IMMUNO - ONCOLOGY
HONG KONG 2026
7 - 8 November, 2026
Hybrid Meeting @ Kerry Hotel, Hong Kong
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Welcome
On behalf of the organizing and scientific committees, it is a great pleasure to welcome you to the 31st Annual Scientific Symposium of the Hong Kong Cancer Institute: Immuno-Oncology Hong Kong 2026. This biennial symposium is co-organized by the Department of Clinical Oncology and the Hong Kong Cancer Institute in conjunction with State Key Laboratory of Translational Oncology at The Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Continuing the success of our last IOHK 2024, we are delighted to announce that IOHK 2026 will take place on 7 & 8 November, 2026 and will accommodate delegates to join the conference physically and virtually. This year we have the wealth of information for you with the recent developments of immunotherapy across multi-tumour sites, including lung cancer, liver cancer, GI cancer and GU Malignancy, Small Cell Lung Cancer, Head and Neck Cancer, Hepatocellular and Pancreatic Cancer, Lung Cancer (NSCLC) and Phase 1 Development. So, we have speakers all over the world, Asia, Europe and USA, to provide you with the best information.
We expect to attract over 400 attendees joining the physical event from across the world and over 500 attendees joining virtually. Your participation is pivotal to our cause. We hope this meeting will bring you new insights into the development of immunotherapies for cancer patients.
So, welcome you and please come to enjoy the cuisine in Hong Kong and our hospitality.
Professor Anthony CHAN
Director, Hong Kong Cancer Institute
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Professor Tony MOK
Chairman, Department of Clinical Oncology
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
* Speakers are listed in alphabetical order by last name.
Register for Conference
Seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis, while seats last
Deadline: 2 November 2026
Deadline: 2 November 2026
Seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis, while seats last.
Deadline: 2 November 2026
Deadline: 6 November 2026
Abstract submission
Deadline: 7 September 2026
Welcome to Hong Kong
Location & Avenue
Welcome to the vibrant city of Hong Kong, the chosen desination of the Immuno-Oncology Hong Kong 2026 (IOHK 2026)! As the host city for this prestigious event, Hong Kong eagerly awaits your arrival and promises an unforgettable experience! Prepare to be captivated by the city's energy, embrace its diverse culture, and indulge in its culinary delights as we embark on this remarkable scientific journey together.
Conference
Venue
Kerry Hotel,
Hong Kong
Hong Kong
With pride of place on Kowloon’s vibrant waterfront, at the heart of Hung Hom Bay, Kerry Hotel is an urban lifestyle resort offering guests unique dining concepts, extraordinary spaces and spectacular harbour views. The hotel is only steps away from Tsim Sha Tsui East shopping district. With the Whampoa MTR Station on its doorstep, the hotel is seamlessly connected to the rest of Hong Kong.
Conference
Details
Kerry Hotel,
Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Conference Date:
7 - 8 November 2026 (Sat & Sun)
Time:
9:00 - 17:00
Venue:
The Ballroom, Level 2, Kerry Hotel, Hong Kong
Address:
38 Hung Luen Road, Hung Hom Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong
DIAMOND
SPONSORS
Contact Us
Please send your enquiry via email to
the Conference Secretariat at
[email protected].
 | Prof. Aaron Hansen University of Queensland Australia Aaron Hansen is the Medical Director of Cancer Services at the Princess Alexandra Hospital (PAH), the Director of Clinical Trials at the Translational Research Institute (TRI), Professor at the Mayne School of Medicine, University of Queensland and Consultant Medical Oncologist at Greenslopes Private Hospital in Brisbane Australia. Prior to this, he was a staff medical oncologist at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto, Canada, where he worked in the drug development phase I program and was lead for genitourinary (GU) cancers. He serves on multiple committees for ANZUP and is a member of the AP Genitourinary Cancer Consortium (APGUCC). His career focuses on clinical trials and developing new therapies for cancer patients. Prof Hansen has led numerous clinical trials, published over 220 papers, and received multiple research awards. He is recognized internationally for his expertise in drug development and GU tumors. |
 | Dr. Arsela Prelaj Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori di Milano Italy She is a Consultant Medical Oncologist specializing in thoracic malignancies at the Thoracic Unit of Istituto Nazionale Tumori di Milano in Italy since 2018. She completed her residency in Medical Oncology at Sapienza University, Policlinico Umberto I Hospital in Rome, Italy. During her training, she was awarded the ESMO Clinical Unit Visit in 2017 and spent time at The Christie Hospital in Manchester in the Lung Cancer Division. Over the past seven years, her research has primarily focused on thoracic malignancies, particularly non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and translational immunotherapy. She recently earned a Ph.D. in Bioengineering and Artificial Intelligence from Politecnico di Milano. She serves as the principal investigator for multiple international clinical trials and is actively involved in coordinating various national and international grant applications in the field of thoracic malignancies and immunotherapy. As the head of the AI-ON-Lab (Artificial Intelligence for Oncology Lab) at