The meeting was about exchanging latest insights, approaches and model systems to understand the origins of heterogeneity and its implications
Throughout the year, Oncode Institute organizes various workshops and trainings to enhance knowledge and collaboration.
On June 24-25 Oncode, together with theme 2 & 3 leaders organized a 2-day event around the topic of Tumour Heterogeneity in which researchers from different disciplines were brought together for an informal meeting. The aim was to exchange latest insights, approaches and model systems to understand the origins of heterogeneity and its implications for tumor evolution and therapy resistance.
The meeting garnered great response from Oncode researchers, with almost 100 people in attendance. Young researchers and new Oncode Investigators were given a chance to talk about their science and discuss with the audience.
One of the highlights was the keynote lecture by Roel Nusse(Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford School of Medicine), with the topic: Stemness: Permission to divide? In which he gave an excellent overview of the scientific developments throughout his career. The two days also featured engaging discussions on sub-topics like genotypic heterogeneity, phenotypic heterogeneity, novel targets for therapy and smart screens, the role of the microenvironment and novel technologies.
The format of the meeting was catered to maximize interaction and collaboration, so researchers were assigned to mixed groups with varied competences and backgrounds. On the first day, participants discussed in small groups their expertise and projects and got to know each other. The next day the goal was to work together on a joint research project, company or clinical study and develop a pitch for it. The meeting ended with the group pitches and an award ceremony for the best pitch.
The meeting was very interactive with an open atmosphere, lively discussions after each presentation and most participants staying over and enjoying the dinner and drinks afterwards.
Next workshop
We look forward to the next meeting scheduled for the first quarter in 2020, and welcome ideas for topics to be discussed. Please contact Ester Frische if you have any suggestions.