ZAP Cancer Project at the 2nd Slovenian Cancer Research Symposium

We are pleased to share that members of the ZAP Cancer project actively participated and presented their work at the 2nd Slovenian Cancer Research Symposium, held on October 10, 2025, at the Institute of Oncology Ljubljana.

The symposium, organized in collaboration with the Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, the Association for Radiotherapy and Oncology of the Slovenian Medical Association, and the Organisation of European Cancer Institutes (OECI), provided an important platform for fostering collaboration between researchers, clinicians, and other professionals in the field of cancer research.

Project Presentation

The project leader, Boštjan Markelc, delivered a lecture titled:

• Twinning for excellence in research of antitumor immune response activation after electrochemotherapy in combination with gene electrotransfer of plasmid DNA encoding ICIs – ZAP Cancer
  (Twinning za odličnost pri raziskavah aktivacije protitumorskega imunskega odziva po elektrokemoterapiji v kombinaciji z genskim elektroprenosom plazmidne DNA, ki kodirajo za ICIs – ZAP Cancer)

Poster Presentations

ZAP Cancer team members also presented several posters, showcasing a broad spectrum of preclinical research activities:

• Jaka Vrevc Žlajpah
  Establishment of Electrotransfer of a Self-Amplifying mRNA System in the B16-10 Mouse Melanoma Model In Vitro and In Vivo
  (Vzpostavitev elektroprenosa sistema trans-pomnožujočih mRNA na modelu miškega melanoma B16-10 in vitro in in vivo)
• Katja Uršič Valentinuzzi
  Electrochemotherapy with Bleomycin, Cisplatin or Oxaliplatin in Mouse Tumor Models: From Ablation to In Situ Vaccination
  (Elektrokemoterapija z bleomicinom, cisplatinom ali oksaliplatinom na mišjih tumorskih modelih: od ablacije do vakcinacije in situ)
• Lara Snoj
  Defining the Mechanisms of Cell Death after Electrochemotherapy in In Vitro Conditions
  (Opredelitev mehanizmov celične smrti po elektrokemoterapiji v in vitro pogojih)
• Maša Omerzel
  Effects of Electrochemotherapy in Combination with Sotorasib on Human Pancreatic Cancer Cells
  (Učinki elektrokemoterapije v kombinaciji s sotorasibom na humanih rakavih celicah trebušne slinavke)
• Simona Kranjc Brezar
  Effect of the Combination of Electrochemotherapy and Anti-PD-1 Immunotherapy in Mouse Tumor Models with Different Immune Profiles
  (Učinek kombinacije elektrokemoterapije in anti-PD-1 imunoterapije pri mišjih modelih tumorjev z različnimi imunskimi profili)

The symposium provided a valuable opportunity to highlight the progress of the ZAP Cancer project and to engage in discussions with leading experts in the field of oncology. By sharing insights into electrochemotherapy, gene electrotransfer, and novel therapeutic combinations, ZAP Cancer continues to contribute to advancing cancer research and strengthening national and international collaboration.