COLD SPRING HARBOR LABORATORY CONFERENCE MECHANISMS AND MODELS OF CANCER August 11 - 15, 2020 Recent years have produced transformative discoveries that have revealed the mechanisms behind the development and progression of cancer, both from the perspective of the cancer cell and the host response. These advances have resulted in targeted cancer therapies that have extended patient survival, as well as new immune-based therapies that have, in select cases, resulted in cures of previously intractable malignancies. Stunning technological developments have enabled us to interrogate the cancer genome and epigenome with unprecedented depth and sophistication, uncovering the challenges that tumor heterogeneity imposes for cancer therapy, while also enabling more accurate therapeutic monitoring. Advances in functional genomic technologies allow us to turn oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes on an off at will in vitro and in vivo to determine their function. More robust tumor models, such as organoids, have been developed, revealing new insights into cancer cell biology, while enabling the rapid identification and testing of new therapeutics. With advances in structural biology, we can examine the three-dimensional structure of oncogenic proteins and protein complexes, facilitating development of small molecule inhibitors or antagonistic antibodies. Powerful strategies also allow us to interrogate how metabolic reprogramming in cancer cells, opening up the possibility of novel therapeutic approaches that exploit metabolic vulnerabilities. Improvements in computational biology are yielding new insights into biological networks and tumor evolution. Dissemination and use of these technologies, models and mechanism-based approaches in this fast-moving field is greatly facilitated by meetings that bring investigators together to present and openly discuss their latest unpublished research findings. We also need to train the next generation of leaders in the field, and an essential part of this process is this fantastic opportunity for young investigators, such as graduate students and postdocs, to present their work and interact one-on-one with senior investigators. The Mechanisms and Models of Cancer meeting at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) is one of the premier vehicles for promoting the next intellectual leaps in cancer research and propelling the field into the future to the benefit of cancer patients. The precise scope of the individual sessions will be decided on the basis of the openly submitted abstracts. Each session will be chaired by two established scientists in the field, who will establish the format of each session based on submitted abstracts. The chairs will introduce and give an overview of the topics in their sessions and a brief update on their own research. Particular emphasis will be given to promoting the active participation of graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and new investigators, as well as of leading scientists in the field. Two leading experts in diverse areas of cancer biology will deliver keynote addresses during the conference, and there will also be a “legacy lecture” by a major luminary in the field. It is anticipated that the meeting will provide unique opportunities for the exchange of data and ideas by both junior and senior investigators in different areas of research as they apply to cancer genetics and tumor suppressor genes. Given the success of past meetings held at CSHL on this topic between 1996 and 2018, we anticipate the attendance of about 400 scientists from laboratories around the world.

COLD SPRING HARBOR LABORATORY CONFERENCE MECHANISMS AND MODELS OF CANCER August 11 - 15, 2020 Cancer is a deadly disease that will afflict one out of every two to three people in the developed world in their lifetime. In recent years, great progress has been made in understanding how cancer develops and progresses. Ever more sophisticated and elegant models have been developed for most types of cancer, and we understand in great detail the molecular and cellular changes that promote disease development. Collectively, these advances are improving both the quality of life and overall survival of cancer patients. Yet despite these advances, huge challenges remain. While “targeted” therapies can result in dramatic clinical response, these are typically transient, necessitating that we understand resistance to develop rational drug combinations. Immune-based therapies have led to remarkable responses-including cures—in select patients, but the side effects of these therapies can be substantial and most cancers remain refractory to current agents. To stimulate innovation and cross-disciplinary interactions in this rapidly advancing field, we propose to convene a group of outstanding basic and clinical researchers studying the development and progression of cancer in a variety of model systems, in an international meeting entitled Mechanisms and Models of Cancer at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in August 2020.