The AACR Centennial Conference Focuses On Emerging Therapies

Main Category: Cancer / Oncology
Also Included In: Conferences;  Genetics
Article Date: 03 Nov 2007 - 0:00 PDT

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To mark its 100th year of advancing cancer research, the American Association for Cancer Research is holding Centennial Conferences in North America, Europe, and Asia. The AACR has teamed with the Genome Institute of Singapore and Singapore's Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) to hold the first of these conferences from November 4 to 8 in Singapore: the AACR Centennial Conference on Translational Cancer Medicine: From Technology to Treatment.

The conference will convene cancer research experts, scientists in training, and physicians from academia, industry, and government in Singapore to discuss emerging technologies that will enable the translation of laboratory discoveries into the practice of cancer medicine.

"This meeting will foster the necessary dialogue to speed application of breakthrough laboratory discoveries to the practice of medicine. Translational cancer medicine provides the tools to build the connections needed to move practical knowledge from the laboratory to drug development to patient care," said William N. Hait, M.D., Ph.D., president of AACR, co-chairperson of the conference and senior vice president and head, worldwide hematology oncology research and development at Johnson and Johnson. "By hosting this meeting in Singapore, not only are we expanding this discussion across international lines, but we are also highlighting the unique strengths of our Singapore colleagues as well as the challenges faced by researchers in response to the needs of Asian patients."

Specific topics will include advanced studies in cancer biology, genomics and molecular targets for future cancer drugs as well as the latest imaging, and high-throughput approaches to cancer detection, diagnosis, and treatment. The meeting will also explore questions specific to the region, such as the constraints and opportunities of cancer care delivery in Asia, and how best to tailor cancer treatment to the genetic profile of tumors found among Asian populations.

"The early years of the 21st century no doubt will go down in history as a turning point in our efforts to improve the prevention and treatment of cancer through knowledge gained in the laboratory," said Edison Liu, Ph.D., executive director of the Genome Institute of Singapore, one of the 14 research institutes in the A*STAR collaborative. "Translational research has become one of the most exciting areas of science at every major biomedical institution, from Singapore to Boston to London."

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The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, AACR is the world's oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes nearly 26,000 basic, translational, and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 70 other countries. AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 17,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special Conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment, and patient care. AACR publishes five major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; and Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. Its most recent publication, CR, is a magazine for cancer survivors, patient advocates, their families, physicians, and scientists. It provides a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship, and advocacy.

The Agency for Science, Technology and Research, or A*STAR, is Singapore's lead agency for fostering world-class scientific research and talent for a vibrant knowledge-based Singapore. A*STAR actively nurtures public sector research and development in Biomedical Sciences, Physical Sciences and Engineering, with a particular focus on fields essential to Singapore's manufacturing industry and new growth industries. It oversees 14 research institutes and supports extramural research with the universities, hospital research centres and other local and international partners. At the heart of this knowledge intensive work is human capital. Top local and international scientific talent drive knowledge creation at A*STAR research institutes. The Agency also sends scholars for undergraduate, graduate and post-doctoral training in the best universities, a reflection of the high priority A*STAR places on nurturing the next generation of scientific talent.

The Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS) is a member of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR). It is a national initiative with a global vision that seeks to use genomic sciences to improve public health and public prosperity. Established in 2001 as a centre for genomic discovery, the GIS will pursue the integration of technology, genetics and biology towards the goal of individualized medicine. The key research areas at the GIS include Systems Biology, Stem Cell & Developmental Biology, Cancer Biology & Pharmacology, Human Genetics, Infectious Diseases, Genomic Technologies, and Computational & Mathematical Biology. The genomics infrastructure at the GIS is utilized to train new scientific talent, to function as a bridge for academic and industrial research, and to explore scientific questions of high impact.

Source: Staci Vernick Goldberg
American Association for Cancer Research

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