Istituto Nazionale Tumori of Milano, she is responsible for leading research and development in the application of AI in oncology. Furthermore, she has been appointed as the Responsible for INT's Research Line 4 program, which focuses on big data, clinical research, healthcare, and outcome research. She is an esteemed member of the ESMO Working Group on Real-World Data and Digital Health, and her expertise in AI has led to collaborations with ESMO starting in 2021. She is leading many EU and National projects: I3LUNG, a 10-million project, APOLLO 11, BuonMarrow (4-million, Bone Marrow-on-Chip). She is PI of the SHAIPED EU project focus on health data body access. Finally, she is the President of the new founded European Interdisciplinary Society of AI in Cancer Research (ESAC). She is an ESMO, ASCO, AACR, IASLC and AIOM member and faculty member at many congresses on AI. |
 | Prof. Bhumsuk Keam Seoul National University Hospital Republic of Korea Bhumsuk Keam, MD, PhD, is a medical oncologist at Seoul National University Hospital (SNUH) and a Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at Seoul National University College of Medicine. He earned his Medical Degree and his Ph.D. in Internal Medicine from Seoul National University. Dr. Keam's primary research focuses on head and neck cancer, early-phase (Phase I) clinical trials, immuno-oncology, and translational research. As a principal investigator, he leads numerous clinical trials investigating novel targeted therapies and immune checkpoint inhibitors for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, salivary gland cancers, and non- small cell lung cancer. In the realm of translational research, Dr. Keam is highly active in precision oncology. He is currently exploring the complexities of the tumor microenvironment, notably utilizing artificial intelligence-powered spatial analysis of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes to discover predictive biomarkers for treatment efficacy. Beyond medical interventions, Dr. Keam is deeply committed to the holistic treatment of cancer patients, conducting significant research into palliative medicine, clinical ethics, advance care planning, and improving the quality of end- of-life care. Dr. Keam is an internationally recognized leader in oncology, having published over 300 peer-reviewed papers with an H-index of 70 and over 22,000 citations. His leadership roles span prominent domestic and international organizations. He serves as the Chair of the Head and Neck Cancer Division for the Korean Cancer Study Group (KCSG), is a member of the ESMO Public Policy Committee, and serves on the Japanese Society of Medical Oncology (JSMO) International Committee. He has also authored several guidebooks to help cancer patients navigate their diagnosis and treatment, and is authoring a scientific book on chemotherapy and tumor biology. Looking to the future, Dr. Keam is focused on advancing precision oncology through a highly multi-disciplinary approach to head and neck cancers. His upcoming trajectory centers on integrating genomic medicine and spatial transcriptomics to overcome resistance to immunotherapies and perfectly tailor treatments for recurrent, rare, and hard-to-treat cancers. Furthermore, he aims to seamlessly bridge the gap between rigorous scientific innovation and compassionate patient care, expanding global clinical trial networks to elevate the standard of cancer treatment. |
 | Prof. Daniel Tan National Cancer Centre Singapore Singapore Professor Tan is the head of the Division of Clinical Trials and Epidemiological Sciences and a senior consultant in the Division of Medical Oncology at the National Cancer Centre Singapore (NCCS). He also serves as a professor at Duke-NUS Medical School and a senior clinician-scientist at the Genome Institute of Singapore. He leads the Experimental Cancer Therapeutics Unit (ECRU) at the NCCS, one of Asia’s largest Phase I units. He is also the Principal Investigator of the Cancer Therapeutics Research Laboratory at NCCS focused on developing representative patient-derived preclinical models to study drug response and resistance. He currently serves as the principal investigator of the National Medical Research Council (“NMRC”) Lung Cancer Large Collaborative Grant in Singapore (2025-2029 and previously 2019–2023) and chairs the Asian Thoracic Oncology Research Group, a regional platform for translational research and clinical trials. He is also currently a director of Epoch Biosciences Pte. Ltd. He has contributed to over 200 peer-reviewed articles in journals such as Nature, Nature Medicine, and The Lancet Oncology. Professor Tan holds a Bachelor of Science with first-class honors in tumor biology from University College London, a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery from St Bartholomew’s and the Royal London School of Medicine and Dentistry, and a PhD from the National University of Singapore. He is a member of the Royal College of Physicians of the United Kingdom and serves in leadership roles in global oncology, including Chair of the IASLC Education Committee. |
