This year we are organising the next in person symposium in Kuopio, Finland Aug 31st- Sep 1st, 2023 Join us for this gathering and the great line-up of presenters (link below), surrounded by the beautiful landscapes in Eastern Finland:
Prof. Karin Forsberg, Uppsala University, Sweden Prof. Maria G. Castro, University of Michigan, USA Dr. Minna Niittykoski, University of Eastern Finland (UEF), Finland Prof. Varun Venkatarami, University Clinic Heidelberg, Germany Dr. Joonas Haapasalo, Tampere University Hospital, Finland Prof. Tambet Teesalu, University of Tartu, Estonia Prof. Petro Julkunen UEF/Kuopio University Hospital, Finland Dr. Filip Ekholm University of Helsinki, Finland The meeting’s theme would be on the topics of Brain Tumor Microenvironment and Novel Drug Therapies to Treat Brain Tumors.
to the joint symposium of Scandinavian Society of Neuro-oncology (SNOG) and Finnish Brain Tumor Research Association (FiBTRA), which will be held at the Radisson Blu Seaside Hotel in Helsinki , Finland May 19-21, 2022. It is organized in collaboration with Tampere University. The symposium is targeted to clinical experts, clinical researchers and basic scientists who work with brain tumors.
Professor Frank Furnari, University of California San Diego (UCSD) and Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, San Diego, USA
Professor Frank Furnari will present how the genome engineering of human pluripotent cells allows the generation of brain cancer avatars for research and therapeutic intervention. His research group studies the fundamental pathways that drive initiation and progression of glioblastoma and other brain tumors and aims to discover novel therapeutically actionable targets for these malignancies by taking intra-tumoral heterogeneity also into account.
Doctor Itay Tirosh, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
Doctor Itay Tirosh will talk about the interactions between cancer and immune cells within the glioblastoma microenvironment. His research group has together with his collaborators revealed multidirectional crosstalk between glioblastoma and immune cells which alters the phenotypes on both sides. They are leveraging experimentation, especially single cell technologies, computational approaches, and clinical collaborations to characterize important tumor subpopulations such as cancer stem cells, drug resistant cells, invasive cells and immune cells in the tumor tissue.
Professor Roel Verhaak, Jackson Laboratory, Farmington, CT, USAand Amsterdam University Medical Center, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Professor Roel Verhaak will talk about longitudinal evolution of glioma in adult patients. He has been one of the key PIs in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) project, which has been instrumental in characterizing diffuse gliomas and other malignancies, revealed their heterogeneity and different tumor subtypes. This work has also been relevant for the renewal of diffuse glioma classification based on the genetic markers. He is leading a computational cancer biology group with a research focus on the analysis of cancer genomics data to understand the progression of diffuse glioma.
Professor Frank Winkler, University Hospital Heidelberg and German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
Professor Frank Winkler will talk about malignant cell networks in the brain and ways to target them therapeutically. His research group have made seminal discoveries on the role of communicating brain tumor cell networks, hijacking of neurodevelopmental pathways for tumor progression, and the key steps of brain metastasis formation in a manner that helps to partly explain therapy resistance and provide new avenues for treatment. They are utilizing advanced imaging approaches in their work to study tissue and cell dynamics over several months from a variety of perspectives.
Other speakers will cover a variety of topics, ranging from brain tumor epidemiology to improved neurosurgery applications, tumor biology, potential biomarkers, and up-to-date treatment modalities.
Doctor Hanna Koivunoro,Neutron Therapeutics Finland, Helsinki, Finland
Doctor Sara Kinhult, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
Associate Professor Miikka Korja, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
Doctor Päivi Koroknay-Pal, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
Adjunct professor Nea Malila, Director of the Finnish Cancer Registry, Cancer Society of Finland, Finland Finnish Cancer Registry
Adjunct professor Simone Niclou, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Luxembourg and University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway Simone Niclou Research Group Orcid
Professor Hans Skovgaard Poulsen, The DCCC Brain Tumor Center, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
Professor Ole Solheim, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim, Norway GoogleScholar
Doctor Joachim Weischenfeldt, Rigshospitalet and University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark Orcid Research group
Please note, that the program might still change due to exceptional circumstances. Latest version and updates are presented here on the symposium web pages.
Welcome to the joint symposium of Scandinavian Society of Neuro-oncology (SNOG) and Finnish Brain Tumor Research Association (FiBTRA), which will be held at the Radisson Blu Seaside Hotel in Helsinki , Finland May 19-21, 2022. The symposium is targeted to clinical experts, clinical researchers and basic scientists who work with brain tumors.
We warmly look forward for your participation to this interesting and atmospheric symposium. We can accept maximum 200 participants to our symposium.
About hotel reservation
We highly recommend you to reserve a room from Radisson Blu Seaside Hotel, where the symposium is also held. They have reserved rooms for the participants with a special price.
You can reserve your room by contacting the hotel directly via email:
All prices are per room and per night, including breakfast buffet, hotel guests sauna, Wi-Fi and VAT. These prices and the quota is valid until 21 April 2022 by 6 pm.
