Keynotes speakers
We are proud to welcome 7 outstanding keynote speakers to this year’s Young Scientist Cancer Congress (YS2C). Each of them brings a unique perspective on cancer research, from clinical innovation to fundamental biology.
👉 Below, you’ll find the list of invited speakers, their biosketches, and the time of their presentations.
In addition, we are honored to host a Scientific Editor from Nature Cancer, who will share valuable insights on scientific publishing. To learn more, please visit the dedicated page:
Prof. Angelika Eggert
Charité, Berlin, Germany
Session 1: Clinical approaches in cancer treatment
October 9, 2025 — 09.15 – 10.00
Prof. Angelika Eggert is a German pediatric oncologist and Einstein Professor at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, where she has led the Department of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology since 2013. Her research focuses on neuroblastoma, a common childhood cancer, with an emphasis on its molecular pathogenesis and the development of precision medicine approaches. Eggert has contributed to identifying molecular markers and therapeutic targets, advancing both diagnostics and treatment strategies. She has received numerous accolades, including the Wilhelm-Warner Prize (2017) and the German Cancer Prize (2023), and is a member of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina.
Prof. Nikolaus Rajewsky
Max Delbrück Center, Berlin, Germany
Session 2: Genome regulation
October 9, 2025 — 14:00 – 14:45
Nikolaus Rajewsky is a German systems biologist and professor at the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) and Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin. He founded and directs the Berlin Institute for Medical Systems Biology (BIMSB), focusing on RNA-mediated gene regulation. Rajewsky's research has significantly advanced understanding of microRNAs and circular RNAs, and he has pioneered single-cell methods to reconstruct tissue development. He co-chairs the pan-European LifeTime initiative, aiming to transform healthcare by mapping and targeting cells during disease progression. His accolades include the Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize (2012), EMBO membership (2010), and election to the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina (2019).
Dr. Maite Huarte
CIMA Pamplona, Spain
Session 2: Genome regulation
October 9, 2025 — 16:05 – 16:45
Dr. Maite Huarte is a Spanish molecular biologist and principal investigator at the Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA) of the University of Navarra in Pamplona. She leads the Noncoding RNA and Cancer Genome Regulation group, focusing on the role of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in cancer development and therapy resistance. After earning her PhD at the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid and conducting postdoctoral research at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, she returned to Spain in 2010 to establish her research program. Her work has been recognized with prestigious European Research Council grants, including a Starting Grant in 2011 and a Consolidator Grant in 2017. Her research aims to uncover how noncoding regions of the genome influence DNA replication and tumor progression, with the goal of identifying novel therapeutic targets. She also collaborates on projects addressing colorectal cancer resistance and is supported by international organizations such as Worldwide Cancer Research.
Prof. Julien Mazières
CHU de Toulouse, Oncopole de Toulouse, Centre de Recherches en Cancerologie de Toulouse, France
Session 3: Innovative approaches in solid tumors
October 10, 2025 — 09:00 – 09:45
Julien Mazières is a French pulmonologist and oncologist, professor at Toulouse University Hospital (CHU de Toulouse), and head of the thoracic oncology unit at Hôpital Larrey. He is also a researcher at Inserm (UMR 1037) and a professor at the University of Toulouse. His research focuses on personalized therapies for lung cancer, particularly in oncogene-addicted tumors. He coordinates the national COALA project, a multidisciplinary initiative funded by the French National Cancer Institute, aimed at preventing relapse in genetically driven lung cancers. Recognized among the world's most influential researchers by Clarivate Analytics in 2022 and 2023, Mazières has significantly advanced targeted therapies and immunotherapy in thoracic oncology. He also chairs the scientific board of the ALK ROS1 France patient association.
Dr. Maik Luu
University of Wurzburg, Germany
Session 3: Innovative approaches in solid tumors
October 10, 2025 — 11:25 – 12:10
Dr. Maik Luu is a German human biologist and assistant professor at the University Hospital Würzburg, where he leads a research group at the Chair of Cellular Immunotherapy. His work focuses on enhancing CAR-T cell therapies by leveraging microbiome-derived metabolites to improve efficacy against solid tumors. Luu earned his doctorate from Philipps University Marburg, studying immune responses to gut bacteria and their metabolites. In 2021, he was appointed to a tenure-track professorship in translational medicine. His innovative research has been recognized with several honors, including the Emerging Investigators EHA-EBMT Joint Fellowship Award and selection to the Junge Kolleg of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences in 2025. Luu is also a scientific project manager for the EU-funded T2EVOLVE initiative, aiming to advance next-generation immunotherapies.
Dr. Elizabeth Bik
Elisabeth Bik, consultant at Harbers Bik LLC
Session 4: Science Integrity
October 10, 2025 — 14:05 – 14:50
Elisabeth Bik, PhD is a Dutch-American microbiologist who has worked for 15 years at Stanford University and 2 years in industry. Since 2019, she is a science integrity volunteer and consultant who scans the biomedical literature for images or other data of concern. She has found over 8,000 scientific papers, and her work resulted in over 1,300 retractions and another 1,000 corrections. For her work in science communication and exposing research misconduct, she received the 2021 John Maddox Prize and the 2024 Einstein Foundation Award.
Dr. René Bernards
Functional cancer genetics at Netherlands Cancer Institute
Session 5: Tumor genetics in cancer treatment
October 10, 2025 — 16:10 – 16:55
René Bernards is a Dutch cancer biologist and professor of molecular carcinogenesis at Utrecht University and the Netherlands Cancer Institute. After earning his PhD from Leiden University in 1984, he conducted postdoctoral research with Robert Weinberg at the Whitehead Institute and later served as assistant professor at Harvard Medical School. He returned to the Netherlands in 1992 to lead a research group focused on cancer genetics. Bernards is internationally recognized for his work on functional cancer genomics and drug resistance, including the development of synthetic lethal strategies and co-founding of Agendia, which commercialized the breast cancer test MammaPrint. He is a member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, the National Academy of Sciences (USA), and the Royal Society (UK). His contributions to cancer research have earned him numerous honors, including the prestigious Spinoza Prize.