 | Prof. David Pianto Imperial College London United Kingdom Dr David J. Pinato is a Clinician Scientist and Consultant Medical Oncologist working within the Department of Surgery and Cancer at Imperial College in London. He is Director of Developmental Cancer Therapeutics at Imperial College, where he leads a translational research program focusing on the early clinical implementation of novel experimental anticancer therapies to the clinic, with particular emphasis on anti-cancer immunotherapy. He has led the inception of a portfolio of first-in-class studies of immune checkpoint inhibitors in liver cancer, which has represented David’s focus of research since graduation with highest honours at the University of Piemonte Orientale "A. Avogadro" in Novara, Italy. David’s group has made significant contributions to the understanding of host mechanisms underpinning response to anti-cancer immunotherapy. David completed his research training being awarded a Masters of Research in Translational Medicine and a Ph.D. in Clinical and Experimental Medicine. David’s Ph.D. research focused on inflammation as a pathogenic and prognostic mechanism in liver cancer. Since his graduation, David matured his clinical skills attending several academic institutions in Europe including the University Hospital in Zürich, the Medical University in Vienna and the University of Ioannina in Greece. He completed his core medical training across some of the busiest acute hospitals in London, being elected member of the Royal College of Physicians (MRCP) in 2014. He has trained in Medical Oncology as part of the Royal Marsden Hospital rotation, having migrated to Imperial College in April 2015 to take up a Clinical Lectureship funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). In 2018 David was awarded a Clinician Scientist fellowship funded by the Wellcome Trust Strategic Fund centered on the development of immunotherapy in liver cancer. Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) is the most frequently occurring primary liver tumour that currently ranks 5th by incidence and 3rd by mortality on a global scale. David's studies, supported by international collaborations, have led to the qualification of novel prognostic and predictive biomarkers in HCC, which have been published in leading journals in the field including the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Annals of Oncology, Hepatology and many others. In 2022 David was promoted Clinical Reader in Medical Oncology. David's research efforts in liver cancer have been recognized with the prestigious EASL Emerging Leader Award in 2023. David was three time recipient of a Merit Award from the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in 2016, 2017, 2019 as well as a fourth Merit Award jointly awarded by ASCO and by the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) in 2019. David is also a recipient of the ASCO Global Oncology Young Investigator Award 2019 in recognition of his research on HIV-associated hepatocellular cancer. David was also awarded a prize by the British Society of Pharmacology in 2018, the Sylvia Lawler Prize in Oncology from the Royal Society of Medicine in 2016, the European School of Oncology fellowship in 2008 and the Fulbright Visiting Research Scholar Fellowship for 2010/2011. David lectures internationally in the field of molecular oncology with a specific interest in HCC and acts as a reviewer for a number of peer-reviewed journals including The Lancet, Cancer Discovery, Hepatology, Journal of Hepatology, Oncogene, Gut and many others. He has acted as peer reviewer for a number of grant awarding bodies including the MRC, Breast Cancer Now and Cancer Research UK. |
 | Dr. Giannis Mountzios Henry Dunant Hospital Center Greece Giannis Mountzios is the Director of the 4 th Oncology Department and Clinical Trials Unit at the Henry Dunant Hospital Center in Athens, Greece and a Scientific Instructor in medical oncology at the University of Athens School of Medicine, Athens. Dr Mountzios obtained his MD from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in 1998 and graduated from the Hellenic Military Medical Academy in the same year. He completed his residency in internal medicine at the Airforce General Hospital of Athens and in medical oncology at the University of Athens School of Medicine, “Alexandra” University Hospital. He then obtained an MSc in translational and clinical research in oncology from the Institut Gustave-Roussy and the University Paris XI (Paris-Sud), France in 2005 and became board-certified in medical oncology in 2009. He obtained his PhD in thoracic oncology from the University of Athens School of Medicine. Dr Mountzios has served as a member of the Young Medical Oncologists’ Committee and Chair of the Adolescents and Young Adults (AYA) working group of the Educational Committee of the European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO). He has also served as a member of the board of directors of the Hellenic Society for Medical Oncology (HeSMO) where he was also Chair of the Young Medical Oncologist’s Association. He currently serves as member of the Educational Publications Working Group of ESMO and member of the ESMO Lung Cancer Faculty, as well as member of the Career Development working group of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC). He was the main editor of the Guide for AYA with Cancer, the Handbook of Supportive and Palliative Care and the Thoracic Essentials of ESMO publications. and has published more than 140 articles in peer-reviewed journals as the first or participating author, including The New England Journal of Medicine, Lancet, Cell, Nature Medicine, Nature Reviews Clinical Oncology, Journal of Clinical Oncology, Annals of Oncology, and Clinical Cancer Research. |
