THRIVE at the EASL Congress 2026

THRIVE investigators showcased their latest research advances at the EASL Liver Cancer Summit 2026, held in Edinburgh from 22–24 January 2026, contributing to key discussions on the future of liver cancer research and care. Mathias Heikenwälder (EKUT) delivered a state-of-the-art lecture on the pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and future perspectives. In the plenary hall, Josep M. Llovet (IDIBAPS–Hospital Clínic) presented two high-impact talks: one on recent and ongoing pivotal phase III randomized controlled trials in HCC, and another on advances in loco-regional therapies. Georg Zeller (LUMC) highlighted the emerging role of the microbiome in liver cancer. Early-career researchers also presented their work. Guillem Cano-Segarra (IDIBAPS) presented two innovative studies: one using single-cell spatial transcriptomics to identify spatial patterns of response and resistance to immunotherapies in HCC, and another characterizing cancer-associated fibroblasts and their link to resistance to atezolizumab plus bevacizumab treatment. Leidy Estefanía Zapata Pavas (IGTP-CERCA) presented research on the degradome in childhood liver cancer, identifying CAND1 as a NEDDylation-regulated target in hepatoblastoma. Together, these contributions highlight THRIVE’s leading role in advancing translational research and shaping the future of precision medicine in liver cancer.