Collaboration for a Cure

May 8-9, 2026 in Ann Arbor

This event is a forum for DIPG/DMG researchers to collaborate, especially on unpublished work, to accelerate our path to a cure. It is also an opportunity for DIPG/DMG families that partner with our foundation to get updates on recent advancements and network with researchers.

Airport

Detroit International Airport (DTW) is the airport nearest Ann Arbor. Travel time from DTW to Ann Arbor is approximately 25 minutes. For a complete listing of accommodations and transportation options in the Ann Arbor area please visit Destination Ann Arbor.

Official Hotel Partners

We encourage you to consider one of these wonderful hotels to make your evening even more enjoyable. Use the links below to take advantage of special ChadTough Defeat DIPG rates. Book before April 10, 2026 as rooms are limited. LINKS TO COME!

• The Kensington Hotel, 3500 S.State Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48108
• Even Hotel, 600 Briarwood Circle, Ann Arbor, MI 48108

Part 1: Collaborate

Friday, May 8

All DIPG/DMG researchers are invited to participate in a full day of collaboration, innovation, and discover aimed at advancing the fight against these devastating brain tumors.

The morning will feature plenary talks and presentations highlighting recent breakthroughs, emerging science, and cross-institutional collaborations driving progress in the field.

In the afternoon, participants will take part in an interactive new session: Combinatory Frontiers: DMG Treatment Pitches.

This year, instead of traditional breakout sessions, attendees will join one of four pre-clinical teams to design a future clinical trial. Each team, comprising a few dozen participants, will have several hours to develop innovative, multi-modal approach to treating DIPG/DMG, built on concepts and targets from their published or ongoing research.

Each team will include a clinical trialist to help shape the design and ensure clinical feasibility. The session will culminate with each group’s co-leads presenting a brief “pitch” to the full audience, sharing bold, creative strategies and sparking dialogue about the next frontier of combinatorial therapy in DIPG/DMG.

The evening will bring together researchers and ChadTough Defeat DIPG Partners for an informative Poster Session and strolling dinner reception, hosted by our founders and intended to foster networking, collaboration, and informal scientific discussions.

Saturday, May 9

Join us as keynote speaker Dr. Nada Jabado shares the groundbreaking research that has redefined our understanding of cancer. Her discovery of histone mutations in human disease sparked a paradigm shift—revealing the epigenome as a key driver of oncogenesis. This breakthrough has transformed the field, linking development and epigenetics in ways never before imagined.