The VCCC Research Conference is a premier calendar event for Australia’s cancer workforce. #VCCCcon19 will bring together some of the best minds, biggest ideas and latest research in a dynamic and thought-provoking conference, 16-17 September at Sofitel Melbourne on Collins. Victoria has some of the best cancer survival rates in the world, and the reasons why will be a feature of the conference.
Programming for the two-day event has been the task of a diverse team of experts from across the VCCC alliance. Representatives from a wide variety of disciplines drawn from the alliance members, as well as consumer advocates, have crafted a rare opportunity to hear about the latest innovations and discoveries, from a range of multidisciplinary perspectives. No matter what your role or interest in cancer, this conference is a chance to look at the big picture and learn from international experts in areas that are shaping the future of cancer research and clinical care.
Conference co-convener Associate Professor Kate Burbury, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and The Royal Melbourne Hospital says, “No matter what your craft group or where your expertise sits, you will encounter ways of using innovation and collaboration to transform research and care delivery.
“Local and international experts will address some of the hot topics and big questions in cancer from artificial intelligence to immunotherapies, prevention and early detection, translational cancer research, radiation and genomics.”
Fellow co-convenor, Professor John Mariadason from the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute says the conference is not to be missed as it really focusses on the next wave approaches to treatment.
“Bringing all the members of the VCCC together for two days in one venue is a phenomenal opportunity and such an exciting prospect.”
Globally there are hundreds of new immunotherapies and vaccines in clinical trials and many more trials that are testing combinations of immunotherapies with other treatments. There is great interest in why they work or fail, and how they can be improved to reach their potential as a transformative treatment for cancer patients.
John says, “We will be looking at new ideas for tumours, how to make them visible…this is known as turning cold tumours hot. Professor Steve Baylin from Johns Hopkins in the United States has studied the role of epigenetic gene silencing in the initiation and progression of cancer for over 30 years and we are thrilled to have him on the program.
“The last decade has also prompted an upsurge in genomics. This is a rapidly developing area that is shaping up to be a key part in the future of how we treat cancer. Personal genomics opens the door to another era by putting the patient’s individual needs at the centre. This is both exciting and challenging.
“We are really looking forward to showcasing all the strengths of the VCCC in a holistic way and bringing an international perspective to what we are doing here. We will be looking at cancer across the spectrum: nursing, palliative care, basic research, clinical trials, patient support,” says John.
Kate agrees, “We will have a focus on the fundamental science but also how that relates to the clinical space, as well as population health, government engagement and policy-making. It is connectivity and network development on large-scale.”
Abstracts are currently being sought for the conference. Early to mid-career researchers are particularly encouraged to apply via the conference website. Early-bird registrations are now open, offering great value for a conference of this calibre, thanks to our supporters.
