Cancer Research Away Day 2024
This year’s Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine Research (MCCM) Away Day was a resounding success, bringing together researchers, clinicians, students and post-doctoral researchers at the Spine Building. The event celebrated the incredible work being carried out across the Department.
With over 120 attendees, the day was filled with engaging talks, inspiring posters and ample opportunities to network and connect with colleagues. The day featured sessions on key research themes, including:
- Early Detection of Cancer: Chaired by John Field, this session highlighted progress in biomarkers for pancreatic and oral cancers, with talks from Eithne Costello, Richard Shaw, Chris Probert and Jonathon Dawson.
- Tumour Microenvironment: Chaired by Ainhoa Mielgo, discussions centred on groundbreaking cancer vaccines and immune-stroma interactions, featuring speakers Natalia Savelyeva, Joe Sacco, Tim Budden and Raymant Meirion.
- Cancer Cell Signalling and Mechanosensing: Chaired by Mark Morgan, this session featured insights on invasive cell migration and gene regulation. Speakers included Aditi Kanhere, Tobias Zech and Medina Abdulla.
- Therapy Resistance and Cancer Vulnerabilities: Chaired by Nagesh Kalakonda, the session explored novel imaging techniques and context-specific mutations, with speakers Bill Greenhalf, Joe Slupsky, Zaid al-Amiedy and Matthew Thompson.
North West Cancer Research (NWCR) were also in attendance, with CEO Alastair Richards sharing insights about their work.
Alison Moore, NWCR’s Head of Health, Research and Impact said: "We were delighted to be invited along to the MCCM research symposium. Some fascinating work was presented which offers some real inspiration to the team here at the charity."
The day also provided the opportunity to thank Professor Sonia Rocha, Executive Dean of the Institute, for her incredible leadership over the years. Professor Rocha reflected on her tenure and said: "The last five years have been hard and full of challenges for us all, but has been a privilege to see how everyone works together, with no borders, aiming to achieve the same goals. I am also very happy with all the junior appointments to the Department and Institute. Our future is very bright indeed!"
The poster and flash talk sessions were also highlights, showcasing brilliant ideas and innovative research. Congratulations to the poster competition winners Abigail Clark, Andrew Ross, and Jan Schultze, and flash talk winners Valeriia Katiuzhynska, Claire Wilson, and James Griffin.
Michael Schmid, MCCM Head of Department said: "The event highlighted the breadth and depth of our current portfolio of cancer research, including national and international leading cancer discovery science and the delivery of clinical trials. The event brought together our Department as a community and provided an opportunity for networking and exploring new potential collaborations."
The Research Away Day was a fantastic conclusion to the year, celebrating the supportive and innovative community that drives the MCCM's success. Here's to another year of groundbreaking research and collaboration!