 | Prof. Hai Qiang Mai Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center China Assistant to the Dean, Director of the Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Department, Secretary of the General Party Branch for Faculty and Students of the Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Department, Professor and Doctoral Supervisor. Dr. Mai is a recipient of the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars, a selected expert of the National High-level Talent Support Program, a Young and Middle-aged Leading Scientist in Science and Technology Innovation recognized by the Ministry of Science and Technology, a Young Oncologist of China, a New Century Excellent Talent of the Ministry of Education, a Guangdong Provincial Leading Talent in Science and Technology Innovation, a Guangdong Provincial Leading Medical Talent, and a winner of the Fulang Award of Sun Yat-sen University.He currently holds multiple academic posts: Chair of the Integrated Rehabilitation Committee for Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma under the Chinese Anti-Cancer Association; Member of the Academic Committee of the Proton Therapy Center at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center; Vice Chair of the Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Quality Control Expert Committee of the National Cancer Center; Standing Committee Member of the Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Committee of the Chinese Anti-Cancer Association; Standing Committee Member of the Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Expert Committee of the Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology (CSCO); and Chair of the Precision Therapy Committee for Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma under the Guangdong Clinical Medicine Association.His primary research focuses on individualized multidisciplinary therapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma. As the first or corresponding author, he has published over 100 SCI papers in top-tier medical and oncology journals, including JAMA, Nature Medicine, The Lancet Oncology, Journal of Clinical Oncology, and JAMA Oncology. Six of his research findings have been incorporated into international clinical guidelines such as the NCCN and ASCO guidelines, advancing the development of individualized multidisciplinary treatment for nasopharyngeal carcinoma. As a key contributor, he has been awarded two Second Prizes of the National Science and Technology Progress Award and one First Prize of the Science and Technology Award from the Chinese Anti-Cancer Association. |
 | Dr. Herbert Loong The Chinese University of Hong Kong Hong Kong SAR, China Associate Professor (Clinical), Department of Clinical Oncology Medical Director (Oncology), Phase 1 Clinical Trial Centre The Chinese University of Hong Kong Consultant (Honorary), Department of Clinical Oncology, Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong Dr. Herbert H. Loong holds conjoint appointments of Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Clinical Oncology and Medical Director (Oncology) of the Phase 1 Clinical Trials Centre of The Chinese University of Hong Kong. Dr. Loong obtained his medical degree with a Distinction in Surgery from The University of Hong Kong in 2003. He has completed a Fellowship in Drug Development at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto, Canada with a focus on Experimental Therapeutics. His clinical and research interests include Thoracic Oncology and Sarcoma Medical Oncology. He was elected as a Fellow of ASCO (FASCO) in 2024. Dr. Loong is a recipient of the European Cancer Congress Fellowship Grant (2013), the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting Merit Award (2014), the Hong Kong College of Physicians Young Investigators’ Award (2014). Dr. Loong led the Lung Cancer Team at CUHK to be bestowed the IASLC Foundation Cancer Care Team Award in recognition for providing the best thoracic oncology care in “Asia & Rest of the World” in 2018. In recent years, Dr. Loong has co-founded the Asia Pacific Oncology Drug Development Consortium (APODDC) and the Asia Pacific Coalition Against Lung Cancer (APCLC). Dr. Loong has served or continues to serve in various capacities in various professional international oncology bodies, including the International Affairs Committee (IAC) and the Asia-Pacific Regional Council of ASCO. After completing his role as the Chair of the IAC of ASCO (2024-25), He current serves as the Immediate Past Chair (2025-2026). He has also served in the Membership, Education and Communications Committees of the IASLC. He has been elected as a Board Member of the Connective Tissue Oncology Society (CTOS) for 2022-2024. Dr. Loong is a current Steering Committee member of the Lung Cancer Policy Network (LCPN). In his prior appointment as a member of Pharmacy and Poisons Board of Hong Kong, he oversaw the registration of medicinal products and clinical trials in the territory. |
 | Dr. Jonathan Lim The University of Manchester United Kingdom Clinical Senior Lecturer in Cancer Biology Division of Cancer Sciences, The University of Manchester Honorary Consultant Medical Oncologist in Advanced Immunotherapy and Cell Therapy Department of Medical Oncology, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust Dr Jonathan Lim is a Clinical Senior Lecturer and Honorary Consultant Medical Oncologist in Advanced Immunotherapy and Cell Therapy for solid cancers at The University of Manchester and The Christie NHS Foundation Trust. He is passionate about translational research and in advancing novel advanced therapies, especially in the settings of early-phase clinical trials and first-in-human studies. His translational research programme focuses on the tumour microenvironment, immune biomarkers, and ex vivo modelling to accelerate development of novel therapies. He completed his PhD on dendritic cell biology in cancer at The Francis Crick Institute and Imperial College London, earning the ACP McElwain Prize for Translational Research and AACR‑Pezcoller Scholar‑in‑Training Award. He subsequently undertook a Crick Postdoctoral Clinical Fellowship in London, and ICF‑ESMO Visiting Fellowship in cell therapy at the Netherlands Cancer Institute in Amsterdam. Dr Lim leads the Manchester-based RISE consortium and is deputy lead of the UK- wide MANIFEST programme, both focused on immunotherapy biomarker research; and serves as Lead Coordinator of the ESMO Translational Research Faculty. |
