophysiology and advanced imaging approaches to single-cell multiomics and AI-driven integration for a comprehensive 4D view —was also a central topic of enthusiasm during the panel discussion.
Other favourite topics of debate included the choice and use of cancer models—from determining which models are most appropriate and under what circumstances, to recognising the need for multi-model studies that address the same question in order to offset the inherent limitations of any single model. In addition, the conversations at this conference highlighted the urgent need to translate cancer neuroscience research into the clinic, a transition that presents major challenges, including the necessity to rethink and redesign how clinical trials are currently conducted.
The event received high praise for its excellent organisation, wide-ranging scientific programme, and valuable networking opportunities, with all participants saying they would recommend EACR events to others. “There were very high quality talks and data presented by both faculty and abstract presenters,” commented one respondent to our anonymous participant feedback survey, “Exciting to see leaders in the field present unpublished data and how they are thinking about new concepts.”
EACR Conferences
At the EACR we are dedicated to providing excellent cancer research conferences where the latest research topics and interaction for participants are the very highest priorities. Make sure you add the dates of the upcoming EACR Conferences to your diary now. Don’t forget we offer member discounts on all of our registration fees!
