CRUK Convergence Science Centre logo

The CRUK Convergence Science Centre is a partnership between Imperial College London and The Institute of Cancer Research. In collaboration with our international partners we arrange a regular international seminar ‘Converging on Cancer’ on the topic of interdisciplinary cancer research. Our partners are:

  • Technical University of Munich (TUM)
  • Nanyang Technological University (NTU)
  • Biotech Research and Innovation Centre (BRIC – University of Copenhagen)
  • École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL).

In this series, we bring together speakers from across these institutions to present their research and how they use convergence science to answer cancer-related questions.

This seminar will focus on understanding the molecular changes that drive early cancer development and shape disease progression.

 

Thursday 5 November 2026, 10-11am GMT, 11-12pm CET, 6-7pm SGT 

 

Chaired by Prof Axel Behrens (Convergence Science Centre)

Speakers

 

Asst Prof Kong Li Ren (Lee Kong Chain School of Medicine, NTU)

Stage-Specific STAT3 Dependency Defines Metabolic-to-Malignant Transition in Hepatocarcinogenesis

Our laboratory investigates how stress-induced adaptive states reshape tissue ecosystems to drive cancer initiation, progression, and therapeutic resistance. Using metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH)-associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) as a model, we integrate longitudinal, spatial, and multi-modal profiling with functional genetic perturbation to define the earliest molecular events underlying tumour evolution. We uncover dynamic, stage-specific activation of hepatocyte STAT3 across the MASH-HCC continuum and show that hepatocyte-intrinsic STAT3 signalling drives early cell-state transitions. In this talk, I will discuss how stress-adapted hepatocyte states and their interactions with the immune microenvironment establish an early tumour-permissive niche, revealing potential windows for cancer interception before malignant transformation.

Asst Prof Sebastian Martin Waszak (EPFL)

Genomic landscape of progressive low-grade gliomas in children and young adults
Low-grade gliomas are among the most common brain tumours in children and young adults. Although generally associated with a favourable prognosis and a relatively indolent clinical course, a subset of patients develops progressive or recurrent disease, which presents significant challenges for long-term management and treatment. In this talk, I will present our recent studies investigating the genomic landscape and molecular heterogeneity of progressive low-grade gliomas. Using comprehensive molecular profiling approaches, we identified a novel disease subtype and genetic and epigenetic biomarkers associated with an increased risk of future disease progression. I will discuss the implications of these findings for upfront risk stratification and current treatment strategies.

 

Who can attend?

Researchers, students and anyone with an interest in convergence science relating to cancer research across our partnered institutions are welcome to register:

  • CRUK Convergence Science Centre
  • Imperial College London
  • The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR)
  • Technical University of Munich (TUM)
  • Nanyang Technological University (NTU)
  • Biotech Research and Innovation Centre (BRIC – University of Copenhagen)
  • École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)
  • CRUK Cambridge Centre
  • CRUK City of London Centre (Kings college, UCL, Barts Cancer Institute/Queen Mary University, Francis Crick)
  • CRUK Manchester Centre
  • CRUK Newcastle Centre
  • CRUK Oxford Centre
  • CRUK Scotland Centre (University of Edinburgh and University of Glasgow)

 

Email icr-imperial-convergence.centre@imperial.ac.uk to receive the registration link and joining details.

 

Add event to calendar
See all events