Welcome to AEK Congress 2027 - Cancer in Context: Evolution, Plasticity and Therapeutic Vulnerabilitites

Cancer progresses through genetic evolution, cellular plasticity and dynamic interactions with its environment. With invited keynote speakers Christian Frezza (Cologne), Florian Rambow (Essen) and Andreas Trumpp (Heidelberg), this meeting explores how metabolic reprogramming, stem cell programs, and immune and neuronal communication shape tumor progression and treatment resistance. Six complementary symposia connect these biological processes with molecular mechanisms, artificial intelligence and cellular therapies. A central question unites these perspectives: how can understanding cancer’s capacity to adapt reveal opportunities to intervene? Spanning intracellular regulation and tumor ecosystems, the program connects fundamental discovery with translational strategies to identify and exploit therapeutic vulnerabilities.