Meet The Speakers
ISLB 2026 brings together the innovators and rising leaders who are defining the next decade of liquid biopsy. Our speakers represent the forefront of scientific discovery, clinical translation and technological advancement. Each contributing a unique perspective with exceptional insights and bold ideas at the congress.
Maria Arechederra
Workshop Biological Fluids: Pre-analytical Issues
Maria Arechederra
Maria Arechederra
CIMA-Universidad de Navarra
Beatriz Bellosillo
Hospital del Mar
Jacob Berchuck
Emory University School of Medicine
Silvia Calabuig
University of Valencia
Massimo Cristofanilli
Weill Cornell
Partha Das
JnJ
Marta Dueñas
CIEMAT Madrid
Tasneem Habib-Ishaq
AstraZeneca
Michal Harel
OncoHost
Dennis Horgan
European Alliance for Perosnalised Medicine
Ola Khorshid
National Cancer Institute, Cairo University
Rafael Lopez Lopez
Hospital Clinico de Santiago de Compostela
Fernando Lopez-Rios
Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre
Nuria Malats
Spanish National Cancer Research Centre
Clara Montagut
Hospital del Mar Barcelona
Luis Montuenga
University of Navarra
Laura Muinelo
Health Research Institute of Santiago de Compostela Fidis
Jean Francois Pouliot
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals
Chamindie Punyadeera
Griffith University
Kevin Puylaert
Sophia Genetics
Luca Quagliata
Thermo Fischer
Mary Redman
Fred Hutch Cancer Center
Alessandro Russo
Humanitas University
Edgardo Santos
The Oncology Institute of Hope and Innovation
Daniel Stover
Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center
Roberto Borea
Ohio State University
Diego de Miguel Perez
Genyo
Mev Dominguez
Norway
Mev Dominguez
David Gandara
UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center
Han Wei Hou
Nanyang Technological University
Daniel Kim
University of California
Natasha Leighl
Princess Margaret Cancer Centre
Dr. Natasha Leighl is the Division Head of Medical Oncology and Hematology (DMOH) at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and the UHN-Sinai Health Department of Medicine. She holds the Daniel E. Bergsagel Chair in Medical Oncology, a joint UHN-University of Toronto Endowed Chair, and is Professor in the Department of Medicine and Adjunct Professor in the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, at the University of Toronto. As a globally recognized expert in lung cancer precision medicine, diagnostics, clinical management, and drug development, Dr. Leighl has published over 450 peer-reviewed papers and been recognized as a Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher and ScholarGPS Highly Ranked Scholar. She previously led the Thoracic Medical Oncology Group at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre from 2011 to 2025 and held the OSI Pharmaceuticals Foundation Chair in Cancer New Drug Development through the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation from 2012 to 2025. Dr. Leighl has made significant contributions to lung cancer research and treatment, including leadership of international clinical trials, drug development and establishing the role of liquid biopsy in clinical care. She and her team continue to work to improve outcomes for patients and access to state of the art care in Canada and worldwide. She serves on numerous international committees including the Board of Directors of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer. She chairs multiple guideline groups including the ASCO Thoracic Guidelines Advisory Group, the ESMO Early-Stage Lung Cancer Guideline, the International Society of Liquid Biopsy (ISLB) Education Committee and is ISLB Secretary-Elect. In 2019, she received the ASCO Excellence in Teaching Award. Many of her trainees have gone on to oncology leadership roles around the world.
