The Cancer Researcher Podcast

In recent years, the neuronal component of the cancer microenvironment and the metabolic plasticity of cancer cells have become increasingly recognised as essential for cancer progression. Dr Simon Grelet and Dr Gustavo Ayala are two key researchers who work at the interface of cancer neuroscience and cancer metabolism, investigating metabolic reprogramming as a consequence of tumour innervation. In this episode, we will discuss their research on neuron- cancer cell transfer of mitochondria. 🔗 Read more about the publication here 🔗 Access transcripts for all our episodes at magazine.eacr.org/podcast

What happens when clinical care directly informs scientific discovery? This episode sees EACR award winners Charlie Swanton, Ayelet Erez and Daniel Kirschenbaum reflect on what drew them to pursuing cancer research alongside patient care, how bedside experiences guide lab investigations, and what it takes to turn a promising finding into real clinical progress. We also touch on recent breakthroughs in their work, and the biggest changes they’ve witnessed in the field. 🔗 Access transcripts for all our episodes at magazine.eacr.org/podcast

Professor Bernhard Küster, keynote speaker at EACR 2026, talks about his scientific journey from chemistry to chemical proteomics and precision medicine. He reflects on how an interdisciplinary mindset - combining chemistry, biology, and computational science - has shaped his approach to understanding how drugs act on proteins and how this knowledge can inform personalised cancer treatments. He also shares practical advice for early-career researchers on how to embrace interdisciplinarity in their work. Bernhard discusses his team’s pioneering work developing technologies such as Prosit, Decrypt-E and Decrypt-M, and highlights how artificial intelligence is accelerating discoveries in proteomics. He also underscores the vital role of the clinical community in providing well-annotated tumour samples - an essential foundation for meaningful AI-driven cancer research. 🔗 Access transcripts for all our episodes at magazine.eacr.org/podcast

Conferences don’t just happen – people make them. In this episode, Johanna Joyce, Joana Paredes and Mariangela Russo take you behind the scenes of the Annual Congress of the European Association for Cancer Research, from shaping sessions and selecting speakers to fostering early career opportunities and spotting emerging science. Hear their reflections on EACR 2025 in Lisbon and get an insider glimpse of the themes and initiatives planned for EACR 2026 in Budapest. 🔗 Access transcripts for all our episodes at magazine.eacr.org/podcast

Two of the biggest challenges for the treatment of most solid cancers are drug toxicity, particularly systemic toxicity, and drug permeation in the tumoral tissue. These obstacles may be mitigated through the development of intracellular delivery systems designed to selectively deliver drugs to the tumour. In this episode, we discuss with Dr. Vishnu Raman, CSO and co-founder at Ernst Pharmaceuticals, the benefits and challenges of using genetically engineered Salmonella strains as a vector for the transport of therapeutic proteins into malignant cells. The focus will be on his recent publication in Molecular Therapy (10.1016/j.ymthe.2024.12.038), highlighted in a recent edition of the EACR’s Highlights in Cancer Research. 🔗 Read more about the publication: https://magazine.eacr.org/highlights-in-cancer-research-march-2025/3/ 🔗 Access transcripts for all our episodes at magazine.eacr.org/podcast

In this insightful and honest conversation, award winners Karin de Visser, Ido Amit and Marta Kovatcheva talk about their research, career journeys, and excitement for the future of cancer research. From curiosity and scientific breakthroughs to diversity and balancing life in the lab, they reflect on what it really means to be a researcher today. This episode explores the evolution of the cancer field and why optimism is more important than ever in science. The episode ends with a look ahead to the EACR 2025 Congress in Lisbon, where they’ll join fellow scientists from across the globe to share research and shape the future of cancer science. Karin de Visser is winner of the Pezcoller-Marina Larcher Fogazzaro-EACR Women in Cancer Research Award Ido Amit is winner of the Pezcoller Foundation-EACR Translational Cancer Research Award Marta Kovatcheva is winner of the EACR-Mark Foundation-Pezcoller Foundation Rising Star Award 🔗 Find out more about the EACR Congress at eacr.org/congress 🔗 Access transcripts for all our episodes at magazine.eacr.org/podcast

