XX. Myeloma & VIII. Cell Therapy Workshop (MCTW) 2025

The XX. Myeloma & VIII. Cell Therapy Workshop (MCTW), held on October 30–31, 2025, at the Quality Hotel Ostrava, successfully convened leading researchers, clinicians, and bioinformaticians dedicated to advancing diagnostics and treatments for hematological malignancies. Organized by the Blood Cancer Research Group (BCRG) and the Czech Myeloma Group (CMG), the two-day international meeting featured cutting-edge presentations on multiple myeloma immunotherapy, CAR T cell engineering, NK cell therapy, and molecular insights into myeloma progression.

Highlights of day one included novel approaches to CAR-based immune synapse investigation, innovative nanoparticle drug delivery systems, and synthetic lipid raft-induced T-cell activation. NK cell research addressed receptor diversity, immune activation strategies, and potential clinical applications. Genomic and immunological studies explored circulating tumor cells, therapy response determinants, and mechanisms driving myeloma dissemination.

Day two focused on the generation of potent and safe CAR T cell products and academic CAR T therapy development, covering epigenome editing, non-viral manufacturing methods, early-phase clinical trials, and challenges in patenting and licensing.

Part of the meeting was also the poster session, which provided a platform for young researchers to present their work, with selected contributions receiving spotlight recognition. Main Awards were presented to Kateřina Stošková, MSc (BCRG), Klára Baďurová, MSc (BCRG), and Johana Mayerová, MSc (University Hospital Brno). The Audience Awards were presented to Kateřina Stošková, MSc, Adarsh Ajayakumar, MSc, and Anjana Anilkumar Sithara, MSc (BCRG).

MCTW 2025 offered the researchers an opportunity to exchange experience, explore emerging therapeutic strategies, and connect basic and clinical researchers in the field of hematological malignancies. Organizers, led by Prof. Roman Hájek, MD, PhD, extend their gratitude to all participants, speakers, and contributors, and look forward to continuing this dynamic scientific exchange in future editions.

Updated: 11. 11. 2025