2026 International Cancer Neuroscience Symposium

2026 International Cancer Neuroscience Symposium Chairs

The MD Anderson Cancer Neuroscience Program and Wiley's Advanced Portfolio proudly announce the 3rd biennial Cancer Neuroscience Symposium happening in February 2026!  This dynamic, three-day hybrid event will feature key insights and the latest, cutting-edge research from over 30 leading international experts. The goal of this regular event is to bring together world-renowned experts in oncology, neuroscience, cancer biology, neuro-immunology, and mental health to foster innovation in cancer research and patient care through a unique integration of these disciplines.

Hwang et al, 2025, Cancer Cell, Volume 43, Issue 1, 1-5

Building on the success of our previous meeting in 2024 (which attracted over 1,200 participants, see a summary here: https://www.cell.com/cancer-cell/fulltext/S1535-6108(24)00362-3) and fostering ongoing collaboration among our speakers, the 2026 Cancer Neuroscience Symposium will explore how the intersection of oncology and neuroscience shapes tumor development, progression, treatment, survivorship, and health outcomes.  Multiple sessions are planned focused on neurobiology, neurotoxicity, neuroimmunology, neural neoplasms, and neurobehavioral health encompassing the comprehensive spectrum of the ever-growing field of cancer neuroscience. 

This event will also have abstract competitions with awards being given out during the 3-day symposium.  Dr. Nicole Scheff from University of Pittsburgh is serving as the Chair for the Abstract Committee.  See the “Abstracts” section below for details on submission dates, instructions, and more.   

Several keynote speakers are confirmed including Dr. James P. Allison (2018 Nobel Award winner in Physiology and Medicine), Dr. Michelle Monje, Dr. Sébastien Talbot, Dr. Douglas Hanahan, and Dr. Erica Sloan. In addition, various leaders in this field will participate to present on their latest research and insights.  By bringing together scientific experts alongside oncologists, surgeons, neurologists, patients, and advocates, this symposium will spark transformative discussions and accelerate progress in this rapidly evolving field. The full agenda will be available closer to the event date.

We also have several exciting and fun events planned, including a performance by the world-famous The CheckMATES  band, featuring top scientists who take the stage with their musical talents.

Join us for this premier scientific gathering in the world famous Texas Medical Center and be part of a new era in Cancer Neuroscience!

Click ABSTRACT SUBMISSION below to See Instructions
Note:  The abstract submission portal with instructions, etc. is live. Submission Deadline, November 7, 2025.

ABSTRACT SUBMISSION

 All submitted abstracts will be pre-screened by the abstract committee made up of leading experts from across the country. The top abstract for each category (Neuroimmunology, Neurobiology, Neurotoxicity, Neurobehavioral Health, and Neural Neoplasms) will be invited to give a short oral presentation on this international stage AND receive a $500 visa e-gift card compliments of Wiley’s Advanced Portfolio.    

Additional Award Opportunities

• Professional Development Awards (PDAs): The 2026 International Cancer Neuroscience Symposium is pleased to offer 15 PDAs ($750 each) to support the participation of promising trainees and early-career investigators. These awards are designed to foster engagement, collaboration, and career growth among the next generation of leaders in cancer neuroscience, and to provide financial assistance to those with demonstrated need to enable their attendance to the symposium. View eligibility criteria and apply here: Professional Development Awards 
  
  

• International Travel Awards: Planning to travel internationally to the meeting?  Wiley's Advanced Portfolio is proud to sponsor 8 travel awards of $1,250 each for the 2026 International Cancer Neuroscience Symposium to support outstanding participants traveling internationally to the meeting. These awards are designed to foster engagement, collaboration, and the exchange of innovative ideas among researchers and clinicians working to advance the rapidly growing field of cancer neuroscience. View eligibility criteria and apply here: Wiley-sponsored International Travel Awards 

1. Summarize interactions between cancer and the nervous system;
2. Discuss neuro-cancer crosstalk (mediators, mechanisms, and outcomes) in the central and peripheral nervous systems;
3. Understand neurotoxicities and nervous system health during cancer therapy; and
4. Describe novel concepts in targeting neuro-immune crosstalk in the central and peripheral nervous systems and their translational impact.

The Cancer Neuroscience Symposium 2026 registration will open on August 18, 2025! The only way to register for this event is online via the registration portal when it goes live.  A confirmation email along you’re your payment receipt will be automatically emailed to the e-mail address you list on the registration form.

