'Pediatric Cancer Translational Genomics' set for Feb. 6-8 in
Scottsdale
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - Feb. 3, 2012 - The Translational Genomics
Research Institute (TGen) will host Pediatric Cancer Translational
Genomics Feb. 6-8 at the Hotel Valley Ho in Scottsdale, bringing
together more than 150 leading pediatric cancer researchers,
clinicians and foundations to promote the exchange of information
and ideas for advancing pediatric cancer research and
treatment.
The causes of childhood cancers are largely unknown and although
rare it remains the leading disease killer of children. With the
incidence rate at 2 in every 10,000 children, the need for a
personalized or "precision" diagnoses and treatment is critical.
Medical success in treating the blood cancers of children has not
been matched in treating children with cancers of the brain, bone
and other so-called "solid tumors". This conference is focused on
helping provide a future of hope to this group of children.
The two-and-a-half day conference features 38 speakers who will
present their most current research findings in the area of
pediatric solid tumors and how today's genomic technology can be
leveraged to make greater strides against pediatric cancer.
Prominent lecturers include: Dr. Peter Adamson, Professor of
Pediatrics and Chief of the Division of Clinical Pharmacology and
Therapeutics at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and Group
Chair of the Children's Oncology Group (COG), the world's largest
organization devoted exclusively to childhood and adolescent cancer
research; Dr. Lee Helman, Scientific Director for Clinical Research
at the National Cancer Institute's Center for Cancer Research; Dr.
Elaine Mardis, Associate Professor of Genetic and Molecular
Microbiology and Co-Director of The Genome Institute at the
Washington University School of Medicine; Dr. Barbara Wold,
Director of the National Cancer Institute's new Center for Cancer
Genomics; and Dr. Michael Link, President of the American Society
of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and a leader in the field of pediatric
oncology.
This conference is an example of bringing together the right group
of doctors, at the right time in the history of medical science, to
set the stage for studies just starting to use a patient's own
cancer genome to custom design their therapy.
"This is an opportunity for leading pediatric researchers from
across the country and internationally to share information and
help set the course for the future of pediatric cancer clinical
trials," said Dr. Jeffrey Trent, TGen's President and Research
Director and a conference organizer. "The collaborative model
behind this conference is a perfect example of how public-private
partnerships positively move research and treatment forward at a
pace not seen before."
A recent example of a successful public-private initiative is
Dell's major commitment of funding to TGen, involving employee
engagement and cloud computing technology to back pediatric cancer
research programs globally. Their support included support for the
world's first personalized medicine trial for pediatric cancer
conducted by the Neuroblastoma and Medulloblastoma Translational
Research Consortium (NMTRC). The NMTRC is a group of over a dozen
universities, research institutions and children's hospitals
headquartered at Van Andel Research Institute (VARI) that offer a
nationwide network of childhood cancer clinical trials.
"What we want to find are more targeted therapies - therapies that
are specific for those cancer cells - that do not harm the rest of
the child," said Dr. Giselle Sholler, Co-Director of the Pediatric
Translational Research Program at VARI and a conference organizer.
"Currently, we use chemotherapy that attacks the whole body. About
half of the patients relapse, and when they do there is no
cure."
Along with Drs. Trent and Sholler, other members of the conference
organizing committee who will make presentations are:
- Dr. Javed Khan, National Cancer Institute
- Dr. Poul Sorensen, British Columbia Cancer Research Centre
- Dr. Craig Webb, Van Andel Research Institute
- Dr. Chand Khanna, National Cancer Institute
- Ms. Liz Jackson, The St. Baldrick's Foundation
- Ms. Lisa Tichenor, What Would Willie Want (QuadW) Foundation
Conference goals include: provide an informal mechanism for
coordinating research and eliminating duplication; prioritize
questions and agree on best practices to help move the field of
pediatric oncology forward.
"This conference will help establish a framework for how we merge
science, medicine and technology so that we study the biology of
the pediatric patient and their individual genomic differences, and
then leverage the technology to put all that information together
and make a decision how to treat the patient in front of us today,
not six months or a year from now," said Dr. Lee Helman, Scientific
Director for Clinical Research at the National Cancer Institute's
Center for Cancer Research.
A unique aspect of the conference centers on the participation and
support from a number of leading pediatric cancer foundations that
provide the patient's perspective to research and treatment,
including St. Baldrick's Foundation; What Would Willie Want (QuadW)
Foundation; CureSearch for Children's Cancer (who also sponsored 10
travel awards); Rally Foundation for Childhood Cancer Research
(Rally); and Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation.
"The St. Baldrick's Foundation is honored to be sponsoring this
meeting and partnering with other childhood cancer foundations to
promote the best possible use of genomics in pediatric cancer
research," said Liz Jackson, Director of Grants Administration, St.
Baldrick's Foundation. "We are excited about the potential for
using these new tools to bring about new treatments to give kids
fighting cancer longer and healthier lives."
QuadW founder and organizing committee member Mac Tichenor said,
"This conference will involve the world's leading genomics experts
identifying intriguing and promising leads that are emerging from
new genomics data and techniques. We are pleased to be a sponsor
and eager to work to advance the priorities that come out of the
conference."
Scientific and corporate sponsors include Dell; TGen; the National
Cancer Institute; and the Hyundai Cancer Institute at CHOC
Children's.
For more information or to attend the conference, please visit:
tgen.org/tpcg.
