EMBO Workshop: Cancer immunometabolism

29 November – 1 December 2021 | Sitges, Barcelona, Spain

Tumor cells undergo metabolic changes to cope with the demands of rapid proliferation. But so do immune cells, which reprogram their metabolism when they encounter antigens and inflammatory signals. Drugs targeting cancer metabolism, as well as diets, could therefore also affect the immune system. Yet, if and to what extent cancer and immune cells respond in a similar fashion is currently unclear.

This EMBO Workshop will focus on the multiple interactions of cancer, the immune system, and systemic and cellular metabolism. We will discuss how metabolic disease – including diabetes and obesity – promotes cancer and inflammation. We will evaluate how the low nutrient, hypoxic cancer microenvironment contributes to perpetuating inflammation and even promote metastasis, and which pathways we should target to avoid this. We will discuss the effects of anti-metabolic drugs on tumor cells and also on macrophages and effector immune cells, in order to understand how to better target the tumor while enhancing immune surveillance. Another important aspect will be to orient efforts regarding immunotherapy, in terms of clarifying whether selective diets or anti-metabolic drugs may improve or hamper the effects of checkpoint inhibitors.

Early-Bird registration deadline: 15 August 2021
Application deadline: 1 November 2021
Abstract submission deadline: 24 September 2021

Contact: Cristina Muñoz-Pinedo META-CAN@IDIBELL.CAT

Event website: meetings.embo.org/event/21-cancer