Evi Lianidou
University of Athens
Dr. Evi Lianidou is Professor of Analytical Chemistry and Clinical Chemistry at the Department of Chemistry, University of Athens, Greece. Since 1998 Prof Lianidou’s lab is specializing on Liquid Biopsy Analysis, and especially on the Analysis of Circulating Tumor Cells (ACTC) and ctDNA. Her main research interests are on the development and clinical evaluation of: a) RNA-based assays for gene expression in CTCs, using RT-qPCR, RT-ddPCR and liquid bead arrays, b) DNA mutations in CTCs and ctDNA using ultrasensitive multiplex ddPCR, c) DNA methylation assays in CTCs and ctDNA using MSP and ddPCR, and d) analysis of circulatin cell free miRNAs. Dr. Lianidou has organized till now seven highly attended international meetings on liquid biopsy ACTC meetings, (latest: ACTC2025: www.actc2025.org) Dr Lianidou is President of the Hellenic Society of Liquid Biopsy (HSLB), an elected Board member of the European Association of Cancer Research (EACR), a member and CTC working group Leader in the European Liquid Biopsy Society (ELBS), a member of the International Society of Liquid Biopsy (ISLB) and serves on the Editorial Boards of many international journals. Dr. Lianidou served International Federation of Clinical Chemistry (IFCC) as an elected member and Chair of the Committee for Clinical Molecular Biology Curriculum (2014-2019, (www.ifcc.org/ifcc-education-division/emd-committees/c-cmbc/). Prof. Lianidou holds three patents on liquid biopsy tests and is an author of 203 publications, most of them on liquid biopsy.
Sergio Marchini
IRCCS, Humanitas Research Hospital
Miguel Angel Molina
Hospital Universitario Dexeus
Manuel Ottaviano
UNIVERSIDAD POLITECNICA DE MADRID
Klaus Pantel
University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE)
Bruna Pellini
Baptist Health Miami Cancer Institute
Jason Porter
Guardant Health
Atocha Romero
Hospital Puerta De Hierro
Claudia Scimone
University of Naples, Federico II
Nikolas Stoecklein
University Hospital and Medical Faculty of the Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf
Germany
Nikolas Stoecklein
University Hospital and Medical Faculty of the Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf
Noelia Tarazona
INCLIVA Biomedical Research Institute
Mathias Uhlén
KTH School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology
Sweden
Marc Van den Bulcke
Sciensano
Aya El Halali
University of Hong Kong
Paola Gazzaniga
University Sapienza
Eloisa Jantus Lewintre
Awards Lecture, European Research Projects in Liquid Biopsy & Workshop Biological Fluids
Eloisa Jantus Lewintre
Umberto Malapelle
Awards Lecture & Next-Generation Liquid Biopsy
Umberto Malapelle
Clara Mayo
Next-Generation Liquid Biopsy
Clara Mayo
Luis Raez
Preferred Oral Abstract Session
Luis Raez
Christian Rolfo
Stakeholder Workshop
Christian Rolfo
María José Serrano
Evolving and Future Methodologies in Liquid Biopsy
María José Serrano
Yüksel Ürün
Preferred Oral Abstract Session
Yüksel Ürün
Konstantinos Venetis
Workshop Biological Fluids
Konstantinos Venetis
Jacob Berchuck
Emory University School of Medicine
Nicola Fusco
European Institute of Oncology
David Gandara
UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center
Paola Gazzaniga
University Sapienza
Aya El Halali
University of Hong Kong
Natasha Leighl
Princess Margaret Cancer Centre
Dr. Natasha Leighl is the Division Head of Medical Oncology and Hematology (DMOH) at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and the UHN-Sinai Health Department of Medicine. She holds the Daniel E. Bergsagel Chair in Medical Oncology, a joint UHN-University of Toronto Endowed Chair, and is Professor in the Department of Medicine and Adjunct Professor in the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, at the University of Toronto. As a globally recognized expert in lung cancer precision medicine, diagnostics, clinical management, and drug development, Dr. Leighl has published over 450 peer-reviewed papers and been recognized as a Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher and ScholarGPS Highly Ranked Scholar. She previously led the Thoracic Medical Oncology Group at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre from 2011 to 2025 and held the OSI Pharmaceuticals Foundation Chair in Cancer New Drug Development through the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation from 2012 to 2025. Dr. Leighl has made significant contributions to lung cancer research and treatment, including leadership of international clinical trials, drug development and establishing the role of liquid biopsy in clinical care. She and her team continue to work to improve outcomes for patients and access to state of the art care in Canada and worldwide. She serves on numerous international committees including the Board of Directors of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer. She chairs multiple guideline groups including the ASCO Thoracic Guidelines Advisory Group, the ESMO Early-Stage Lung Cancer Guideline, the International Society of Liquid Biopsy (ISLB) Education Committee and is ISLB Secretary-Elect. In 2019, she received the ASCO Excellence in Teaching Award. Many of her trainees have gone on to oncology leadership roles around the world.
