Targeting Lipid Biology in Cancer

Forum Chairs

Brooke
Emerling
,
PhD
Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute
Raymond D.
Blind
,
PhD
Vanderbilt University

Forum Description

Targeting lipid signaling pathways in cancer is gaining momentum as inhibition of PI3K signaling is effective in the treatment for several types of cancer. However, other lipid signaling enzymes and the lipids themselves are emerging as exciting new targets for cancer therapy. As lipid signaling pathways beyond the PI3K pathway are also dysregulated in cancer, expanding our knowledge of these pathways represents a unique opportunity to bolster the rising interest in lipid metabolism and signaling in cancer which will have a significant translational impact.

The discovery of PI3Ks with roles in carcinogenesis and immune regulation has created fertile ground for translational expansion of the lipid field into cancer. Recent publications showing diverse lipid signaling cascades are necessary for cancer growth has raised interest from pharmaceutical companies to focus on targeting these pathways in several cancer types.

This conference creates a unique forum for biologists, chemists, and clinicians to exchange ideas and discoveries with the goal of creating an interdisciplinary environment that will advance our understanding of lipid pathways in cancer. This meeting has particular promise to push innovation by fostering communication between diverse disciplines, but centered on new frontiers for lipid biology in cancer.

By bringing together diverse experts and thought leaders from all over the world that have made seminal contributions to the field of lipid biology, this meeting will help develop strategies to better target lipid pathways and improve our understanding how these pathways are dysregulated in cancer. Further, the event will be an unprecedented stage to discuss the mechanistic details of lipid trafficking in pre-clinical model systems, in the cancer-relevance of phase-separated condensates, provide novel structural insights into targeting lipids in cancer, expose cancer researchers to new technological platforms, as well as the latest advances in drug development and current clinical trial design. The diversity of this conference creates a novel atmosphere for outstanding inter-disciplinary exchange of ideas, paving new inroads in our understanding of how lipids drive cancer.

Forum Summary

The Forbeck Forum on Targeting Lipid Biology in Cancer took place in the picturesque Asilomar conference center in Pacific Grove, California which included biologists, chemists, and physician scientists working broadly in the fields of lipid signaling and metabolism to help develop strategies to better target lipid pathways and improve our understanding how these pathways are dysregulated in cancer. The Forum was divided into 4 sessions, structured to (1) Lipid signaling and trafficking in cancer; (2) Lipid metabolism in cancer; (3) New lipid tech applications in cancer; (4) Drug development and clinical trial design.  From these

4 sessions some major themes arose which were actively discussed throughout the meeting.  

There are many unsolved mysteries on the role of lipids in cancer:
Although it is clear lipids control tumor growth, cancer scientists today do not understand how oncoproteins that produce those lipids are turned on and off. There are almost certainly opportunities to develop better cancer drugs if we had a clearer picture of how those oncoproteins are regulated to control the levels of lipids in tumors. Along those lines, many oncogenes that control lipid abundance in tumors are overexpressed in cancers, but it is unknown what specific role these genes play in tumor biology, or the details of how the lipids control the growth and survival of tumors. We need better chemical tools to understand how these genes stimulate tumor growth. It’s also becoming clear that age impacts the tumor microenvironment and the lipids within the microenvironment affect tumor growth, however the details of how a patient's age stimulates tumor growth remain almost a complete mystery.

Basic connections between lipids and cancer need clarification:
At this meeting, there was consensus that the lipid cancer research community needs improved molecular markers for a membrane structure called the "endosome", so that scientists can better characterize how particular oncogenes and tumor-suppressor genes cause cancer. Cancer-relevant lipids have also recently been discovered to co-localize with atypical structures in tumor cells. Although these structures are established to be required for faithful growth of normal cells, it is unclear how disruption of the lipids at these sites causes cancer, or stimulate tumor survival/growth. It is clear that very common metabolites which are present in both healthy and tumor tissues participate in regulating important tumor proteins that remodel membrane lipids to become oncogenic, however it is unknown how these proteins "sense" those metabolites. Advances in these areas could significantly impact how lipids control tumor growth.

Which lipid-based cancer targets should we pursue for new drugs?
Another theme that emerged was that there are some cancers, often ultra-rare cancers, that universities might be better suited to pursue in drug design efforts, as opposed to large pharmaceutical companies. One such tumor may be adrenocortical cancer. Further, drugs directed against the PI5P4K lipid enzymes have high therapeutic potential in several cancers, including breast and pancreatic cancer.  There was also agreement that the presence of pharmaceutical industry professionals at Forbeck Forums may facilitate more effective anti-cancer drug development efforts.

