IJC Scientific Symposium 

"Immunity in haematological malignancies: from molecular mechanisms to transformative therapies"

05-06 November 2026 - Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute

Blood cancers arise from genetic and epigenetic alterations in immune cell differentiation and activation, along with changes in the immune microenvironment. Understanding the mechanisms driving disease initiation, progression, immune escape, and therapeutic resistance is essential for improving patient outcomes and developing better biomarkers and treatments. Over the past decade, immunotherapy has transformed care for haematological malignancies: CAR-T cell therapies, bispecific T-cell engagers, checkpoint inhibitors, and NK-cell–based approaches are now reshaping clinical outcomes for diseases once associated with very poor prognoses. Yet critical questions remain about how tumour–immune interactions influence treatment response, resistance, and long-term disease control.

The IJC Symposium "Immunity in Haematological Malignancies: From Molecular Mechanisms to Transformative Therapies" will explore how fundamental immunological discoveries are being translated into next-generation treatments for leukaemia, lymphoma, and myeloma — from immune dysregulation and tumour evasion to CAR-T engineering, bispecific antibodies, and late-breaking clinical trial results.

On 05–06 November 2026, we will welcome you at the Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute to advance together in our mission to eradicate blood cancers. The Symposium will gather leading scientists and physicians in immunology and haematology, including our panel of selected speakers:

  • Lionel Adès, Hôpital Saint-Louis. Paris, France.
  • Luis Álvarez Vallina, Blood and Tissues Bank. Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
  • Dominique Bonnet, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK.
  • Antonino Carbone, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico di Aviano (CRO). Aviano, Italy. 
  • Raffaella Di Micco, Ospedale San Raffaele. Milan, Italy.
  • Amanda Fisher, University of Oxford. UK.
  • Torsten Haferlach, Munich Leukemia Laboratory (MLL). Munich, Germany.
  • Manel Juan, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona and Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdques Agustí Pi I Sunyer (IDIBAPS). Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
  • Tak Mak, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University of Toronto. Canada.
  • José Á. Martínez Climent, Centro de Investigación Médica Aplicada (CIMA). University of Navarra. Pamplona, Spain.
  • Renato Ostuni, Ospedale San Raffaele. Milan, Italy.
  • Gabriel Rabinovich, CaixaResearch Institute. Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. 
  • Alejo Rodriguez Fraticelli, Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB). Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
  • Anindita Roy, University of Oxford. UK.
  • Silvia Sánchez Ramón, Hospital Clínico San Carlos. Madrid, Spain.
  • Anna Torrent, Institut Català d’Oncologia, Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol. Badalona, Catalonia, Spain.
  • Klaus Warnatz, Center for Chronic Immunodeficiency, Medical Center University of Freiburg. Germany.
  • Weili Zhao, Shanghai Institute of Hematology / Shanghai Ruijin Hospital. China.

Organisers: Biola M. Javierre, Esteban Ballestar and Tomas Navarro.


PROGRAMME 

View the full programme

REGISTRATION


Registration will be open soon.

We hope that the conference will meet all expectations and that fruitful discussions and new collaborations will be established as a result.