The final day of the 2025 World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC) will feature a Scientific Plenary session and lectureship awards presentations. World-renowned experts in thoracic oncology will take the stage at 8:30 Central European Summer Time (CEST) on Tuesday, September 9, to discuss strategies for advancing the next generation of leaders in thoracic oncology. Attendees can look forward to presentations from leading experts in the field.
Arsela Prelaj, MD, PhD
Arsela Prelaj, MD, PhD, a Consultant Medical Oncologist specializing in thoracic malignancies at the Thoracic Unit of the National Tumor Institute of Milan, Milan, Italy, will address how data-driven oncology and artificial intelligence (AI) can reshape lung cancer.
Dr. Prelaj completed her residency in Medical Oncology at Sapienza University and is currently pursuing a PhD at the Polytechnic of Milan’s Department of Electronics, Informatics, and Bioengineering. She is the head of the Artificial Intelligence for Oncology Lab (AI-ON-Lab) at the National Institute of Milan, the principal investigator for multiple international clinical trials, and is actively involved in coordinating various national and international grant applications in the field of thoracic malignancies and immunotherapy.
Victor Velculescu, MD, PhD
Victor Velculescu, MD, PhD, will highlight the future of diagnostics with epigenetics, fragmentomics, proteomics, spatial technologies, and bioinformatics.
Dr. Velculescu, a Professor of Oncology, Pathology, and Medicine, and Genetic Medicine and Co-Director of Cancer Genetics and Epigenetics at the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He is internationally recognized for his pioneering contributions to cancer genomics, which include the discovery of key cancer genes and the development of transformative liquid biopsy technologies for early cancer detection.
Lars Konge, MD, PhD
Lars Konge, MD, PhD, will conclude with his presentation on empowering future leaders in surgical oncology and leveraging surgical technology for the next generation.
Dr. Konge is a certified cardio-thoracic surgeon, Consultant at the Copenhagen Academy for Medical Education and Simulation (CAMES), Rigshospitalet, and a Professor of Medical Education at the University of Copenhagen and at the University of Southern Denmark. He is one of the world’s most active researchers in medical education and has published more than 400 papers in international peer-reviewed journals.
The session will also serve as a celebration of contributions with Lectureship Award Presentations, including:
- Clifton F. Mountain Lectureship Award for Staging
- Fred R. Hirsch Lectureship Award for Translational Research
- Daniel C. Ihde Lectureship Award for Medical Oncology
From Learners to Leaders: Advancing Oncology Training for the Next Generation of Thoracic Oncologists
8:30 CEST, Tuesday, September 9 • Plenary Hall
From learners to leaders, experts will take the stage to discuss strategies to elevate oncology training for the next generation of thoracic oncologists. The session will also include the presentation of the Clifton F. Mountain Lectureship Award, the Fred R. Hirsch Lectureship Award for Translational Research, and the Daniel C. Ihde Lectureship Award for Medical Oncology. LEARN MORE
