Upcoming Programs and Events

From Theory to Practice: IICD Workshop Series organized by the Irving Institute for Cancer Dynamics offers Columbia graduate students and postdoctoral scholars the opportunity to build research skills in a focused, hands-on setting. Each 3/4 hour in-person workshop covers a different topic and is led by IICD faculty, research scientists, or postdoctoral instructors. Limited to 15 participants, these interactive sessions combine concise lectures with practical exercises so participants can apply concepts immediately using current tools and methods. Website: https://cancerdynamics.columbia.edu/iicd-workshops Eligibility Open to Columbia researchers only. Research scientists, postdoctoral research scientists, PhD/MSc students, and research staff are welcome to attend. Registration Policy Workshops take place in person and registration is first-come, first-served, limited to 15 participants. By registering, you agree to attend the workshop in full. If you can no longer participate, please email cancerdynamics@columbia.edu as soon as possible so your spot can be offered to someone on the waiting list. Please register only if you are certain you can attend. Upcoming Workshop: "Quantitative Immunology Workshop" (November 19, 2025, 2-5 pm) A key challenge in contemporary quantitative biology is developing adaptive models capable of integrating rapidly evolving experimental systems with the increasingly complex datasets they produce. This workshop will focus on establishing foundational quantitative approaches for understanding and modeling the complexity of our immune system. We will further explore cutting-edge computational methods, including machine learning approaches, to enhance data integration into conventional modeling frameworks and leverage these advances to uncover novel biological insights. Workshop Agenda: Overview of the complexity of the immune system Modeling immune complexity and dynamism Machine learning-based approaches Coding lab: Integrating machine learning with conventional modeling Registration Deadline: November 17, 2025 (5 PM ET) Registration Link: https://fs25.formsite.com/cancerdynamics/IICD-Workshop-Series/index  

This trainee talk features trainees who are engaged in mentored cancer research. The in-person location is Conference Room 117, First Floor, Irving Cancer Research Center, 1130 St Nicholas Ave New York, NY 10032. We will have food so be sure to register here to ensure we provide the appropriate amount of food! This month the following trainees will present: Cardiac tertiary immune structures in immune checkpoint inhibitor-induced myocarditis Carly Tymm, BS MD PhD Candidate Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology Mentor: Adam Mor, MD/PhD   Humoral Immunity Outcomes Following Childhood Cancer Treatment and Future Strategies for Improvement Sophie Junak, BSN, RN, RN-BC Doctoral Student School of Nursing Mentors: Dr. Ulf Bronas, Dr. Ruth Masterson-Creber, Dr. Melissa Beauchemin

The Herbert and Florence Irving Institute for Cancer Dynamics will continue its seminar series on the topic of mathematical sciences underpinning cancer research. The monthly seminars take place on the second Wednesday of the month, 2:00-3:00 PM EST. The presentations are open to the Columbia community (in person and online) and to researchers outside Columbia (via Zoom). On Wednesday, December 10th (2:00 PM ET), IICD welcomes Dr. Sanjay Srivatsan from Fred Hutch Cancer Center. Seminar hosted by Dr. José L. McFaline-Figueroa. The seminar will take place in person in Schermerhorn Hall 603 (Morningside Heights campus). If you wish to attend the seminar remotely, please register using the following link: https://columbiauniversity.zoom.us/meeting/register/VtQKKrCYTkiEJNoGDx41SQ Title: Capsule-Based Genome Sequencing and Lineage Tracing Abstract: As cells divide and age they acquire mutations at a rate of 1-2 mutations per cell division. These mutations, which are stably inherited across generations, could serve as time-calibrated lineage marks; however, detecting these mutations has lagged severely due to their sparsity and a lack of methods for cloning whole genomes en masse. To address these problems we developed a novel semi-permeable capsule (SPC) formulation, capable of isolating single cells and their contents while facilitating biomolecular exchange based on size-selectivity. We demonstrate that SPCs facilitate the simultaneous, clonal expansion of over 200,000 cellular colonies, unbiased nucleic acid amplification, and develop a combinatorial indexing-based single-cell whole genome sequencing (CapWGS) protocol. Using CapWGS we profile cells harboring an ultramutator polymerase ε allele (POLE P286R), which increases the mutation rate per cell division by three orders of magnitude. Sequencing 1000 single-cell genomes from POLE P286R harboring cells, facilitates the recovery of distributed lineage marks, enables the reconstruction of time-calibrated cellular genealogies and reveals a rapid, recurrent and adaptive response to ultramutation through whole genome amplification. These capsule-based approaches establish a framework for the detection and reconstruction of time-calibrated lineages through the cloning and sequencing of ultramutated cells from culture or organisms. Bio: Sanjay Srivatsan is an Assistant Professor in the Basic Sciences Division of the Fred Hutch Cancer Center. He received his undergraduate training at the University of California, Berkeley in Bioengineering, followed by training in the labs of Cole Trapnell, Jay Shendure and David Baker. He now runs a genomics lab where he builds tools to measure, model and write genomes. If you would like to meet one-on-one (possibly via Zoom) or attend the lunch or dinner with the speaker, please contact the event organizer.

The Monthly Cancer Trainee Talk features trainees who are engaged in mentored cancer research. Trainees, ranging from predocs to junior faculty, will be given the opportunity to present their ongoing research and career development activities and a chance to network with their peers in the Cancer Center. This event will be hosted by CRTEC generally every third Thursday of each month from 4 to 5 pm in the ICRC 1st floor conference room, 1130 St Nicholas Ave, New York, NY 10032.