Eloisa Jantus Lewintre
Polytechnic University of Valencia
Umberto Malapelle
University Of Naples- Federico II
Clara Mayo
Hospital Universitario Dexeus. Pangaea Oncology Laboratory
Luis Raez
Memorial Cancer Institute/Florida Atlantic University
Christian Rolfo
Diane Nye and Michael Rayden Chair in Innovative Cancer Research
María José Serrano
University Hospital Virgen de las Nieves
Yüksel Ürün
Ankara University School of Medicine; Department of Medical Oncology
Konstantinos Venetis
IEO - European Institute of Oncology
Evi Lianidou
University of Athens
Dr. Evi Lianidou is Professor of Analytical Chemistry and Clinical Chemistry at the Department of Chemistry, University of Athens, Greece. Since 1998 Prof Lianidou’s lab is specializing on Liquid Biopsy Analysis, and especially on the Analysis of Circulating Tumor Cells (ACTC) and ctDNA. Her main research interests are on the development and clinical evaluation of: a) RNA-based assays for gene expression in CTCs, using RT-qPCR, RT-ddPCR and liquid bead arrays, b) DNA mutations in CTCs and ctDNA using ultrasensitive multiplex ddPCR, c) DNA methylation assays in CTCs and ctDNA using MSP and ddPCR, and d) analysis of circulatin cell free miRNAs. Dr. Lianidou has organized till now seven highly attended international meetings on liquid biopsy ACTC meetings, (latest: ACTC2025: www.actc2025.org) Dr Lianidou is President of the Hellenic Society of Liquid Biopsy (HSLB), an elected Board member of the European Association of Cancer Research (EACR), a member and CTC working group Leader in the European Liquid Biopsy Society (ELBS), a member of the International Society of Liquid Biopsy (ISLB) and serves on the Editorial Boards of many international journals. Dr. Lianidou served International Federation of Clinical Chemistry (IFCC) as an elected member and Chair of the Committee for Clinical Molecular Biology Curriculum (2014-2019, (www.ifcc.org/ifcc-education-division/emd-committees/c-cmbc/). Prof. Lianidou holds three patents on liquid biopsy tests and is an author of 203 publications, most of them on liquid biopsy.
Natasha Leighl
Princess Margaret Cancer Centre
Dr. Natasha Leighl is the Division Head of Medical Oncology and Hematology (DMOH) at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and the UHN-Sinai Health Department of Medicine. She holds the Daniel E. Bergsagel Chair in Medical Oncology, a joint UHN-University of Toronto Endowed Chair, and is Professor in the Department of Medicine and Adjunct Professor in the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, at the University of Toronto. As a globally recognized expert in lung cancer precision medicine, diagnostics, clinical management, and drug development, Dr. Leighl has published over 450 peer-reviewed papers and been recognized as a Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher and ScholarGPS Highly Ranked Scholar. She previously led the Thoracic Medical Oncology Group at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre from 2011 to 2025 and held the OSI Pharmaceuticals Foundation Chair in Cancer New Drug Development through the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation from 2012 to 2025. Dr. Leighl has made significant contributions to lung cancer research and treatment, including leadership of international clinical trials, drug development and establishing the role of liquid biopsy in clinical care. She and her team continue to work to improve outcomes for patients and access to state of the art care in Canada and worldwide. She serves on numerous international committees including the Board of Directors of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer. She chairs multiple guideline groups including the ASCO Thoracic Guidelines Advisory Group, the ESMO Early-Stage Lung Cancer Guideline, the International Society of Liquid Biopsy (ISLB) Education Committee and is ISLB Secretary-Elect. In 2019, she received the ASCO Excellence in Teaching Award. Many of her trainees have gone on to oncology leadership roles around the world.