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SUMMARY:Converging on Cancer: International Seminar Series – Asst Profs K
 ong Li Ren (NTU) and Sebastian Martin Waszak (EPFL)
DESCRIPTION:The CRUK Convergence Science Centre is a partnership between Im
 perial College London and The Institute of Cancer Research. In collaborati
 on with our international partners we arrange a regular international semi
 nar ‘Converging on Cancer’ on the topic of interdisciplinary cancer re
 search. Our partners are:\n\nTechnical University of Munich (TUM)\nNanyang
  Technological University (NTU)\nBiotech Research and Innovation Centre (B
 RIC – University of Copenhagen)\nÉcole Polytechnique Fédérale de Laus
 anne (EPFL).\n\n\nIn 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.\nThis seminar will focus on un
 derstanding the molecular changes that drive early cancer development and 
 shape disease progression.\n \nThursday 5 November 2026\, 10-11am GMT\, 1
 1-12pm CET\, 6-7pm SGT \n \nChaired by Prof Axel Behrens (Convergence Sc
 ience Centre)\n\nSpeakers\n \n\nAsst Prof Kong Li Ren (Lee Kong Chain Sch
 ool of Medicine\, NTU)\nStage-Specific STAT3 Dependency Defines Metabolic-
 to-Malignant Transition in Hepatocarcinogenesis\nOur laboratory investigat
 es how stress-induced adaptive states reshape tissue ecosystems to drive c
 ancer initiation\, progression\, and therapeutic resistance. Using metabol
 ic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH)-associated hepatocellular
  carcinoma (HCC) as a model\, we integrate longitudinal\, spatial\, and mu
 lti-modal profiling with functional genetic perturbation to define the ear
 liest molecular events underlying tumour evolution. We uncover dynamic\, s
 tage-specific activation of hepatocyte STAT3 across the MASH-HCC continuum
  and show that hepatocyte-intrinsic STAT3 signalling drives early cell-sta
 te transitions. In this talk\, I will discuss how stress-adapted hepatocyt
 e states and their interactions with the immune microenvironment establish
  an early tumour-permissive niche\, revealing potential windows for cancer
  interception before malignant transformation.\nAsst Prof Sebastian Martin
  Waszak (EPFL)\n\nGenomic landscape of progressive low-grade gliomas in ch
 ildren and young adults\n\nLow-grade gliomas are among the most common bra
 in tumours in children and young adults. Although generally associated wit
 h a favourable prognosis and a relatively indolent clinical course\, a sub
 set of patients develops progressive or recurrent disease\, which presents
  significant challenges for long-term management and treatment. In this ta
 lk\, I will present our recent studies investigating the genomic landscape
  and molecular heterogeneity of progressive low-grade gliomas. Using compr
 ehensive molecular profiling approaches\, we identified a novel disease su
 btype and genetic and epigenetic biomarkers associated with an increased r
 isk of future disease progression. I will discuss the implications of thes
 e findings for upfront risk stratification and current treatment strategie
 s.\n \n\nWho can attend?\nResearchers\, students and anyone with an inter
 est in convergence science relating to cancer research across our partner
 ed institutions are welcome to register:\n\nCRUK Convergence Science Cent
 re\nImperial College London\nThe Institute of Cancer Research (ICR)\nTechn
 ical University of Munich (TUM)\nNanyang Technological University (NTU)\nB
 iotech Research and Innovation Centre (BRIC – University of Copenhagen)\
 nÉcole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)\nCRUK Cambridge Centre
 \nCRUK City of London Centre (Kings college\, UCL\, Barts Cancer Institute
 /Queen Mary University\, Francis Crick)\nCRUK Manchester Centre\nCRUK Newc
 astle Centre\nCRUK Oxford Centre\nCRUK Scotland Centre (University of Edin
 burgh and University of Glasgow)\n\n \nEmail icr-imperial-convergence.cen
 tre@imperial.ac.uk to receive the registration link and joining details.\n
  
URL:https://www.imperial.ac.uk/events/215045/converging-on-cancer-internati
 onal-seminar-series-asst-profs-kong-li-ren-ntu-and-sebastian-martin-waszak
 -epfl/
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LOCATION:United Kingdom
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