Review: International Workshop on Cell Plasticity in Cancer Evolution

Cell Plasticity as a Key to Cancer Therapy – Experts Met at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology

To the point:
 

• Cell plasticity in focus: International experts discussed new insights into the role of cellular flexibility in cancer development.
• Interdisciplinary exchange: Around 40 researchers from eight countries gathered in Plön for a scientific dialogue.
• Momentum for the future: The workshop defined key research questions and fostered new collaborations for tomorrow’s cancer research.

 

From 19 to 22 May 2025, the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology in Plön hosted a high-level workshop titled “Cell Plasticity in Cancer Evolution.” Approximately 40 scientists from 18 institutions across eight countriesconvened to exchange views on the latest research, emerging challenges, and future perspectives in cancer biology – with a particular focus on cellular plasticity as a newly recognised hallmark of cancer.

Participants explored how cellular flexibility contributes to therapy resistance and tumour progression, a phenomenon now considered central to understanding cancer evolution. In normal organ development, cells undergo differentiation to form specialised tissues and cease proliferating – a natural safeguard against uncontrolled growth. Cancer cells, however, overcome this barrier by unlocking phenotypic plasticity: they dedifferentiate, remain in progenitor-like proliferative states, or transdifferentiate to acquire novel, often aggressive traits.

The interdisciplinary programme included eight keynote lectures, numerous scientific talks, an extended poster session, and open discussion formats. In addition to experimental and clinical perspectives, the event also featured contributions from theoretical modelling. The goal was to develop an updated view on the interplay between cell plasticity and cancer evolution, and to define concrete steps for future collaborative research.

Throughout the workshop, participants engaged in lively dialogue about how an improved understanding of cellular plasticity might pave the way for more effective and targeted cancer therapies. The meeting concluded with a clear message: solving the complex puzzle of cancer demands the integration of knowledge across disciplines, methods, and borders.