Events

The Cancer Neuroscience Program’s 2nd annual Scientific Retreat, held on August 22, 2026, brought together the CNP research community to share discoveries, strengthen interdisciplinary connections, and highlight research supported by the Program.

The full-day retreat showcased work spanning the CNP’s scientific themes through faculty and trainee presentations, poster sessions, and opportunities for discussion and collaboration. The program also welcomed distinguished speakers from fellow Texas Medical Center institution UTHealth Houston, including Louise McCullough, MD, PhD, who delivered a keynote address on sex differences in stroke and vascular dementia, and Xiaoqian Jiang, PhD, who presented on trustworthy artificial intelligence for cancer neuroscience.

This retreat serves as an annual gathering of the CNP community to showcase scientific progress, foster collaboration, connect investigators and trainees across disciplines, and advance research at the intersection of cancer and the nervous system.

The UT MD Anderson Cancer Neuroscience Program and Wiley's Advanced Portfolio hosted the third biennial International Cancer Neuroscience Symposium on February 18–20, 2026, in the Texas Medical Center. This dynamic, three-day hybrid event will feature key insights and the latest, cutting-edge research from more than 30 leading international experts in the field of cancer neuroscience.

Keynote speakers included Nobel Laureate James P. Allison, Shawn Hervey-Jumper, Guido Kroemer, Frank Winkler, Sebastien Talbot and Erica Sloan. 

The goal of this event was to bring together world-renowned experts in oncology, neuroscience, cancer biology, neuro-immunology, neurotoxicity and mental health to foster innovation in cancer research and patient care through a unique integration of these disciplines.

The Cancer Neuroscience Program held its inaugural Scientific Retreat on August 23, 2025, bringing together investigators, clinicians, and trainees from across UT MD Anderson to build community, strengthen connections, and foster collaboration among those working at the intersection of cancer and the nervous system.

The full-day program featured scientific sessions spanning the breadth of cancer neuroscience, early-career oral presentations, poster presentations, and opportunities for networking and discussion. The retreat also welcomed Olivier Lichtarge, MD, PhD, of Baylor College of Medicine as the keynote speaker, who presented “Can Evolution, Artificial Intelligence, and Physics Shed Light on Complex Human Disease?”

As the first annual gathering of the CNP community, the retreat created a forum for researchers across disciplines to share ideas, discover common scientific interests, form new connections, and help build a more integrated cancer neuroscience research community at UT MD Anderson.