**Overview**

The "School of Translational Control of the Tumor Microenvironment and Immunological Checkpoints" was a three-day event aimed at bringing together young and experienced scientists to discuss cutting-edge research in the fields of translational control, tumor microenvironment, and immunological checkpoints. The school provided lectures, short talks, and open discussions, being a platform for participants to present their projects and engage in scientific discourse.

**Objective**s

- Knowledge Sharing: Facilitated the exchange of ideas and research findings among scientists specializing in cancer biology, immunology, and molecular genetics.

- Networking: Promoted collaboration between researchers at different stages of their careers.

- Skill Development: Offered participants the opportunity to present their work and receive feedback from experts in the field.

**Venue Details**

Location: INGM is situated in the heart of Milan, providing easy access to the city's historical and cultural attractions, including the Milan Cathedral, which is just 1 km away.


**Program Overview**

**Day 1: September 11, 2024**

Registration and Opening Session

From 12:00 PM: Registration opens.
- 2:00 PM - 2:15 PM: Brief introduction covering COST rules and goals by Stefano Biffo.
- 2:15 PM - 3:15 PM: Keynote lecture by Sergio Abrignani on "Functional Interrogation of Intratumoral Lymphocytes."
- 3:15 PM - 4:15 PM: Lecture by Alan Warren titled "Structural Insights on Translation."
- 4:15 PM - 4:35 PM: Coffee break.
- 4:35 PM - 4:55 PM: Short talk by Federico Zacchini on "Ribosome Heterogeneity by Differential rRNA Pseudouridylation as a Tool to Target Breast Cancer Cells."
- 4:55 PM - 5:15 PM: Presentation by Julienne Champagne: "Adoptive T Cell Therapy Targeting a Broadly Shared, Inducible Product of Aberrant mRNA Translation."
- 5:15 PM - 6:00 PM: Open table discussion on ribosome heterogeneity and antigens.
- 6:00 PM: Welcome refreshments.

**Day 2: September 12, 2024**

**Morning Session**

- 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM: Lecture by Raoul Méndez: "Loss of CPEB4 in Breast Cancer Cells Enhances Lung Metastasis by IL-23/IL-17 Axis Up-Regulation and Neutrophil Expansion."
- 10:00 AM - 10:20 AM: Talk by Giulia Venturi: "Role of Cytoplasmic snoRNA Retaining Transcript in Cancer."
- 10:20 AM - 10:40 AM: Presentation by Jovana Despotović: "Non-Coding Transcripts of Protein-Coding Genes as Novel Biomarkers for Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis."
- 10:40 AM - 11:00 AM: Talk by Alexander Germanos: "Comprehensive Mapping of PUS7 Regulatory Networks in Developing and Malignant Cells."
- 11:00 AM - 11:30 AM: Coffee break.
- 11:30 AM - 11:50 AM: Presentation by Ian Powley: "Mapping Translational Control in Lung Adenocarcinoma: A Spatial Biology Approach."
- 11:50 AM - 12:10 PM: Talk by Munise Merteroglu: "The Mevalonate Enzyme IDI1 Regulates Protein Translation in Disseminating Melanoma Cells."
- 12:10 PM - 12:30 PM: Presentation by Meriem Hadjer: "Tweaking the Transcript: Unveiling Hidden Regulators of Protein Production."
- 12:30 PM - 2:00 PM: Lunch break.

**Afternoon Session**

- 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM: Lecture by Roger Geiger: "Dynamics in Protein Translation Sustaining T Cell Preparedness."
- 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM: Presentation by Martin Bushell: "The Roles of the eIF4F and CCR4-NOT Complexes in Tumor Development."
- 4:00 PM - 4:30 PM: Coffee break.
- 4:30 PM - 4:50 PM: Talk by Tea Kecman: "Unlock the Power of tRNA with Nanopore."
- 4:50 PM - 5:10 PM: Presentation by Rafaela Lacerda: "DIS3L2 Promotes Oncogenic Features of Colorectal Cancer Cells Through the mTOR Pathway."
- 5:10 PM - 5:30 PM: Talk by Sanasadat Pourtabatabaei: "Identifying and Investigating the Role of Heterogeneous Ribosomes in Pancreatic Cancer."
- 5:30 PM - 6:15 PM: Open discussion on a topic to be defined.
- From 6:30 PM: Walk to the Duomo di Milano area followed by a social dinner.

