The Scientific Committee of Targeting Extracellular Vesicles 2026 is pleased to announce that Prof. Gilles A. Robichaud (Université de Moncton, Canada) will present new findings highlighting an emerging role of platelet-derived microvesicles (PMVs) in cancer biology.

While PMVs have traditionally been recognized as important carriers of bioactive cargo, Prof. Robichaud and his team now demonstrate that these extracellular vesicles function as sophisticated growth factor platforms capable of reprogramming cancer cell signaling and shaping the tumor microenvironment.

Using SILAC-based proteomics, transcriptomics, and functional analyses, the researchers identified key signaling pathways associated with PMV cargo, notably Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) and Transforming Growth Factor-β (TGF-β). Their findings reveal that PMVs can activate canonical growth factor signaling pathways and promote pro-malignant cellular responses, even independently of vesicle internalization.

This work provides a new perspective on extracellular vesicle biology, suggesting that PMVs may act as dynamic signaling hubs that orchestrate communication between cancer cells and their surrounding microenvironment.

The lecture also complements ongoing research from the Moncton group on mitochondrial transfer by PMVs, expanding the discussion from organelle transfer to growth factor-mediated signaling networks.

Join us in Porto, Portugal, on November 12–13, 2026, to discover how extracellular vesicles continue to redefine our understanding of intercellular communication and cancer progression.

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