Last week, scientists from around the world gathered at the Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute to share and discuss the latest advances in the immunology of blood cancers. Organised by Dr Esteban Ballestar, Dr Biola M. Javierre and Dr Tomàs Navarro, the 2026 IJC Symposium, “Immunity in Haematological Malignancies: From Molecular Mechanisms to Transformative Therapies”, took place on 5 and 6 November at the Institute's headquarters.

Over two days, the Symposium brought together international experts working on different aspects of blood cancer research, from understanding the biological mechanisms involved in these diseases to developing new approaches to diagnosis and treatment.

The scientific programme featured six sessions covering epigenetic regulation and the origins of leukaemia, inflammation and immune recognition, immune dysregulation in lymphoid malignancies, clonal haematopoiesis and leukaemic stemness, as well as precision diagnosis, the immune microenvironment and advances in immunotherapies, including CAR-T and other advanced cell therapies.

In addition to presentations by invited speakers, the programme included selected short talks and poster sessions, offering researchers the opportunity to present their work. Panel discussions and networking activities throughout the two days provided further opportunities for scientific exchange.

The Symposium was opened and closed by Prof. Ari Melnick, Director of the Josep Carreras Institute, and is part of the Institute's commitment to fostering scientific exchange and collaboration in blood cancer research.

The event was organised with the support of the Josep Carreras Leukaemia Foundation and sponsored by Barcelona City Council, Mission Bio, Diagnostica Longwood, VectorBuilder and Recordati Rare Diseases.