{"id":9636,"date":"2024-10-14T14:10:09","date_gmt":"2024-10-14T12:10:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uni.lu\/lcsb-en\/?post_type=news&p=9636"},"modified":"2024-10-14T14:10:11","modified_gmt":"2024-10-14T12:10:11","slug":"cell-death-at-the-crossroad-of-cancer-and-neurodegeneration","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/www.uni.lu\/lcsb-en\/news\/cell-death-at-the-crossroad-of-cancer-and-neurodegeneration\/","title":{"rendered":"Cell death at the crossroad of cancer and neurodegeneration"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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From 9 to 11 October 2024, 250 researchers, clinicians, and students from around the world gathered at the University of Luxembourg\u2019s Belval Campus for the 30th European Cell Death Organization (ECDO) Conference<\/em>. Hosted by the Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB)<\/a>, this year\u2019s edition explored the latest research on cell death mechanisms, focusing on their implications for neurodegeneration and cancer<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nProgrammed cell death \u2013 indispensable for life<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

During normal development, tightly orchestrated programmed cell death occurs in a spatially and temporally restricted manner to establish proper composition and functioning of the body, such as the neural architecture of the brain. Activation of a specific signaling pathways can lead to cell death by a variety of mechanisms, including apoptosis, necroptosis, pyroptosis, ferroptosis and autophagy-dependent cell death. \u201cIt is important to understand the exact mechanisms at play,\u201d explains Prof. Dirk Brenner,<\/a> head of the Immunology & Genetics group at the LCSB and the Luxembourg Institute of Health who co-organised the conference. \u201cOnly if we know what triggers their activation and which biochemical pathways are involved, we can exploit this knowledge to develop treatments for human diseases.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nNew frontiers in cell death research<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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With earliest discoveries dating only from the late 60s, cell death research is still a very dynamic field. Last year, a new scientific publication on cell death was published every 22 minutes. \u201cIt is amazing how much new knowledge is created around the world on cell death,\u201d says ECDO president Prof. Inna Lavrik. \u201cWe were particularly keen to see the new insights on ferroptosis at this ECDO conference, a new type of cell death recently discovered.\u201d Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent form of cell death resulting from the accumulation of peroxidised lipids implicated in many different diseases, which makes it an interesting target for therapeutic applications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To underline the important role of the discovery, two prizes were awarded during the conference to the pioneers in ferroptosis research: Prof. Brent Stockwell <\/a>from Columbia University received the Cell Death & Differentiation Prize 2024, sponsored by a leading journal in the field, while Prof. Marcus Conrad<\/a> from the Helmholtz Centre in Munich received ECDO Prize 2024. Besides ferroptosis, the conference discussed new directions in cell death research and how they can be linked to the development of novel therapeutic strategies to treat cancer, neurodegenerative and autoimmune diseases. In this context, Prof. Junying Yuan <\/a>from Shanghai Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and Chemistry has been awarded the prestigious J\u00fcrg Tschopp Prize 2024, for his research demonstrating the path from studying molecular mechanisms to the development of therapies.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\nUniting fields: From neurodegeneration to cancer metabolism<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This year\u2019s theme of the conference offered a comprehensive look on the various forms of cell death and their role in diseases like Alzheimer\u2019s and Parkinson\u2019s, as well as cancer. \u201cCancer cells are notoriously good at avoiding programmed cell death, which is why reactivating these processes is at the core of many anti-cancer therapy developments,\u201d explains Prof. Michael Heneka,<\/a> director of the LCSB and co-organisers of the conference. \u201cOn the contrary, we see cells dying prematurely in neurodegenerative diseases which we need to rescue for instance by trying to block these pathways. I am convinced that both fields can learn a lot from each other.\u201d With scientific contributions from researchers and clinicians alike, the conference aimed to bridge the gap between basic research and clinical application. Conference presentations showed that first compounds targeting cell death pathways are now being tested on humans in clinical trials for COVID-19 and cancer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\nA platform for scientific exchange and collaboration<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The three-day event brought together some of the most prominent voices in cell death research, with presentation by 26 internationally renowned experts as well as poster presentations and flash talks by young academics. The interdisciplinary nature of the meeting, accompanied by an industry exhibition and social events, fostered lively discussions and promoted future collaborations. \u201cThis year\u2019s conference was a huge success, not just in terms of participation, but in the quality of scientific exchanges,\u201d concludes ECDO president Prof. Inna Lavrik. \u201cCell death research has made enormous strides in recent years, and we were able to present new breakthroughs that will undoubtedly shape the future for patients.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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