Please remember to provide the meeting code for the booking:
code: BSNOG2022
Special prices for participants:
Room for one person 145 EUR per night
Room for two persons 165 EUR per night
Ice hockey world championship games, which will be held in Finland May 13-29, 2022, might limit the availability of hotel rooms and flights, so it is good to make your reservations well in advance.
Photo: Radisson Blu Seaside Hotel
The meeting will take place in the stylish venue of Radisson Blu Seaside Hotel in Helsinki, capital of Finland (Helsinki — VisitFinland.com). The hotel is located a few minute ride from the city central by tram, nearby the sea.
Radisson Blu Seaside Hotel, Helsinki, 19-21 May 2022
Thursday 19 May 2022
8:00-9:30 Arrival and registration
Opening of the symposium
9:30 Opening words Adjunct Professor Kirsi Granberg, President of SNOG and Chair of FiBTRA, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
Session 1 Brain tumors among us today Chair: Adjunct Professor Hanna Mäenpää and Professor Roger Henriksson
9:40 Are brain tumors becoming more common? Adjunct professor Nea Malila, Director of the Finnish Cancer Registry, Cancer Society of Finland, Finland
10:10 Risk factors for brain tumors – current evidence Professor Anssi Auvinen, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
10:40 Elderly and glioma – Nordic perspective Associate Professor Miikka Korja, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
11:10 Sponsor presentation by 10x Genomics, Zeiss and Lioness Therapeutics
Luncheon with Novocure Moderator: Professor Roger Henriksson
11:20 Picking up the lunch
11:35 TTFields: Transitioning cancer treatment – The journey from research to guideline recommendation Introduction – Professor Roger Henriksson, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
Preclincial overview Doctor Moshe Giladi, Novocure, Haifa, Israel
Clinical experience Professor NaTosha Gatson, Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center (BMDACC) and University of Arizona School of Medical, Phoenix, Arizona and Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine (GCSoM), Scranton, Pennsylvania, USA
Discussion
12:20-12:30 Break
Session 2 Heterogeneity and evolution of brain tumors Chair: Professor Pirjo Laakkonen and Adjunct Professor Kirsi Granberg
12:30 Malignant networks in the brain (and how to target them) Professor Frank Winkler, University Hospital Heidelberg and German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
13:15 Mutational processes shaping the evolution of brain tumours Doctor Joachim Weischenfeldt, Rigshospitalet and University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
Abstract talks 13:45 Neural-network based deconstruction of glioblastoma developmental plasticity at a single cell resolution Doctor Yizhou Hu, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden 14:00 Gatekeeper inactivation drives tumor progression to secondary glioblastoma Anja Hartewig, Tampere University and Tays Cancer Center, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland 14:15 Oncogenic enhancer-promoter interactions in medulloblastoma Eduardo Dias, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
14:30-15:00 Coffee break -visit poster presenters (Group 1) and sponsors
Session 3 Up-to-date treatment modalities Chair: Adjunct Professor Hanna Mäenpää and Doctor Matti Seppälä
15:00 Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) Doctor Hanna Koivunoro, Neutron Therapeutics Finland, Helsinki, Finland
15:15 Tumor treating fields (TTFields) Doctor Sara Kinhult, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
15:30 Protons or photons in IDH-mutated grade II and III diffuse gliomas? Doctor Petter Brandal, The Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
Abstract talks 15:45 CCNU/temozolomide versus standard temozolomide radiochemotherapy +/- Tumor Treating Fields for patients with MGMT promotor methylated IDHwt glioblastoma. Phase 3 study Doctor Annika Malmström, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden 16:00 Triplet kinase-phosphatase targeting to overcome kinase inhibitor tolerance in brain tumor cells Doctor Oxana Denisova, Turku Bioscience Centre, University of Turku and Åbo Akademi University, Turku, Finland 16:15 Orthogonal targeting of KDM6A/B and HDACs mediates potent therapeutic effects in IDH1-mutant glioma Associate Professor Tugba Bagci-Onder, Koç University, Istanbul, Turkey
16:30 The DCCC Brain Tumor Center. National Research Center for Target therapy Professor Hans Skovgaard Poulsen, The DCCC Brain Tumor Center, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
16:45 Updates from Nordic countries Denmark – Professor Hans Skovgaard Poulsen, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen Norway – Doctor Petter Brandal, The Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo Sweden – Professor Roger Henriksson, Umeå University, Umeå Finland – Doctor Matti Seppälä, Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa (HUS), Helsinki
17:15 Sponsor presentations by Tenboron, Cancer Foundation Finland, and Johnson&Johnson
17:25 Day wrap-up and discussion
18:00- Reception
Friday 20 May 2022
Session 4 Biomarkers in brain tumors Chair: Professor Hans Skovgaard Poulsen and Doctor Petter Brandal
