Speaker Profile
Biography
By combining mathematical modeling, statistical analysis, and machine learning, withexperimental, epidemiological, and DNA sequencing data, Dr. Tomasetti has provided thefirst quantitative evidence for the large role in cancer causation played by the normal, i.e.endogenous, accumulation of somatic mutations in the cells of the human body.As an applied mathematician, he currently leads the effort to develop classificationalgorithms for the early detection of cancer via a simple blood test. His work is recognized internationally for his paradigm-shift contributions to the current understanding of cancer etiology and tumor evolution. He has published more than 40 papers, with several leading and corresponding author papers in Science, Nature, and the Proceedings of the National Academies of Sciences. Altimetric, a data science service that tracks where published research is mentioned online, ranked three of his papers all published in the journal Science.
Session Abstract – PMWC 2025 Silicon Valley
Track Chair: Adrian Lee, UPMC
- PMWC Award Ceremony
Pioneer Honoree: Victor Velculescu, Johns Hopkins
Luminary Honoree: Nicola Aceto, ETH Zurich
- Keynote: Early Detection of Cancer using Cell-free DNA Fragmentomes
- Victor Velculescu, Johns Hopkins - Keynote: Circulating Tumor Cells
- Nicola Aceto, ETH Zurich - Innovative Approaches in Liquid Biopsy (PANEL)
Chair: Victor Velculescu, Johns Hopkins
- Adam Widman, MSKCC
- Improving Sensitivity of MRD and MCED - Tumor-agnostic vs. Tumor-informed ctDNA Approaches
Chair: Adrian Lee, University of Pittsburgh
- Marija Balic, UPMC
- Ola Carl Landgren, University of Miami - Sequencing Accuracy in Early Detection and MRD (PANEL)
Chair: Alex Sockell, PacBio
- James Hadfield, AstraZeneca
- Cristian Tomasetti, City of Hope
- Circulating Tumor Cells: The New Frontier (PANEL)
Chair: Nicola Aceto, ETH Zurich
- Min Yu, University of Maryland School of Medicine
- Matteo Ligorio, UTSW - Addressing Key Challenges and Questions in MCED Testing: Clinical Validation, Overdiagnosis, and Diagnostic Pathways
Chair: Tom Beer, Exact Sciences
- PMWC Showcase
- Wendy Winckler, Droplet Biosciences - Multi-Cancer Early Detection: Innovations and Real-World Evidence (PANEL)
Chair: Peter Bach, Delphi Dx
- Joshua Cohen, Haystack
- Lauren Leiman, BLOODPAC
- Josh Ofman, Grail Bio
- Tom Beer, Exact Sciences - PMWC Showcase
- Varsha Rao, Claret Bio