 | Dr. Landon Chan The Chinese University of Hong Kong Hong Kong SAR, China Dr. Landon Chan is a clinical oncologist by training. He joined the Department of Clinical Oncology at the Chinese University of Hong Kong as an Assistant Professor (clinical) in 2023. Prior to his career in medicine, he was trained as a Mathematician and received his Bachelor of Arts from Carleton College in Minnesota, United States. After working at the Mayo Clinic for one year as a statistical analysis programmer, he returned to Hong Kong to pursue his career in clinical medicine. He obtained his medical degree from the Chinese University of Hong Kong in 2017 and became a fellow of the Royal College of Radiologists in 2022. He also received a MSc degree in Precision Cancer Medicine from Oxford University in 2022. Dr. Landon Chan has a long history of interest in personalized medicine. Fully convinced of the potentials of using sequencing technology to understand tumour biology and hence tailor-made personalized treatment, he has participated in multiple bioinformatics projects in renowned international research groups, including Prof. Dennis Lo’s and Prof. Kevin Yip’s group at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prof. Mark Gerstein’s group at the Yale University, and Prof. Francesca Buffa and Dr. Simon Lord’s group at the Oxford University, with hands-on experience on DNA-seq and RNA-seq data. His current research interest includes clinical and translational studies on hepatopancreatico-biliary, and how to combine radiotherapy and immunotherapy as part of a personalized therapeutic treatment strategy. |
 | Prof. Marina Chiara Garassino The University of Chicago United States Marina Chiara Garassino, MD, is a Professor of Medicine and Director of the Thoracic Program in the Section of Hematology/Oncology at the University of Chicago. An internationally recognized leader in thoracic oncology, she has authored more than 350 peer-reviewed publications and has helped redefine standards of care in lung cancer through pivotal clinical trials, including serving as Principal Investigator for KEYNOTE-189, as a steering committee member for KEYNOTE-671, and as an active principal investigator for PACIFIC, as well as leading investigator-initiated studies such as TAILOR and PEOPLE. She has also conducted landmark translational research on LKB1 and hyperprogressive disease, advancing biologic understanding of resistance and immune dynamics in lung cancer. Dr. Garassino is at the forefront of artificial intelligence–driven oncology, In parallel, she is expanding her AI agenda into AI-enabled drug discovery and repurposing, building an integrated bench-to-bedside strategy that links tumor profiling, advanced analytics, and clinical trial execution to accelerate the identification and testing of new therapeutic hypotheses in lung cancer. During the COVID-19 emergency, she founded TERAVOLT, a global thoracic cancer registry with broad international participation, with results published in leading journals. She is also the founder and president of Women for Oncology Italy and an active advocate for equity and leadership development in oncology. She has actively participated in multiple ESMO committees and Taskforces (Scientific Committees, Public Policy extended Committee, Press Committee, and Women for Oncology). She has been the ESMO Chair of National Societies. |
 | Prof. Pasi Jänne Dana-Farber Cancer Institute United States Senior Vice President for Translational Medicine, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School American Cancer Society Research Professor David M. Livingston, M.D. Chair Director, Belfer Center for Applied Cancer Science Director, Chen-Huang Center for EGFR Mutant Lung Cancers Dr. Jänne is the Senior Vice President for Translational Medicine at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, a Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, and the David M. Livingston, MD Chair at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. He also serves as the Director of the Belfer Center for Applied Cancer Science at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. He is a thoracic medical oncologist and led the Thoracic Medical Oncology Program at Dana- Farber Cancer Institute from 2013 to 2024. After earning his MD and PhD from the School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Jänne completed his internship and residency in Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston. He subsequently completed fellowship training at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Massachusetts General Hospital combined program in medical oncology in 2001. In 2002, he earned a Master’s Degree in clinical investigation from Harvard University. Dr. Jänne’s research combines laboratory-based studies with translational research and clinical trials of novel therapeutic agents in patients with lung cancer. His main research interests center around understanding and translating the therapeutic importance of oncogenic alterations in lung cancer. He has made seminal therapeutic discoveries, including being one of the co-discoverers of EGFR mutations, and findings from his work have led to the development of several clinical trials. Dr. Jänne has received several awards for his work, including from the American Association for Cancer Research, the European Society for Medical Oncology, the American Society of Clinical Oncology, and the Medal of Honor from the American Cancer Society. |