**Day 3: September 13, 2024**

**Morning Session**

- 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM: Lecture by Monika Wolkers: "Translation Control in Human Immune Cells."
- 10:00 AM - 10:20 AM: Presentation by Aurora Campos Diaz: "Impact of METTL1 in Glioblastoma Multiforme Development and Intratumoral Immune Response."
- 10:20 AM - 10:40 AM: Talk by Nafiseh Khelgati: "Identification of Novel Microproteins Derived from Long Non-Coding RNA in HCC and TNBC, and Their Application in Novel Therapy, Especially Cancer Vaccination."
- 10:40 AM - 11:00 AM: Presentation by Panagiotis Keramidas: "mRNA Technology: Engineering Our Way to the Future of Virology and Vaccine Development."
- 11:00 AM - 11:30 AM: Coffee break.
- 11:30 AM - 11:50 AM: Talk by Silvia Tucciarone: "Role of the Pseudouridine Synthase PUS7 in Blood Malignancies."
- 11:50 AM - 12:10 PM: Presentation by Ezgi Bağırsakçı: "Investigation of MASLD-Mimicking Microenvironment Driving Aggressive and Metastatic Behaviour in Hepatocellular Carcinoma."
- 12:10 PM - 12:30 PM: Talk by Lidia Borkiewicz: "Deciphering Notch1 Signaling Using ON1 Optogenetic System."
- 12:30 PM - 2:00 PM: Lunch break.

**Afternoon Session**

- 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM: Lecture by Stefano Biffo: "Translational Control of Metabolism and the Immune Response."
- 3:00 PM - 3:20 PM: Presentation by Stefania Oliveto: "New Technologies in the Study of mRNA Translation of Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes (TILs)."
- 3:20 PM - 3:40 PM: Talk by Stefano Grosso: "Compartmentalised mRNA Biology by Subcellular Footprinting."
- 3:40 PM - 4:00 PM: Presentation by Marja Mihailovic: "Multi-Scale Modeling Uncovers 7q11.23 Copy Number Variation-Dependent Alterations in Ribosomal Biogenesis, Neuronal Maturation, and Excitability."
- From 4:00 PM: Final remarks and wrap-up session.

**Key Themes and Topic**s

- Ribosome Heterogeneity: Exploring the existence and functional implications of heterogeneous ribosomes in cancer and immune cells.
- Translational Control Mechanisms: Understanding how translation is regulated in tumor microenvironments and during immune responses.
- Immunological Checkpoints: Investigating the role of translational control in modulating immunological checkpoints and T cell function.
- mRNA Translation Technologies: Highlighting new technologies and approaches for studying mRNA translation in cancer and immune cells.
- Tumor Microenvironment: Discussing how the microenvironment influences translational control and tumor progression.
- Non-Coding RNAs and Microproteins: Examining the role of non-coding RNAs and novel microproteins in cancer diagnosis and therapy.

       Scientific Organizer: Stefano Biffo
       Secretariat Help: Sabrina Monaco

The "School of Translational Control of the Tumor Microenvironment and Immunological Checkpoints" was an enriching experience, offering valuable insights into the latest research and fostering collaborations among scientists dedicated to understanding and combating cancer. Attendees were encouraged to actively participate, share their knowledge, and take advantage of the networking opportunities provided.

Gallery - Summer School in Milan

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 COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) is a funding agency for research and innovation networks. Our Actions help connect research initiatives across Europe and enable scientists to grow their ideas by sharing them with their peers. This boosts their research, career and innovation. (www.cost.eu) | The TRANSLACORE Cost Action is bridging disciplines and expertise across Europe in order to advance an emerging field in cancer biology: translational control in cancer. It is providing a unique opportunity to understand this biological process leading to reconsider our view of gene expression control in this disease and deliver novel therapeutic opportunities.

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Gallery - Summer School in Milan