The Symposium will begin at 8:00 AM on Wednesday Feb. 18, 2026, and will adjourn at 5:45 PM on Friday, Feb. 20, 2026.  Early registration is encouraged; please see registration information below for applicable fees.

Venue - TMC3 / Helix Park
Sessions will delve into novel findings in fundamental research of the nervous system and cancer biology.  We will highlight our special focus on the interaction of cancer and aging biology, including neurodegeneration. Attendees should gain insights into fundamental research that addresses contributing and causative factors that can hijack or hamper these basic biological processes.

REGISTRATION TO OPEN  ON AUGUST 18, 2025.

Registration Fees: 

The Cancer Neuroscience Symposium is a three-day hybrid event offering both on-site and virtual options brought to you by the MD Anderson Cancer Neuroscience Program. 

Registration for on-site participation is limited to 300 seats, with a subsidized in-person registration fee of $100 for early bird registration (deadline is October 18, 2025) and $150 thereafter.

We recognize everyone's financial situation is unique and we want to ensure cost is not a barrier to participating in this invaluable event. With our “Contribution-Based Payment” option available only for virtual attendees, you can select the category that best aligns with your budget. We deeply appreciate your contribution as it helps support the symposium and allows us to continue providing enriching educational experiences for all attendees.

Please select the registration fee that is appropriate for you.

Contribution-Based Fee Structure (Virtual)

1. Contribution-Based Payment - $0.00 (available until October 18)

2. Contribution-Based Payment- $45.00

3. Contribution-Based Payment - $65.00

4. Contribution-Based Payment - $99.00

5. Contribution-Based Payment - $145.00

6. Contribution-Based Payment - $199.00

On-Site Registration (In Person - Limited Seating) Only 300 seats available

1. In Person Attendance Fee - $100.00 (Before October 18, 2025)

2. In Person Attendance Fee - $150.00 (After October 18, 2025)

Telephone registrations are not accepted.

We accept the following forms of payment:

• Credit Cards (MasterCard, VISA, and American Express)

• Check (Payable to The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center; U.S. banks only)

Mail checks to:

Continuing Professional Education (CPE) – Unit 1781
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
P.O. Box 301407
Houston, Texas 77230-1407

When registering online a receipt (confirmation email) will be automatically emailed to the e-mail address you list on the registration form.

Refund/Cancellation Policy
The registration fee, minus a $15 administration-handling fee, is refundable only if a written request is received on or before Jan. 19, 2026. No refunds will be granted after this date. The request for a registration refund must include the tax identification number of the company or institution if registration was paid by a company or institution check.

The Department of Continuing Professional Education (CPE), reserves the right to cancel activities prior to the scheduled date, if low enrollment or other circumstances make it necessary. Each registrant will be notified by mail, e-mail, or at the phone number given on the registration form.  In case of activity cancellation, the liability of the CPE is limited to the registration fee. CPE will refund the full registration fee.

CPE also reserves the right to limit the number of participants in an activity and is not responsible for any expenses incurred by an individual whose registration is not confirmed and for whom space is not available.

For additional information or for Special Assistance, contact CPE at:

• Phone: 713-792-2223

• Toll-free at 866-849-5866

• Email: [email protected]

Planning Committee

This symposium is not awarding any CE Credit.

View the accessibility policy for The University of Texas M.D Anderson Cancer Center.

Area hotels:
Westin Houston Medical Center
1709 Dryden Road
Houston, TX 77030
Direct: 713.730.2404
Toll Free: 888.236.2427

Hilton Houston Plaza - Medical Center
6633 Travis St.
Houston, TX 77030
Direct for reservations: 413-713-4000
Email: HOUMC-salesadm@hilton

Intercontinental Houston – Medical Center
6750 Main St.
Houston, TX 77030
714-422-2779

Courtyard by Marriott Houston Medical Center
7702 South Main St.
Houston, TX 77030
713-668-4500

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center complies with all requirements of the identified accrediting body  (ACCME, ANCC, ACPE). Disclosure of speakers, faculty members, planning committee members and their commercial relationships will be shared with learners prior to the educational activity.

Mitigation of Relevant Financial Relationships

The content of this activity is non-clinical whereas it does not have direct impact on patient care (e.g. leadership, communication skills, or electronic medical records training). Therefore, all individuals in control of the content of this activity have no relevant financial relationships with an ACCME-defined ineligible company.