9:00 Longitudinal evolution of glioma in adult patients Professor Roel Verhaak, Jackson Laboratory, Farmington, CT, USA and Amsterdam University Medical Center, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Abstract talks 9:45 Integrative DNA methylation analysis of pediatric brain tumors reveals tumor type-specific developmental trajectories and epigenetic signatures of malignancy Joonas Uusi-Mäkelä, Tampere University and Tays Cancer Center, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland 10:00 EGFR expression and non-methylated MGMT predicts distant recurrence in glioblastoma patients treated with standard therapy Doctor Thomas Urup, The DCCC Brain Tumor Center, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark 10:15 Accurate classification of central nervous system tumors based on DNA methylation data from a reduced set of genomic regions Doctor Alejandra Rodríguez Martínez, Tampere University and Tays Cancer Center, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland
10:30 Sponsor presentations by Orion and NanoString Technologies
10:40-11:00 Coffee break and visit sponsors
Session 5 Neurosurgery Chair: Doctor Matti Seppälä and Adjunct Professor Hanna Mäenpää
11:00 Intra-operative monitoring in glioma surgery Doctor Päivi Koroknay-Pal, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
11:30 Aspects on the surgery of low grade gliomas Professor Ole Solheim, St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
12:00 Laser ablation in neuro-oncology Doctor Jiri Bartek, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
Abstract talks 12:15 Integrated PDX analysis, single-cell profiling and computational modeling to reveal route-specific mechanisms of GBM invasion Doctor Milena Doroszko, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden 12:30 A Personalized BRAF Mutant Glioblastoma Model using Human ex-vivo Cortical Cultures Junyi Zhang, University of Freiburg, Germany
12:45-14:00 Lunch and visit sponsors and posters 13:30-14:00 Visit poster presenters (Group 1)
Session 6 Signaling in brain tumors Chair: Professor Jukka Westermarck and Professor Matti Nykter
14:00 Generation of brain cancer avatars through genome engineering of human iPSCs Professor Frank Furnari, University of California San Diego (UCSD) and Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, San Diego, USA
14:45 Novel insight into gliomas: from biology to treatment. Adjunct professor Simone Niclou, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Luxembourg and University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
Abstract talks 15:15 Vessel co-option and glioblastoma resistance to therapy are induced by cell state transition and senescence Doctor Giorgio Seano, Institut Curie Research Center, Paris-Orsay, France 15:30 Spatially resolved glioblastoma Invadome identifies neurodevelopmental pathway reprogramming and therapeutic opportunities Doctor Vadim Le Joncour, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
15:45-16:15 Coffee break -visit poster presenters (Group 2) and sponsors
Session 7 Why targeted therapies fail in clinical trials? Chair: Professor Roger Henriksson and Professor Jukka Westermarck
16:15 Panel discussion Professor Frank Furnari, Adjunct Professor Simone Niclou, Professor Roel Verhaak and Professor Monika Hegi
17:15-17:30 Day wrap-up and discussion
19:00-Symposium dinner
Saturday 21 May 2022
Session 8 Brain tumor microenvironment and immunology Chair: Adjunct Professor Kirsi Granberg and Doctor Jiri Bartek
9:00 Cellular plasticity and interactions within the glioma microenvironment Doctor Itay Tirosh, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
Abstract talks 9:45 Single-cell analysis of tumor-associated microglia and macrophages from human glioblastoma Doctor Rikke Sick Andersen, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark 10:00 Immunophenotyping reveals complex immune cell phenotypes in brain tumour microenvironment, including unreported myeloid subsets Ismaïl Hermelo, Tampere University and Tays Cancer Center, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland
10:15-10:30 Coffee break -visit sponsors
Session 9 Patient stratification and treatment Chair: Doctor Petter Brandal and Professor Hans Skovgaard Poulsen
10:30 Grade 2 and 3 IDH mutant gliomas: the state of the art in 2022 Professor Martin van den Bent, ErasmusMC Cancer Institute, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
11:00 Epigenetic vulnerabilities – markers and treatment opportunities Professor Monika Hegi, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
Abstract talks 11:30 The Role of Aging in Glioblastoma Doctor Vidhya Madapusi Ravi, University of Freiburg, Germany 11:45 Gliotarget: a Danish nationwide phase I/II platform trial focusing on individualized targeted treatment for newly diagnosed glioblastoma patients based on genomic profiling. Vincent Nicolay Fougner, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
12:00 -13:15 Lunch and visit sponsors and posters 12:45-13:15 Visit poster presenters (Group 2)
Session 10 Brain metastases Chair: Professor Pirjo Laakkonen and Professor Matti Nykter
13:15 Strategies to challenge brain metastasis lethality in mice and human Doctor Manuel Valiente, CNIO, Madrid, Spain
Abstract talks 13:45 Brain metastases NAVIGATOR as a novel theranostic tool Abiodun Ayo, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland 14:00 Method for intraoperative detection of IDH mutation in gliomas with differential mobility spectrometry Ilkka Haapala, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland
14:15 Closing words Host of the next SNOG meeting and Adjunct professor Kirsi Granberg, President of SNOG and Chair of FiBTRA, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
Please note, that the program might still change due to exceptional circumstances. Latest version and updates are presented here on the symposium web pages.
