Speaker Profile
PMWC LUMINARY AWARD
Pioneered the understanding of cancer metastasis through groundbreaking research on circulating tumor cells (CTCs).
Ph.D., Professor of Molecular Oncology, ETH Zurich
Biography
Nicola Aceto is Full Professor of Molecular Oncology at the ETH Zurich. Dr. Aceto
completed his training at the Friedrich Miescher Institute (FMI) in Basel, Switzerland,
at the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center and Harvard Medical School,
and at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard in Boston, USA.
Research in the Aceto lab has significantly advanced the understanding of cancer
metastasis, focusing on the dynamic behavior of CTCs in the bloodstream and
including investigations of their biology and vulnerabilities. Among the most notable
achievements are the characterization of CTC clusters and the impact of the
circadian rhythm in breast cancer metastasis. Some of these results form the
scientific bases for ongoing clinical trials. Dr. Aceto continues to contribute to the
scientific community through his extensive research, aiming to improve cancer
diagnostics and therapeutic strategies. His efforts are instrumental in advancing
precision medicine and improving outcomes for cancer patients.
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: The Power of a Blood Sample: Predictive Diagnostics and Transforming Healthcare
- Matthew Rabinowitz, Natera - 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
- Carl Barrett, Precede Biosciences
- Jonathan Beer, BMS
- Innovative Approaches in Liquid Biopsy
Chair: Victor Velculescu, Johns Hopkins
- Adam Widman, MSKCC
- Brian Hashemi, Novigenix
- Sequencing Accuracy in Early Detection and MRD (PANEL)
Chair: Alex Sockell, PacBio
- James Hadfield, AstraZeneca
- Keynote: Keynote: Circulating Tumor Cells
- Nicola Aceto, ETH Zurich - Circulating Tumor Cells: The New Frontier
Chair: Nicola Aceto, ETH Zurich
- Min Yu, University of Maryland School of Medicine
- Matteo Ligorio, UTSW - Precision Liquid Biopsies: Innovations Across the Cancer Continuum – From Early Detection to Long-Term Monitoring
Chair: Tom Beer, Exact Sciences
- Elizabeth (Betsy) O’Donnell, Dana Farber Cancer Institute
- Arnaud Papin, Merck
- PMWC Showcase
- Wendy Winckler, Droplet Biosciences - Multi-Cancer Early Detection: Innovations and Real-World Evidence (PANEL)
Chair: Peter Bach, Delfi Dx
- Joshua Cohen, Haystack
- Lauren Leiman, BLOODPAC
- Eric Klein, Grail Bio
- Tom Beer, Exact Sciences - PMWC Showcase
- Varsha Rao, Claret Bio - PMWC Award Ceremony and Keynote
Luminary Honoree: Matthew Rabinowitz, Natera
