9th ScanPath Symposium: Translational Pathology in Focus at Solstrand
October 29-30, 2025, Solstrand was once again the scenic backdrop for the ScanPath Symposium (Scandinavian Symposium on Translational Pathology), now the 9th, gathering 115 participants from across the Nordic region. The event is hosted by CCBIO and continues its tradition of fostering collaboration and innovation in tissue-based cancer research.
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Founded in 2016 by CCBIO Director Lars A. Akslen and PI Arne Östman, ScanPath was established to promote basic and translational tissue studies using well-annotated human cancer cohorts and cutting-edge technologies. Since its inception in Bergen, the symposium has traveled across the Nordic countries, with meetings held in Sweden, Finland, and Norway, returning to Solstrand for the third time. This year’s meeting was organized by Lars A. Akslen, Carina Strell, and Arne Östman.
Highlights from the Scientific Program
This year’s program featured a wide range of topics, including advanced tissue studies, biomarker discovery, digital pathology and AI, and cancer neuroscience. A notable feature of the 2025 symposium was the strong presence of young researchers, contributing fresh perspectives and energy to the discussions. Many of them were given the opportunity to showcase their work in short talks, while 36 brought scientific posters presented during dedicated poster sessions. The audience voted for the top 3 best posters. Congratulations to Outi Hasu from the University of Helsinki, Helga Bergholtz from Oslo University Hospital, and Ghazal Lessan Toussi from the University of Bergen!
The event also showcased the strength of Nordic research groups, emphasizing regional collaboration and knowledge exchange.
Keynote speakers brought forward cutting-edge insights:
- Karin Jirström (Lund University) opened the meeting with a compelling talk on reshaping pathology to monitor and combat hard-to-treat cancers, emphasizing the need for dynamic diagnostic approaches.
- Trine Tramm (Aarhus University) discussed the role of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes as predictive markers for radiation therapy benefit, highlighting their potential in personalized treatment strategies.
- Per Uhlén (Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm) showcased innovations in volumetric 3D imaging, pushing the boundaries of histopathology and spatial resolution.
- Charlotte Stadler (SciLifeLab, Stockholm) presented on spatial proteomics, bridging translational research with future clinical diagnostics.
- Leena Latonen (University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio) explored prostate cancer drug responses and treatment resistance through a multi-omics lens.
- Teijo Pellinen (University of Helsinki) gave an overview of spatial multiplex tissue profiling, tracing its journey from discovery to clinical application.
See the complete program here.
Industry Engagement and Networking
The meeting also included company presentations, showcasing the latest technologies and tools from industry partners. These sessions provided valuable opportunities for dialogue between academia and industry, fostering translational impact.
ScanPath continues to be a vibrant and forward-looking forum, strengthening Nordic collaboration and driving progress in translational pathology. Stay tuned for more updates and reflections from the symposium.
The future
"This meeting has been a blend of experts and students from different areas - morphology and pathology, tissue-based research, molecular biology, omics studies, and, not least, computational projects. We really have the feeling that a ‘revolution’ is taking place - with increased understanding of tissue context and complexity. The future is taking place as we speak, and we should all participate to shape it," CCBIO Director Lars A. Akslen concludes.
