The international Summer school of Tumor Microenvironment and Immunity, held under the auspices of NICR, once again brought leading experts together with the next generation of researchers from several countries in the picturesque town of Nové Hrady. Four days of inspiring lectures, open discussions, informal networking – and a truly outstanding atmosphere.
This year's edition welcomed more than thirty PhD students, postdoctoral researchers, and early-career scientists to an intensive programme focused on the tumour microenvironment, immuno-oncology, cellular therapies, metabolic aspects of cancer, advanced imaging technologies, and the use of artificial intelligence in research. In addition to lectures delivered by renowned Czech and international experts, the programme featured panel discussions, a poster session, practical demonstrations of cutting-edge research methods, and plenty of opportunities for informal scientific exchange – one of the hallmarks of the Nové Hrady summer school.
Among the speakers was NICR Director Aleksi Šedo, who delivered a lecture entitled Stromal Reprogramming in Glioblastoma: The Perivascular Niche as a Central Orchestrator of Tumor Progression. His presentation highlighted the latest findings on how glioblastoma reshapes its microenvironment and the mechanisms that his team at the Laboratory of Cancer Cell Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and Experimental Oncology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, and NICR has been uncovering in this field.
“It was a great pleasure to take part in this year's summer school as one of the speakers. In my lecture, I tried to show that a tumour is quite a capable ecosystem, with its own rules, infrastructure, and sometimes even rather rude ‘neighbourly relations’. Above all, I would like to thank Luca Vannucci for his long-standing dedication to organising this event. He has created an environment that combines outstanding science with open discussion and a genuinely friendly atmosphere. Thanks to his efforts, Nové Hrady has become a unique meeting place for experienced scientists and early-career researchers alike. And perhaps that is why even the topic of cancer does not take away from the good spirit of the summer school – which, as I was reminded once again, is quite a pleasant oxymoron,” says Aleksi Šedo.
