Harvard Critical Issues in Tumor Microenvironment Angiogenesis, Metastasis and Immunology 2025

• Target Audience: oncologists, cancer researchers, immunologists
• Sample video: contact me for sample video
• Information:

To celebrate the 40th anniversary, we have added a 5th Trainee-focused day to our course where the course participants will have the opportunity to present a scientific poster during a poster symposium, along with attend a roundtable discussion session on career guidance for  biomedical scientists and engineers.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

Upon completion of our Critical Issues in Tumor Microenvironment course, participants will be able to:

Identify pharmacological approaches to normalize the tumor microenvironment, including tumor-associated blood vessels, fibroblasts and the extracellular matrix

Evaluate molecularly targeted agents approved or currently in clinical development in combination with immunotherapies for cancer treatment and incorporate them into practice.

Assess relevant, state-of-the-art, or translational pre-clinical models of anti-cancer therapies for adult and pediatric malignancies.

Recognize the steps and determinants of the metastatic process of cancer.

Identify emerging determinants of immunotherapy outcomes, including blood vessels, fibroblasts, extracellular matrix, neuronal-tumor interactions, circadian cycle, microbiome, and discuss potential approaches to harness them.

Compare correlative studies of biomarkers and their response and resistance to immunotherapies in cancer patients.

Evaluate state-of-the-art genetic and imaging techniques and their applications in pre-clinical and clinical studies.

Understand the applications of AI in cancer care and research

Who Should Attend This Course?

The course is directed at physicians and researchers.

The Harvard Critical Issues in Tumor Microenvironment: Angiogenesis, Metastasis and Immunology 2025 course is best for oncologists, cancer researchers, immunologists, translational scientists, and advanced trainees who want cutting‑edge, multidisciplinary insights into tumor biology, angiogenesis, metastasis, immunology, and emerging therapies.

Who Should Attend

Medical oncologists and hematologists seeking deeper understanding of tumor biology to guide clinical practice.

Cancer researchers and translational scientists working on angiogenesis, metastasis, immunotherapy, and tumor microenvironment.

Immunologists and molecular biologists studying immune regulation and cancer immunotherapy.

Radiation and surgical oncologists interested in how microenvironmental factors influence treatment outcomes.

Pharmaceutical and biotech professionals developing anti‑cancer drugs, biologics, and cell therapies.

Graduate students, postdocs, and fellows in oncology, immunology, or biomedical sciences preparing for academic or industry careers.

What You’ll Learn

Tumor microenvironment fundamentals: angiogenesis, metastasis, immunology, metabolism, microbiome, and chronobiology.

Emerging therapeutic strategies: adoptive cell therapies (CAR‑T, TCR), checkpoint inhibitors, and novel biologics.

Cancer neuroscience and fibroblast biology: how stromal and neural interactions drive tumor progression.

Integration of physical sciences and AI in oncology: innovative approaches to modeling and predicting tumor behavior.

Clinical translation: bridging laboratory discoveries with patient care to improve cancer treatment outcomes.

• Topics:

Monday, November 10, 2025

9:00 A.M

Check-in/Registration, Continental Breakfast

10:00 A.M.

Opening Remarks Rakesh K. Jain

10:10 A.M.

Tumor Microenvironment I: Angiogenesis and Vascular Function Rakesh K. Jain

11:20 A.M.

Q&A

11:35 A.M.

Break

11:50 A.M.

Tumor Microenvironment II: Vascular Normalization and Immunotherapy  Rakesh K. Jain

1:10  P.M.

Q&A

1:25 P.M.

Lunch Break – Boxed lunches provided

2:25 P.M.

Tumor Microenvironment III: Extracellular Matrix, Lymphatics and Metastasis Rakesh K. Jain

3:45 P.M.

Q&A

4:00 P.M.

Break

4:30 P.M.

Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy Overview Arlene Sharpe

5:35 P.M.

Q&A

5:50 P.M.

Adjourn

Tuesday, November 11, 2025

9:00 A.M.

Continental Breakfast

10:00 A.M.

Circadian Clock  and Metabolic Vulnerabilities of Cancer Chi Van Dang

11:05 A.M.

Q&A

11:20 A.M.

Break

11:50 A.M.

Skull Bone Marrow as a Site for Immuno-Surveillance of Healthy Brain and Brain Tumors Jonathan Kipnis

12:55 P.M.

Q&A

1:10 P.M.

Lunch Break – on your own

2:10 P.M.

Determinants of How Tumors Use Metabolism to Support Growth Matthew Vander Heiden

3:15 P.M.

Q&A

3:30 P.M.

Break

4:00 P.M.

Using Cell Transfer to Remodel the Tumor Microenvrionment Carl June

5:05 P.M.

Q&A

5:20 P.M.

Adjourn

Wednesday, November 12, 2025

9:00 A.M.

Continental Breakfast

10:00 A.M.

AI in Basic and Clinical Oncology Eliezer Van Allen

11:05 A.M.

Q&A

11:20 A.M.

Break

11:50 A.M.

Microbiota: a Key Orchestrator of Cancer Therapy Giorgio Trinchieri

12:55 P.M.

Q&A

1:10  P.M.

Lunch Break – on your own

2:10 P.M.

Identifying Immune Vulnerabilities in Solid Tumors Lisa Coussens

3:15 P.M.

Q&A

3:30 P.M.

Break

4:00 P.M.

RREBELLIOUS INTERFERENCE: Challenging old paradigms and discovering new strategies for targeting pediatric brain tumors Robert Wechsler-Reya

5:05 P.M.

Q&A

5:20 P.M.

Adjourn

Thursday, November 13, 2025

9:00 A.M.

Continental Breakfast

10:00 A.M.

Dissecting the Ecosystem of Gliomas by Single-Cell and Spatial Genomics Mario Suva

11:05 A.M.

Q&A

11:20 A.M.

Break

11:50 A.M.

Mechanisms of Malignant Progression Robert Weinberg

12:55 P.M.

Q&A

1:10  P.M.

Lunch Break – on your own

2:10 P.M.

Fibroblast Heterogeneity in Solid Tumors: Implications for Pancreatic Cancer David Tuveson

3:15 P.M.

Q&A

3:30 P.M.

Break

4:00 P.M.

Neural Influences on Primary and Metastatic Brain Tumors Frank Winkler

5:05 P.M.

Q&A

5:20 P.M.

Summary and closing remarks Rakesh K. Jain

Friday , November 14th, 2025

9:00  A.M.

Poster set up/ Continental Breakfast

10:00 A.M.

Lessons from the Clinic: Novel Diagnostics and Therapeutic Outcomes George Sledge

11:20 A.M.

Break

11:50 A.M.

Emerging strategies to improve CAR-T cell therapy for glioblastoma and other solid tumors Hideho Okada

1:10 P.M.

Lunch Break – Boxed lunches will be provided

2:10 P.M.

Poster Session

3:10 P.M.

Poster Award Presentation

3:30 P.M.

Career Round Table Discussion

Academia: Frank Winkler, MD, PhD |Eva Sevick-Muraca, PhD | Melody Swartz, PhD

Industry: George Sledge, MD | Zohreh Amoozgar, PhD

Law Firm: Carla Mouta-Bellum, PhD, JD

5:00 P.M.

Networking Reception