New and druggable cancer targets:
Using technology available today, basic scientists can decrease the number of "mutations of unknown significance" and increase the confidence in predicting if a tumor is benign or aggressive.  PI5P4K has high therapeutic potential in several cancers, including pancreatic cancer.  NR5A1 appears to be an excellent target in adrenocortical cancer.  Despite recent setbacks, PI3K delta inhibitors could be clinically useful in combination or if administered to the appropriate patient population.  

New tools to help surgeons and scientists:
Innovative surgical tools that allow surgeons to monitor the lipid content of resected tumor tissue in seconds, within the operating theater, permit cleaner margins and better outcomes for patients. Tumor imaging provides data that is rich with information about the tumor, but we as scientists are not taking full advantage of all the data collected from tumors because we tend to use simple analyses. We need to take advantage of time-resolved imaging to unlock higher quality diagnostic and biomarkers for clinical trials.

In summary, this forum inspired brilliant discussions and interactions among participants from diverse backgrounds, ultimately fueling several new collaborations which will result in impactful papers, grants and importantly better clinical trial design strategies.

Venue & Travel Information

Asilomar Conference Grounds

800 Asilomar Avenue
Pacific Grove, CA 93950

www.visitasilomar.com
831.372.8016

Travel Forms

Travel forms are due 30 days prior to the start of the forum to allow enough time to plan transportation.

To help reduce transportation costs, the Foundation tries to group travelers on shuttle vans rather than providing transportation for single travelers. The times below are not exclusive but represent times that we hope to have shuttles leave the airport.


The Monterey Regional Airport (MRY) is the preferred airport as it is only 20 minutes from the venue.

  • Arrival day of the forum at approximately 1:00 PM, 3:00 PM and 5:00 PM
  • Departures from the venue at approximately 8:00 AM, 10:00 AM, and 12:00 PM


San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is 2 hours from the venue without traffic. The Foundation tries to prioritize International Flights and situations where flying into SFO is significantly cheaper than connecting to MRY. The times below are for guidance only, and depending on the volume of travelers, we may add an additional shuttle to and from the airport.

  • Arrival day of the forum at approximately 3:00 PM
  • Departures from the venue at approximately 10:00 AM
TRAVEL FORMS DUE:
August 24, 2023
submit travel form

Travel Policy

Please familiarize yourself with our policies and procedures for travel. We truly appreciate you taking the time to participate in this forum. As you make your plans, please remember that we are a nonprofit organization dependent on donations and volunteers. We do NOT pay for upgrades, change fees, incurred costs resulting from a flight change, transportation to or from your local (home side) airport, meals or other incidentals.

  • Travel Confirmation will be sent out within 1 week of the forum. This will include a hotel confirmation number, if there is one, and airport transfer details. We have to wait until we receive almost everyone’s travel to book airport transfer. Due to frequent airline changes, we wait until the week of the forum to send this out.
  • Airport transfer is provided by Foundation staff, volunteers or arranged shuttle at specific times. If you opt to utilize Foundation airport transportation on your travel form, please be patient in receiving this information. We will send it to the week of the forum.
  • Speaker agenda is not sent out prior to the forum. It will be provided upon arrival in the forum packet. We do not tell people when they are speaking because we expect everyone to attend all sessions. Sessions are all day Friday and Saturday.
  • REMINDER: We do not reimburse for home side airport transfer or incidentals while traveling. We will not honor miscellaneous receipts sent for these expenses.
  • Spouses are welcome to come with you at their own cost but are not allowed to attend the forum. Please no children.

What the Foundation Pays

Accommodations and meals are provided by the foundation during the forum. Airfare will be covered only if booked through our travel agent. The Foundation will also cover airport transportation on the forum side at the designated shuttle times. You can select not to utilize Foundation arranged transportation at your own expense when completing the travel form. Once your travel form is received your accommodations and airport transfer will be confirmed. Please let us know of any food allergies or other information we should be aware of on the travel forms.

  • If you would like your airfare covered by the Foundation, you must book with our travel agent. Note we do not cover upgrades, changes, late bookings, etc.
  • Flights must be booked at least 30 days prior to the forum to confirm your accommodations and airport transfer.
  • As a nonprofit we utilize volunteers and other methods to maximize our efforts (or our donor support) when making accommodations and arranging ground transportation. Ground transportation will be provided upon your arrival either by a foundation volunteer or arranged shuttle. You will be provided airport transportation information the week of the forum. We do not reimburse for home side airport transfer or incidentals while traveling.

Abstracts

Abstracts are due 30 days prior to the start of the meeting to allow enough time to prepare the meeting book.