 | Dr. Rila Su Inner Mongolia People's Hospital China Dr. Surila is a distinguished Oncologist and the Director of the Clinical Medical Research Center at a leading hospital in Hohhot, China. Her clinical expertise is in oncology, with a profound commitment to advancing patient-centered care and translational research. Dr. Surila's academic journey reflects a dedication to global health and rigorous scientific inquiry. She earned her DrPH from the prestigious Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, where her research focused on healthcare and patient-reported outcome measures. This was preceded by a Ph.D. from Southern Medical University of China, completed in a joint program with Michigan State University, where she investigated the tumorigenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma. Her foundational medical training began with an M.D. from Inner Mongolia Medical University. Dr. Surila's research is at the intersection of clinical oncology, health outcomes, and molecular biology. Her recent work has centered on improving the quality of life for cancer patients, notably through the validation of patient-reported outcome measures for Mongolian-speaking breast cancer patients on adjuvant endocrine therapy, a project she has presented at the ISOQOL conference. Concurrently, her laboratory has made significant contributions to understanding the molecular mechanisms of lung cancer, with a particular focus on the role of the NCOA5 gene in tumor progression. She has published extensively in high-impact journals, including Cell Death & Disease, Quality of Life Research, and the British Journal of Cancer. As a principal investigator and sub-investigator, she has led and contributed to numerous clinical trials, including Phase I-III studies on novel immunotherapies like anti-PD-1 and anti-CTLA-4 antibodies, as well as biosimilars for breast and lung cancer. Her grant portfolio, funded by organizations such as the Inner Mongolia Science and Technology Institute and the National Natural Science Foundation, underscores her leadership in investigating the mechanisms of cancer development. Dr. Surila is an active member of the global oncology community, holding memberships in the Chinese Thoracic Oncology Group (CTONG YOUNG) and the Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology (CSCO). She also serves as Vice Chairman of the Precision Imaging Diagnosis and Treatment Committee for the Beijing Cancer Prevention and Treatment Society. Her contributions have been recognized with multiple awards, including the Inner Mongolia Medical Association Science and Technology First Prize. |
 | Prof. Robert Haddad Dana-Farber Cancer Institute United States Robert I. Haddad, MD, is the McGraw Chair in Head and Neck Oncology and Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. He serves as Division Chief and Institute Physician in the Center for Head and Neck Oncology at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, where he is also a member of the Department of Adult Oncology. Dr Haddad earned his medical degree from Saint Joseph University, French Faculty of Medicine. He completed his internship and residency at St. Luke’s–Roosevelt Hospital Center in New York, followed by a fellowship in hematology/oncology at the Center. He is an active member of leading professional societies, including the American Society of Clinical Oncology, American Association for Cancer Research, and American Society for Radiation Oncology. His research focuses on advancing innovative therapeutic strategies in head and neck cancer, with particular emphasis on induction chemotherapy and the development of novel immunotherapeutic approaches for locally advanced disease. Dr. Haddad has played a central role in the design, conduct, and publication of numerous pivotal phase II and III clinical trials that have shaped modern standards of care in head and neck oncology. He has been a key contributor to landmark studies including KEYNOTE-689, CheckMate 141, Keynote 0-12 and TAX 324, which collectively supported the regulatory approval and integration into practice of pembrolizumab, nivolumab, and TPF-based chemotherapy in head and neck cancer. A dedicated educator and mentor, Dr. Haddad is actively involved in the training of oncology fellows, medical residents, and otolaryngology trainees through both outpatient and inpatient programs at Dana-Farber and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. He is a sought-after speaker who lectures widely at national and international meetings. He has authored more than 300 peer-reviewed publications and edited two textbooks in head and neck oncology, reflecting his sustained contributions to research, education, and clinical innovation in the field. |
