Rationale

Significant advances in molecular medicine, targeted therapies, and immunotherapeutic approaches have substantially improved the prognosis of patients with cancer and other chronic diseases. Nevertheless, therapeutic resistance, disease recurrence, and progression remain major clinical challenges worldwide. There is therefore an urgent need to identify robust biomarkers that can serve not only as diagnostic and prognostic indicators but also as actionable therapeutic targets capable of improving patient stratification and treatment outcomes.

Over the last two decades, Raf Kinase Inhibitory Protein (RKIP) and Yin Yang 1 (YY1) have emerged as pivotal regulators of pathological processes involved in cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, inflammation, and immune dysfunction. Extensive experimental and clinical evidence has demonstrated that these two molecules exert opposing yet interconnected biological functions. While RKIP primarily acts as a physiological suppressor of oncogenic and inflammatory signalling pathways, YY1 functions as a multifunctional transcription factor that regulates proliferation, apoptosis, metabolism, immune responses, and cellular plasticity. Their dysregulated expression has been associated with disease progression, therapeutic resistance, metastasis, and adverse clinical outcomes across a broad spectrum of malignancies and chronic disorders.

RKIP, a member of the phosphatidylethanolamine-binding protein (PEBP) family, serves as a critical modulator of several intracellular signalling cascades, including the RAF/MEK/ERK, NF-κB, and STAT3 pathways. By regulating these pathways, RKIP contributes to the maintenance of cellular homeostasis and suppresses processes associated with tumour progression, inflammation, cardiovascular dysfunction, and metabolic disease. In contrast, YY1 is a highly conserved zinc-finger transcription factor that controls the expression of numerous genes involved in cell survival, differentiation, angiogenesis, immune evasion, and stress responses. Overexpression of YY1 has been reported in multiple human cancers, where it promotes several hallmarks of cancer through the repression of tumour suppressor genes and activation of oncogenic networks.

Cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes continue to represent the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Increasing evidence suggests that these conditions share common risk factors and convergent molecular pathways that drive disease initiation and progression. Understanding the mechanisms by which RKIP and YY1 regulate these intersecting biological networks may reveal novel opportunities for disease prevention, diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy. The modulation of RKIP and YY1 signalling therefore represents a promising strategy for restoring physiological signalling balance under pathological conditions and advancing precision medicine approaches.

As research on RKIP and YY1 continues to uncover novel regulatory mechanisms, signalling networks, epigenetic interactions, and translational applications, the Organizing Committee has once again brought together a global community of scientists, clinicians, and industry partners at the 3rd International Symposium, to be held in Nicosia, Cyprus.

The symposium will feature keynote lectures by internationally recognised experts, state-of-the-art scientific presentations, panel discussions, young investigator sessions, and networking opportunities aimed at fostering interdisciplinary collaborations. Particular emphasis will be placed on emerging concepts in cancer biology, immunology, cardiovascular medicine, metabolic diseases, systems biology, artificial intelligence-driven biomarker discovery, and novel therapeutic interventions targeting RKIP- and YY1-regulated pathways.

Through this unique forum, we aspire to expand the frontiers of knowledge, stimulate innovative research initiatives, and accelerate the translation of fundamental discoveries into clinical applications. The meeting also seeks to provide a vibrant environment where established investigators, early-career researchers, and trainees can exchange ideas, establish collaborations, and collectively shape the future directions of RKIP and YY1 research in human health and disease.