Member Information

Role in activity

Nature of Relationship(s) / Name of Ineligible Company(s)

Moran Amit, MD
MD Anderson Cancer Center

Activity Co-Director, Faculty

Non-Clinical Exception

Nisha J D'Silva, BDS, MSD, PhD
Professor
University of Michigan

Activity Co-Director, Faculty

Non-Clinical Exception

Monty Montano, PhD
Assistant Professor
Harvard Medical School

Activity Co-Director, Faculty

Non-Clinical Exception

James P Allison, PhD
Chair and Regental Professor, Immunology
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

Faculty

Non-Clinical Exception

Corina Amor, MD, PhD
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory

Faculty

Non-Clinical Exception

Erez N Baruch, MD, PhD
Heme/onc fellow
MDACC

Faculty

Non-Clinical Exception

Jeremy C Borniger, PhD
Assistant Professor
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory

Faculty

Non-Clinical Exception

Yuri Bunimovich, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor
University of Pittsburgh

Faculty

Non-Clinical Exception

Didem Cobanoglu, Physician (MD or DO)
Odyssey Fellow
MD Anderson Cancer Center

Faculty

Non-Clinical Exception

Joseph Costello, PhD
Professor
University of California San Francisco

Faculty

Non-Clinical Exception

Ihsan Ekin Demir, MD, PhD
Technical University of Munich
Germany

Faculty

Non-Clinical Exception

Karen Dixon, PhD
Dr
HMS

Faculty

Non-Clinical Exception

Sissi Dolci, PhD
PhD in Neuroscience
University of Verona
Italy

Faculty

Non-Clinical Exception

Sangeeta Goswami, MD
Assistant Professor
Goswami

Faculty

Non-Clinical Exception

Paige Green, PhD
Chief, BBPSB
National Cancer Institute

Faculty

Non-Clinical Exception

Simon Grelet, PhD

Faculty

Non-Clinical Exception

David H Gutmann, MD, PhD
Donald O. Schnuck Family Professor, Director, Neurofibromatosis Center
Washington University

Faculty

Non-Clinical Exception

Dorothy Hallberg, PhD
AAAS/Science Translational Medicine

Faculty

Non-Clinical Exception

Douglas Hanahan, PhD
Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Lausanne Branch
Switzerland

Faculty

Non-Clinical Exception

Chengcheng Jin, PhD

Faculty

Non-Clinical Exception

Guido Kroemer, MD, PhD

Faculty

Non-Clinical Exception

Corinne Lavoie , MS

Faculty

Non-Clinical Exception

Leanne Li, MD, PhD
Francis Crick Institute
United Kingdom

Faculty

Non-Clinical Exception

Claire MAGNON, PharmD, PhD
DR
INSERM
France

Faculty

Non-Clinical Exception

Mattia Maroso, PhD, AAAS/Science
AAAS/Science

Faculty

Non-Clinical Exception

Barbara Marte, PhD
Senior Editor
Nature
United Kingdom

Faculty

Non-Clinical Exception

Michelle Monje, MD, PhD
Professor
Stanford University

Faculty

Non-Clinical Exception

Carmen Mota Reyes, MD
Dr. med.
Klinikum rechts der Isar

Faculty

Non-Clinical Exception

Melina Mueller, MD

Faculty

Non-Clinical Exception

Nestor L Muller, MD, PhD
Professor Emeritus, Department of Radiology
University of British Columbia Vancouver, British Columbia CANADA
Canada

Faculty

Non-Clinical Exception

Simona Parrinello, PhD

Faculty

Non-Clinical Exception

Mekenzie Peshoff, BS
UTHealth Houston

Faculty

Non-Clinical Exception

John Pham, PhD

Faculty

Non-Clinical Exception

Peter Pisters, MD
President
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

Faculty

Non-Clinical Exception

Charles Raison, MD

Faculty

Non-Clinical Exception

Alicia Ray, MS
Ochsner Health

Faculty

Non-Clinical Exception

William J Ray, PhD
Executive Director, Neuroscience
MD Anderson Cancer Center

Faculty

Non-Clinical Exception

Elizabeth A Repasky, PhD
Professor of Immunology
Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center