The abstracts should be only one or two paragraphs outlining the theme of your presentation and should reflect the objective and spirit of the meeting (see above). Abstracts will be circulated about one week before the meeting. The meeting organizer will start requesting them a month before the meeting.

abstracts DUE:
August 24, 2023
submit abstract

Forum Structure

The structure of the forum has been developed over years of experience.

  • Participants have approximately 45 minutes, depending on the number of participants, for their presentation and discussion. The presentation is meant as a conversation start and should last about twenty minutes briefly covering background information and areas that are new or need further input. This should be structured in such a way as to lead to a lively discussion. Participants are encouraged to interrupt to ask questions or start discussions.
  • A MAXIMUM of 5 slide equivalents per presentation is allowed (Power point slides should not contain more than one graph or gel per slide and no more than 5 bullet points to stress the points being made by the presenter.) We appreciate cooperation with the spirit of this guideline. Handouts are welcome but should be distributed before sessions.
  • Everyone is expected to actively participate in every session and discussions.
  • The time spent at the forum is relatively short, so please be familiar with papers received prior to arrival.
  • It is very important that you commit to all sessions of the 2 days of the forum.

Forbeck Scholars Participation

Scholars are selected for each Forbeck Forum. These are outstanding junior clinical or post-doctoral fellows selected based on the quality and relevance of science.

  • Scholars present for 30-45 minutes, depending on the number of participants
  • The same presentation rules apply for scholars
  • After the Forum you are selected to attend, you will attend three years of Scholar Retreats held in Lake Geneva, WI. If you attend a Fall Forum, you will attend the Spring Retreat. If you attend a Spring Forum you will attend a Fall Retreat.
  • Scholars are selected by the Foundation Scientific Advisory Board and peer reviewers selected from past Forbeck Scholars.

General Program

The outline below illustrates a typical program schedule. You will receive a complete schedule, including speaking times, the Thursday the forum starts.

Arrival Day
1:00 PM Arrivals
6:00 PM Cocktails (opt'l)
7:00 PM Dinner
Forum Day 1
7:00 AM Breakfast
8:00 AM Scientific Sessions
12:00 PM Lunch
1:30 PM Scientific Sessions
6:00 PM Cocktails & Dinner
Forum Day 2
7:00 AM Breakfast
8:00 AM Scientific Sessions
12:00 PM Lunch
1:30 PM Scientific Sessions
6:00 PM Cocktails & Dinner
Departure Day
7:00 AM Breakfast
8:00 AM Departures

Frequently Asked Questions

Below are some of our most Frequently Asked Questions. If you have something new to ask, please feel free to contact us.

  • Travel Confirmation will be sent out within 1 week of the forum. This will include a hotel confirmation number, if there is one, and airport transfer details. We have to wait until we receive almost everyone’s travel to book airport transfer. Due to frequent airline changes, we wait until the week of the meeting to send this out.
  • Airport transfer is provided by Foundation staff, volunteers or arranged shuttle at specific times. If you opt to utilize Foundation airport transportation on your travel form, please be patient in receiving this information. We will send it to the week of the forum.
  • Speaker agenda is not sent out prior to the meeting. It will be provided upon arrival in the meeting packet. We do not tell people when they are speaking because we expect everyone to attend all sessions. Sessions are all day.
  • Frequently airport transfer is provided by volunteers. Please be patient on receiving this information. Airport transfer will be sent out prior to arrival.
  • REMINDER: We do not reimburse for home side airport transfer or incidentals while traveling. We will not honor miscellaneous receipts sent for these expenses.

Forum Participants

Tamas
Balla
,
MD, PhD
National Institutes of Health
Vytas
Bankaitis
,
PhD
Texas A&M University
Jeremy
Baskin
,
PhD
Cornell University
John
Burke
,
BSc, PhD
Victoria University
David
Fruman
,
PhD
University of California, Irvine
Nathanael
Gray
,
PhD
Stanford University
Emilio
Hirsch
,
PhD
University of Torino
Banafshe
Larijani
,
PhD
University of Bath
Christina
Mitchell
,
MB, BS, PhD
Monash University
Julie
Saba
,
MD, PhD
University of California San Francisco
LIvia
Schiavinato Eberlin
,
PhD
Baylor College of Medicine
Bart
Vanhaesebroeck
,
PhD
University College London
Neil
Vasan
,
MD, PhD
Columbia University
Hua Eleanor
Yu
,
PhD
City of Hope

Forum Scholars

Gretchen Alicea, PhD
Johns Hopkins University
Sarah Skuli, MD, PhD
The University of Pennsylvania