National Foundation for Cancer Research and the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Host U.S.-China Symposium on State-of-Science Cancer Research and Future Direction for Global Collaboration

BETHESDA, Md., Nov. 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Foundation for Cancer Research (NFCR) and the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CAMS) today announced that they will co-host a high-level symposium in Beijing November 4-6, 2012.

The U.S.-China Symposium on State-of-Science Cancer Research and Future Directions for Global Collaboration will bring together leading cancer researchers from the United States and China in an attempt to launch an actionable roadmap for international research collaboration that will accelerate innovative cancer research and discovery. 

Leading cancer researchers from both academia and industry in China and the U.S. are committed to working together to create a platform of global collaboration for cancer drug-discovery and development.

This Symposium will be a transformative opportunity for shaping the future direction of cancer research in the U.S. and China.  "Through stronger partnerships with our scientific and corporate colleagues in the United States, we hope to advance our efforts to build a more effective research platform for government and industry toward shared progress in research to cure cancer," said Dr. Xuetao Cao, President of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and co-host of the Symposium.

The topics addressed at this Symposium will help build bridges between and among cancer researchers regardless of field or national boundaries.  "Developing action plans that foster global collaboration in cancer research will both accelerate scientific discoveries and their development into new therapies,"   said Franklin Salisbury, Jr. President of the National Foundation for Cancer Research and co-host of the Symposium.

"We salute this type of synergistic collaboration across international borders, and are pleased to be a part of this Symposium," said Dr. Sujuan Ba, President of the Asian Fund for Cancer Research and sponsor. Other sponsors include: AstraZeneca, Eli Lilly,  and Cancer Institute & Hospital Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences.

Symposium Speakers and Format

The two-day Symposium will bring together prominent cancer researchers from government, academia, and industry to create a platform for global collaboration in cancer research that will foster scientific innovation and discovery.

A Plenary Session will feature Chinese Minister of Health Zhu Chen, M.D., Ph.D,  and Anna Barker, Ph.D, Director, Arizona State University Transformative Healthcare Networks and former Deputy Director of the U.S. National Cancer Institute (NCI).

Other leading scientists participating in the Symposium include:

• Steven Averbuch M.D., Bristol Myers Squibb
• Anahita Bhathena, Ph.D., Abbott Laboratories
• Xuetao Cao, M.D, Ph.D., Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences
• Webster Cavenee, Ph.D., Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research
• Shujun Cheng, M.D., Cancer Institute & Hospital Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences
• Yung-Chi Cheng, Ph.D., Yale University Medical School
• Carlo Croce, M.D., Ohio State University Medical Center
• Jianren Gu, M.D., Ph.D., Shanghai Cancer Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University
• Xi-Shan Hao, M.D., Chinese Anti-Cancer Association; Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute
• Waun Ki Hong, M.D., MD Anderson Cancer Center
• Susan Horwitz, Ph.D., Albert Einstein College of Medicine
• Scott Patterson, Ph.D., Amgen
• George Sledge, Jr., Ph.D., Indiana University School of Medicine
• Yan Sun, M.D.,  Cancer Institute & Hospital Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences
• Zhaoyou Tang, M.D., Liver Cancer Institute, Fudan University
• Peter Vogt, Ph.D., The Scripps Research Institute
• Qimin Zhan, M.D., Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences

Symposium Topics will include:

• Pathway for New Therapy Development in China and Vision for International Collaboration
• Global Clinical Development Networks: 21^st Century Approach to Clinical Trials
• Biobanking and its Critical Role in Translational Cancer Research
• Traditional Chinese Medicines and Natural Products: New Paradigm for Treating Cancer
• Biomarkers and Molecular Medicines
• Cancer Genome: Developing Genetic-Based Cancer Therapies
• A Collaborative Initiative to Conquer GBM—A Model for International Collaboration

For a complete Symposium Program, and to see the full list of speakers, visit www.NFCR.org/symposium.

This Symposium is open by invitation and to accredited media.  Journalists are encouraged to register with Silas Deane at (01) 615-319-6007 or [email protected].

About the National Foundation for Cancer Research

The National Foundation for Cancer Research is a leading charity dedicated to funding innovative cancer research worldwide.  NFCR promotes and facilitates collaboration among scientists to accelerate the pace of discovery, and since 1973 NFCR has spent over $300 million funding  the "high risk/high reward" research responsible for many breakthroughs in cancer research.  NFCR is committed to solving cancer's molecular mysteries, and translating these discoveries into new approaches to preventing, diagnosing and treating cancer.   NFCR is about Research for a Cure—cures for all types of cancer.  For more information, please visit www.NFCR.org.

About the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences 

The Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CAMS) is the most important medical institution in China and is directly under the leadership of the Ministry of Health.  The CAMS was created in 1956 by the Chinese government and was merged with  Peking Union Medical College (PUMC) in Beijing.  The mission of CAMS is to encourage high-quality research in biomedical science with the aim of improving people's health and reducing the death rate, to offer the best clinical diagnoses and treatments for severe and rare diseases, to promote the transition of research to clinical applications, and to train first-rate medical professionals for research, clinical applications, and education.  For more information, please visit, www.CAMS.ac.cn.

About the Asian Fund for Cancer Research

The Asian Fund for Cancer Research (AFCR) is committed to curing cancers that have significant impacts on Asian populations.  Headquartered in Hong Kong, AFCR is dedicated to bridging the scientific and educational gaps in cancer research and cancer prevention between Asian countries and the rest of the world, through promoting, coordinating and funding international collaboration in cancer research and public education.  AFCR is devoted to reducing the incidence and increasing the survival rate of cancers in Asia. For more information, please visit www.AFCR.org.hk.

SOURCE National Foundation for Cancer Research