Faculty

Non-Clinical Exception

Teresa Reyes, PhD
University of Cincinnati

Faculty

Non-Clinical Exception

Montserrat Rojo de la Vega, PhD
Cancer Cell, Cell Press

Faculty

Non-Clinical Exception

Sam Rose, PhD
Cell Press

Faculty

Non-Clinical Exception

Mei Rui, Other
Assistant Professor. Director of Music-in-Medicine
MD ANDERSON CANCER CENTER

Faculty

Non-Clinical Exception

Padmanee Sharma, MD
Professor
MD Anderson Cancer Center

Faculty

Non-Clinical Exception

Erica Sloan, PhD
Professor
Monash University

Faculty

Non-Clinical Exception

Ellen Smith, PhD, RN, AOCN, FAAN
Professor, Assistant Dean Research & Scholarship, Marie O'Koren Endowed Chair
University of Alabama at Birmingham

Faculty

Non-Clinical Exception

Mario Suva, MD, PhD
Massachusetts General Hospital

Faculty

Non-Clinical Exception

Sebastien Talbot, PhD
Associate Professor
Queen's University

Faculty

Non-Clinical Exception

Kathryn Taylor, PhD
Stanford University

Faculty

Non-Clinical Exception

Vera Thiel, PhD
Dr.
German Cancer Research Center
Germany

Faculty

Non-Clinical Exception

Manuel Valero, Other

Faculty

Non-Clinical Exception

Vicente Valero, MD
Professor
MD Anderson Cancer Center

Faculty

Non-Clinical Exception

Jeffrey Wefel, PhD
UTMDACC

Faculty

Non-Clinical Exception

Frank Winkler, MD, PhD
University Hospital Heidelberg, and German Cancer Research Center
Germany

Faculty

Non-Clinical Exception

Ada Wong, PhD
Deputy Editor
John Wiley & Sons Inc.

Faculty

Non-Clinical Exception

Jingjing Zhu, PhD
Dr
de Duve Institute/Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research
Belgium

Faculty

Non-Clinical Exception

Shawn Hervey-Jumper, MD
Associate Professor
University of California San Francisco

Faculty, Planning Committee Member

Non-Clinical Exception

Jian Hu, PhD
Associate Professor
UT MD Anderson Cancer Center

Faculty, Planning Committee Member

Non-Clinical Exception

Frederick F. Lang Jr., MD
Chair
MD Anderson Cancer Center

Faculty, Planning Committee Member

Non-Clinical Exception

Vinay K. Puduvalli, MD
Professor and Chair
MD Anderson Cancer Center

Faculty, Planning Committee Member

Non-Clinical Exception

Nicole N Scheff, PhD
Assistant Professor
University of Pittsburgh

Faculty, Planning Committee Member

Non-Clinical Exception

Paola Vermeer, PhD
Associate Scientist
Sanford Research

Faculty, Planning Committee Member

Non-Clinical Exception

Yi Ye, PhD
Assistant Professor
New York University

Faculty, Planning Committee Member

Non-Clinical Exception

Ashley E. Aaroe, MD
MD Anderson Cancer Center

Planning Committee Member

Non-Clinical Exception

Jorg Dietrich, MD, PhD
Associate Professor
Harvard Medical School

Planning Committee Member

Non-Clinical Exception

Candelaria Gomez-Manzano, MD
MD Anderson Cancer Center

Planning Committee Member

Non-Clinical Exception

Vidya Gopalakrishnan, PhD
Associate Professor
University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

Planning Committee Member

Non-Clinical Exception

Peter M Grace, PhD
Chair Ad Interim
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

Planning Committee Member

Non-Clinical Exception

William L Hwang, MD, PhD
Harvard Medical School/Massachusetts General Hospital

Planning Committee Member

Non-Clinical Exception

Yuan Pan, PhD
Assistant Professor
MD Anderson Cancer Center

Planning Committee Member

Non-Clinical Exception

Max Wintermark, MD
Professor and Chair
University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

Planning Committee Member

Non-Clinical Exception

Exhibitor Registration Requirements

• Registration & Agreement: To participate as an exhibitor, both registration and a signed exhibit agreement are required.

• Confirmation Process: Your exhibit is only confirmed after completing registration and submitting a fully executed agreement.

• Payment Timeline: The signed agreement and payment must be submitted prior to the event.

• Additional Badges: Extra exhibitor badges can only be purchased by companies with confirmed exhibitor status.

• Support Clarification: Grant and in-kind support are independent and separate from exhibitor fees.

Click Here to View the Letter of Request