In this episode of the Cancer Researcher Podcast we interview Matheus Diaz about his research in Rene Bernards' lab on a ‘paradoxical’ approach to cancer treatment involving the activation of oncogenic signaling. The conversation explores how this method potentially kills cancer cells and addresses drug resistance, based on Diaz's fascinating recent publication in Cancer Discovery. 🔗 Read more about the publication: https://magazine.eacr.org/highlights-in-cancer-research-december-2024/10/ 🔗 Access transcripts for all our episodes at magazine.eacr.org/podcast

Cross-border collaboration is crucial in cancer research because it fosters knowledge-sharing, accelerates innovation, and maximises the impact of research by leveraging diverse expertise and resources. However, it also comes with many challenges. In this episode of The Cancer Researcher Podcast we're joined by four renowned experts — the Director of EMBO, the Director of Research and Partnerships at Cancer Research UK, the Past President of the European Academy of Cancer Sciences, and the Past President of the EACR. The guests discuss the complexities and benefits of cross-border collaboration in cancer research, emphasising the need for careful planning and understanding diverse funding models. They also explore the balance between discovery science and translational research, the importance of investigator-initiated and pragmatic clinical trials, and how such approaches can drive innovation and reduce healthcare costs. 🔗 Access transcripts for all our episodes at magazine.eacr.org/podcast. 🔗 Celis, J. and Ringborg, U. (2024), From the creation of the European research area in 2000 to a Mission on cancer in Europe in 2021-lessons learned and implications. Mol Oncol, 18: 785-792. https://doi.org/10.1002/1878-0261.13632

Dr. Jessica Chitty and Dr. Thomas Cox generated and validated a novel selective and irreversible pan-lysyl oxidase inhibitor: PXS-5505. Their experiments in a series of pre-clinical models show that by acting on the tumour microenvironment, this small molecule drug has the ability to significantly enhance chemotherapy efficacy. Listen to this episode to find out direct from the authors about the effects that PXS-5505 in combination with gemcetabine has on tumour morphology, behaviour and subject survival in pancreatic cancer. This study has been published in Nature Cancer and was included in the EACR's Highlights in Cancer Research, a summary of the most interesting and impactful recent papers in cancer research. Access transcripts for all our episodes at magazine.eacr.org/podcast.

Welcome to The Cancer Researcher Podcast, from the European Association for Cancer Research.

In this episode we're joined by editors from Cell, Nature Reviews and Molecular Oncology to discuss the process of scientific publishing: from the steps involved, including the peer review stage, to choosing the best home for your research; from preprints to peer-reviewed journals; from APCs and how to get a discount to the importance of engaging in an open conversation about your research with editors even prior to your paper submission. Access transcripts for all our episodes at magazine.eacr.org/podcast.

When studying TRAIL expression in the tumour stroma, Dr Massimiliano Mazzone and Dr Carla Riera-Domingo made a surprising discovery with great therapeutic potential: this immunoregulator acts as a gatekeeper of the vasculature at the pre-metastatic niche. Listen to this episode to find out what implications this has for the formation of the premetastatic niche and the therapeutic value this novel finding holds. You can also read the full episode transcript here: magazine.eacr.org/the-role-of-trail-in-premetastatic-niche-formation-in-breast-cancer-episode-11-of-the-cancer-researcher-podcast This study has been published in Science Advances 9 (12), eadd5028. DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.add5028 and was included in the EACR's Highlights in Cancer Research.

In this episode, we engage in a dynamic discussion on gender diversity in cancer research with guests Johanna Joyce, Marisol Soengas, and Mireia Crispin Ortuzar. Exploring challenges faced by women in science, they address the leaky pipeline, postdoc instability, and the importance of fostering inclusive work environments. Our guests share valuable insights into the need for tailored diversity strategies, supportive networks, and representation at higher career levels in tackling gender disparities. Join us as we navigate through statistics, personal experiences, and practical solutions, working to break barriers and promote equality in cancer research. Access transcripts for all our episodes at magazine.eacr.org/podcast.