Skip to main content
An official website of the United States government
NIH Websites Are Changing
Per Executive Order 14434, federal agencies are now using "Super Intelligence" (SI) in place of "Artificial Intelligence" (AI). You may see both terms across NIH content during this transition.

Email

Hidden in Plain Sight (HIPS): The Roles of Intracellular Organelles in Cancer Biology Webinar Series

Hidden In Plain Sight (HIPS) Webinar Series image with an immunofluorescent image of a bone cancer cell (left) and a Multispectral confocal microscopy image of a fibroblast cell expressing fluorescent proteins targeted to organelles (right).

The HIPS Webinar Series is designed to expand the traditional focus of cancer research by spotlighting the essential yet often overlooked functions of intracellular organelles. While cancer biology has historically emphasized genes and signaling pathways, HIPS highlights how organelles such as mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, lysosomes, and lipid droplets actively influence tumor development, progression, and response to therapy. 

By fostering scientific dialogue among experts and emerging investigators, the series aims to advance understanding of organelle dynamics, promote innovative research methodologies, and inspire new hypotheses that bridge gaps in current knowledge—ultimately accelerating progress in cancer organelle biology.

Purpose of the Webinar Series

The HIPS webinar series brings together established leaders and rising investigators to examine the varied and context-dependent roles of organelles in cancer biology. It features cutting‑edge discoveries, innovative imaging and profiling technologies, and interdisciplinary approaches. 

By focusing on organelle crosstalk, functional specialization, and emerging analytical tools, HIPS aims to stimulate new hypotheses, identify critical gaps in current knowledge, and accelerate research in cancer organelle biology. 

The series serves as a platform for scientific exchange among experts in organelle biology, cancer research, and related disciplines, as well as early‑career investigators.

Objective of the Webinar Series

  • Provide a forum for scientific discussion among established experts, emerging leaders, and young investigators in organelle and cancer biology.
  • Define how organelles actively regulate cancer progression, adaptation, and metastasis, and elucidate the mechanisms governing their communication and functional coordination within tumor cells.
  • Explore emerging technologies and methodological advances for studying organelle biology in cancer, and identify gaps and opportunities for future research and collaboration.
  • Highlight intracellular organelles as active, dynamic regulators of cancer cell behavior and tumor evolution.

Upcoming HIPS Webinars

Information, including registration and speakers, for upcoming HIPS webinars can be found at the HIPS Webinar Series Registration Website.

Webinar Series Co-Chairs

Recordings of Past Webinars

November 6, 2026

Fueling the Tumor — Organelles at the Heart of Metabolic Reprogramming and Stress
Adaptation

Metabolic reprogramming in cancer extends far beyond the Warburg effect. This session explored how mitochondria, lysosomes, lipid droplets, and the endoplasmic reticulum work together to reshape cellular metabolism, manage stress, and enable tumor cells to adapt and survive under challenging conditions

Hidden In Plain Sight (HIPS) Webinar 1 moderator and speaker headshots of Drs. Robert Zoncu, Kay Macleod, & Greg Delgoffe

Moderator: Robert Zoncu, Ph.D. (UC Berkeley)

Speakers: Kay Macleod, Ph.D. (University of Chicago) & Greg Delgoffe, Ph.D. (University of Pittsburgh)

DCB Contacts for the Webinar Series

For additional information about the HIPS Webinar Series, please contact Dr. Konstantin Salnikow or Dr. Hannah Dueck. 

  • Updated:

If you would like to reproduce some or all of this content, see Reuse of NCI Information for guidance about copyright and permissions. In the case of permitted digital reproduction, please credit the National Cancer Institute as the source and link to the original NCI product using the original product's title; e.g., “Hidden in Plain Sight (HIPS): The Roles of Intracellular Organelles in Cancer Biology Webinar Series was originally published by the National Cancer Institute.”

Email