 | Prof. Solange Peters Lausanne University Hospital Switzerland Solange Peters, MD, PhD, is a full professor and director of medical oncology, as well as the thoracic malignancies program in the Department of Oncology at the University Hospital of Lausanne in Lausanne, Switzerland. She received both her doctorate in medicine and PhD from the University Hospital of Lausanne. After completing her clinical education in medical oncology and molecular biology in Switzerland and Italy, Prof. Peters has specialized in thoracic tumors, lung cancer, and pleural tumors. Her main fields of interest are new biomarkers discovery and validation in preclinical and clinical settings, multimodality strategies for locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), as well as cancer immunotherapy. Parallel, she acts as the scientific committee chair and Foundation Council member of the European Thoracic Oncology Platform (ETOP). She was recently nominated as the Strategic Advisory Board President of Paris Saclay Cancer Cluster, as well as President of Oncosuisse, the Swiss Cancer umbrella organization. She also acts as President of the Swiss Academy of Multidisciplinary Oncology (SAMO) and is Vice Director of the Swiss National Cancer League. Prof. Peters is active in the educational programs of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) and European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) - where she created the Women for Oncology Committee and for which she was the youngest President ever for an extended time of 3 years 2020-2022. She is part of the Board of Directors of Galenica SA. Professor Peters has authored more than 500 peer-reviewed manuscripts and book chapters, acts as Associate Editor of the Annals of Oncology, and of ESMO Open, past Editor in Chief of Lung Cancer, and serves on the editorial board of several other oncology journals. |
 | Prof. Terence Friedlander University of California San Francisco United States I am a medical oncologist and clinical investigator specializing in urologic cancers, specifically bladder cancer, with a focus on designing and conducting clinical trials and exploring biomarkers of treatment response and resistance. I have helped develop multiple novel therapies in urothelial cancer, including multiple PD-1 immune checkpoint inhibitors, FGFR3-targeted small molecules, and antibody–drug conjugates targeting Nectin-4, HER2, and TROP-2. I co-lead the UCSF Bladder Cancer Program. Our program aims to identify biomarkers of response and resistance to therapy and explore novel therapeutic targets. Since 2017, I have also served as Chief of the Division of Hematology and Oncology at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center, where I have built a clinical research program focused on expanding access to cancer clinical trials. |
 | Dr. Teresa Macarulla Hospital Clinic Barcelona Spain Dr. Teresa Macarulla, as the Head of the Medical Oncology Department at Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, dedicates her professional journey to the clinical and translational investigation of hepatobiliopancreatic tumors. As the Principal Investigator for Phase I, II,and III clinical studies, she actively shapes trial designs within national and international cooperative groups and pharmaceutical-sponsored initiatives. Driven by a specific focus on developing molecular target therapies and defining optimal biological doses, her work has yielded numerous high-profile publications and regulatory approvals from bodies such as the FDA and EMA. Presently, Dr. Macarulla leads a dynamic, multidisciplinary team at the forefront of cancer research, seamlessly integrating clinical expertise with cutting-edge translational approaches to enhance patient care and survival. The team strategically combines clinical and biomarker research breakthroughs, conducting innovative studies on drug effectiveness for tailored treatment approaches in upper GI cancers. Dr. Macarulla's extensive research portfolio spans diverse areas, including the design and development of investigator-initiated clinical trials, participation in collaborative research programs, coordination of late-stage clinical studies, molecular characterization of biliary tract and pancreatic tumors, implementation of liquid biopsy for disease monitoring, and the discovery and validation of novel prognostic and predictive biomarkers for pancreatic and biliary tract tumors. Her leadership extends globally as the Associate Editor of ESMO Gastrointestinal Oncology, co-chair of the ESMO Gastrointestinal Cancers Congress, and contributor to SEOM guidelines, solidifying her status as an internationally renowned clinical researcher with over 160 peer-reviewed publications. |
 | Prof. Viktor Grünwald University of Essen Germany Viktor Grünwald is a dedicated expert in the field of GU cancers. He holds a position as Director of the Carolus Institute for Urologic Oncology at the University Hospital of the University of Duisburg-Essen. His primary focus are conservative treatments in patients with urogenital cancers at the Essen University Hospital. Professor Grünwald completed his medical studies at the Hannover Medical School in 1998, after which he was appointed as a Private Lecturer and subsequently Professor of Haematology and Oncology at the same institution. Since 2018, he has held the Carolus-endowed full Professorship in Interdisciplinary GU Oncology and received in 2024 a call as Professor for Urologic Oncology at the University Hospital Essen. He chairs the patient-centric Carolus Institute for Urologic Oncology that harmonizes efforts across multiple disciplines including medical oncology, urology, and nuclear medicine. This interdisciplinary collaboration teams the expertise from various fields to optimize patient outcomes. Professor Grünwald has served as a scientific member for a number of guideline committees, symposia and congresses and has chaired different working groups in academic organizations. He lately became the president elect of the German Studies Group in Medical Oncology (AIO). He furthermore actively engaged with international committees within ESMO and EORTC and held faculty positions in various forums. |
