“Intelligent Oncology – The Potential Of AI To Control Cancer“
24. – 25. September 2026
MISSION
Bringing together experts from various disciplines to explore the latest advances in AI-assisted cancer research. Our goal is to promote collaboration between researchers, physicians, industry leaders, and other visionaries in the field. By sharing knowledge and expertise, we aim to discover new ways to control cancer through the power of AI.
AIM OF THE CONFERENCE
The theme of the conference is Intelligent Oncology, focusing on harnessing the power of AI to control cancer. Our aim is to present cutting-edge research and innovative approaches in cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. We aim to identify new research directions, foster collaborations between academia and industry, and facilitate the translation of research findings into clinical practice. By connecting experts in the field, we aim to accelerate progress towards more effective and personalized cancer treatment.
AREAS OF FOCUS
- AI in Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment
- Digital Pathology and Radiology
- Genomics and Multi-Omics with AI
- Microscopy and Imaging-based AI
- AI for Precision Medicine and Immuno-Oncology
- AI in Immunology and Tumor Microenvironment Modeling
- Clinical Translation of AI
- Digital Twins and Predictive Modeling
- Data Infrastructure and Integration for AI in Oncology
- Ethical, Regulatory, and Governance Challenges
PRELIMINARY PROGRAM
24 SEPTEMBER
12:30 – 13:00
13:00 – 14:00
Welcome
Keynote: Predicting adaptive immune receptor specificity by AI
Scientific Advisory Board
Prof. Sai Reddy, Botnar Institute of Immune Engineering and ETH Zurich, Switzerland
Session 1: Understanding Cancer Through AI and Computational Biology
14:00 – 14:30
AI for enhanced 3D imaging
Prof. Denis Wirtz, John Hopkins University, USA
14:30 – 15:00
AI-based multi-omics integration: from interpretable representations to clinical applications
Prof. Florian Büttner, Goethe University Frankfurt & German
Cancer Research Center, Germany
15:00 – 15:30
AI for single-cell and spatial biology
Dr. Christina Leslie, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, US
– coffee break & poster session –
Session 2: Building Trust and Regulation in Artificial Intelligence Models for Medicine
16:00 – 16:30
From Data to Decisions: How AI Is Transforming Diagnosis and Therapy in Hematologic Malignancies
Dr. Jan Moritz Middeke, University Hospital Dresden , Germany
16:30 – 17:00
Principles and best practices for trustworthy AI in oncology
Prof. Karim Lekadir, Universitat de Barcelona, Spain
17:00 – 17:30
From paper to practice: translation and regulation of AI in cancer care
Prof. Bill Lotter, Dana – Farber Cancer Institute & Harvard Medical School, USA
17:30 – 18:00
18:00 – 18:15
Presentations from abstracts
Industry talks
– networking event –
25 SEPTEMBER
08:30 – 09:00
Keynote by CRIION
Prof. Maria Kalweit, University of Freiburg, Germany
09:00 – 09:30
Agentic large language models for co-scientist workflows
Prof. Dr. Harald Binder, University Hospital of Freiburg, Germany
– coffee break & poster session –
Session 3: AI and Computational Biology in Biomedical Practice
10:00 – 10:30
Artificial intelligence for cancer clinical trial matching
Dr. Kenneth Kehl, Dana – Farber Cancer Institute & Harvard Medical School, USA
10:30 – 11:00
Reading Cancer Through Cells: How AI is Decoding Functional Cell States from Morphology
Dr. Maddison Masaeli, Co Founder and CEO at Deepcell, Inc., USA
11:00 – 11:30
AI use at an oncology-focused biotech
Dr. Michael Wenger, BioNTech SE, Germany
11:30 – 12:00
Start Up talks
Start Ups
12:00 – 12:30
Presentations from abstracts
– lunch break & poster session –
Session 4: Therapy Optimization & Novel Pathways of Interaction
13:30 – 14:00
(Un-)supervised learning of disease associated tissue microenvironment composition
Prof. Dr. Manfred Claassen, University Hospital of Tübingen, Germany
14:00 – 14:30
Predicting tumor evolution and drug response with AI-driven biomarkers
Prof. Andrea Bild, City of Hope, USA
14:30 – 15:00
Virtual Patient Twins for Living Drugs
Dr. Kristin Reiche, Interdisciplinary Transformation University & Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Leipzig
15:00 – 15:30
Presentations from abstracts
SPEAKERS 2026
SCIENTIFIC BOARD
CALL FOR ABSTRACTS
Are you a Master’s or PhD student, or employed as a postdoctoral researcher, working at the intersection of AI, computational biology, and oncology
We invite you to submit your work and showcase your research during our symposium in Freiburg.
Submit your application by August 24 to: posters@intelligent-oncology.org
We especially welcome submissions in the following areas:
Applicants must be currently enrolled as Master’s or PhD students, or employed as postdoctoral researchers. Furthermore, submitted work must be relate to the central theme of the symposium
Selected contributions will be presented as posters or oral talks following evaluation by a scientific jury of experts. The top three abstracts will each receive a EUR 500 award. Participation is free for presenters.
Eligibility & Selection Criteria
- Applicants must be currently enrolled as Master’s or PhD students, or employed as postdoctoral researchers. Furthermore, submitted work must be relate to the central theme of the symposium.
Submission Requirements
Please submit the following documents in English as a single PDF file:
- A short abstract summary (max. 300 words)
- Curriculum vitae of the submitting author (max. 2 pages)
CALL FOR HealthTech & AI Startups
The Intelligent Oncology Event brings together clinicians, researchers, industry leaders, and innovators to discuss the future of oncology. A dedicated Startup Area offers selected companies the opportunity to present their solutions directly to a highly relevant professional audience.
Startups working in oncology, digital health, AI, diagnostics, clinical decision support, or related fields are invited to apply for participation.
What we offer
For a participation fee of 950 EUR, selected startups receive:
- A dedicated small exhibition space within the Startup Area
- Logo placement in selected event materials and communication channels
- Social media visibility before and during the event
- One complimentary event ticket
This format is designed to enable direct engagement with:
- Representatives from pharmaceutical and life science companies
- Potential investors and strategic partners
- Clinicians, researchers, and healthcare professionals
- Key decision-makers in oncology innovation
Why participate
The Startup Area provides a focused environment to:
- Present your solution to a targeted and relevant audience
- Gain visibility within the oncology ecosystem
- Establish connections with industry and clinical stakeholders
- Explore potential collaborations and partnerships
GENERAL INFORMATION
Event Location
University Freiburg I Aula
Platz der Universität 3 I 79098 Freiburg, Germany
Price
Physicians and Scientists: 100 EUR
Industry: 350 EUR
Students: 50 EUR
You can either join the meeting on site or online.
Organisation
Pia Klaue & Sina Reis-Balikcioglu
comeed – medical conferences, meetings & education
www.comeed.ch
Further Information
Mertelsmann Foundation
Hermann-Herder-Straße 4
79104 Freiburg im Breisgau
contact person: Bernradin Dörr
bernardin.doerr@mertelsmann-foundation.org
Sponsor 2026
Partner 2026