 | Dr. Yang Xia Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University China Dr. Xia is an associate professor and deputy director of the Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine. He specializes in treating lung cancer, with a focus on precision medicine and translational research. He has served as first or corresponding author on over 60 peer-reviewed articles, including the top tier journals such as Nature Reviews Clinical Oncology, Nature Communications, The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, Annals of Oncology, Journal of Thoracic Oncology, et.al. Dr. Xia is a member of numerous academic societies, including the Multidisciplinary Clinical Science Committee of International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC), American Thoracic Society, European Respiratory Society and Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology. |
 | Prof Yi-Long Wu Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital China Prof. Yi-Long Wu is a tenured professor of Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences and Guangdong Lung Cancer Institute. He is the Past President of Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology (CSCO, 2013-2017), the President of Chinese Thoracic Oncology Group(C-TONG). He served as a Member of Board of Directors of the International Association Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) from 2013-2017 and a past Member of staging committee of the IASLC (2009-2017), conference Chair of the 2020 World Conference on Lung Cancer, Chair of the Joint IASLC-CSCO-CAALC Session at WCLC (2013-2023). He graduated from Sun Yat-sen University of Medical Sciences in 1982 and completed his thoracic surgery training in Germany in 1989. His main research interests are the multidisciplinary therapy on lung cancer in translation medicine and evidence-based medicine in oncology. He plays a leadership role in Chinese lung cancer clinical research and has been the Principal Investigator or Co-PI of more than 50 international or national multicenter clinical trials. He has contributed 20 books on cancer and has published more than 500 articles in peer-reviewed journals including New Engl J Med, Nat Med, J Clin Oncol, Lancet Oncol, Ann Oncol, Cancer Cell and J Thorac Oncol. He played important role in adjuvant target treatment for resected NSCLC. ALINA, ADAURA, ADJUVANT/CTONG1104 and EMERGING/CTONG1103 were the most important papers in this field. He also serves on the editorial boards of Nature Review Clinical Oncology, Annual of Oncology, Lung Cancer, Annals of Surgical Oncology. He received the IASLC Science/Paul A. Bunn, Jr. MD awards in 2015 and Awards of Highly Cited Research in the field of Clinical Medicine 2018- 2023. |
 | Dr. Yongchang Zhang Hunan Cancer Hospital China M.D., Chief Physician, Professor, Doctoral Supervisor Director, Oncology Investigational New Drug Research Ward Director, Hunan Engineering Research Center for Novel Drug Development in Lung Cancer 2025 National "New Era Youth Pioneer Award" 2025 Hunan Provincial "Advanced Worker" |
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Prof. Pietro Veronesi The University of Chicago United States Pietro Veronesi is the Sherman and Vivian Chao Distinguished Service Professor of Finance at the University of Chicago, Booth School of Business. He is also a research associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research and a research fellow of the Center for Economic and Policy Research. Additionally, he is a former director of the American Finance Association and co-editor of the Review of Financial Studies. Veronesi conducts research that focuses on asset pricing, stock and bond valuation under uncertainty, bubbles and crashes, return predictability and stochastic volatility. Most recently, he has been interested in studying, both theoretically and empirically, the interaction between government interventions and the behavior of asset prices. His work has appeared in numerous publications, including the Journal of Political Economy, American Economic Review, Quarterly Journal of Economics, Journal of Finance, Journal of Financial Economics, and Review of Financial Studies. He is the recipient of several awards, including the 2015 AQR Insight award, the 2012 and 2003 Smith Breeden prizes from the Journal of Finance; the 2008 WFA award; the 2006 Barclays Global Investors Prize from the EFA; the 2006 Fama/DFA prizes from the Journal of Financial Economics; and the 1999 Barclays Global Investors/Michael Brennan First Prize from the Review of Financial Studies. In summer 2020, Professor Veronesi co-founded PREDOC (Pathways to Research and Doctoral Careers, https://predoc.org ), a consortium of universities and research institutions that aims to foster a talented and diverse pipeline of students in doctoral programs. PREDOC members work together to expand the talent pool, and to inform, engage, mentor, and educate undergraduates from any background to help them be competitive in the market of pre-doctoral research assistants ("pre-docs"), and in doctoral programs. Professor Veronesi teaches both masters- and PhD-level courses. He is the recipient of the 2009 McKinsey Award for Excellence in Teaching. His undergraduate work was in economics at Bocconi University where he received a laurea magna cum laude with honor in 1992. He earned a master's degree with distinction in 1993 from the London School of Economics. He joined the Chicago Booth faculty upon obtaining his PhD in Economics from Harvard University in 1997. |