Glasgow set to welcome 1,500 delegates for 'flagship' cancer conference

Glasgow is gearing up to welcome over 1,500 delegates to the National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) Cancer Conference, the UK’s largest professional forum showcasing the latest advances in cancer research.

The event, which is taking place at the Scottish Event Campus from 4^th – 6^th November 2018, will be opened by the First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon.

This is the first time the NCRI Cancer Conference has been held in Glasgow and provides a platform for researchers, clinicians, people affected by cancer and industry representatives to come together to discuss and present high-quality research.

With more than 500 presentations – including the latest cancer research from around the world – the conference will cover the whole cancer field, from epidemiology and research in the lab, to trials of new treatments and quality of life studies.

Sixth form students from across Scotland, who are considering a career in science or medicine, have been invited to a special event run by NCRI and the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation where they will hear from researchers early in their careers spanning different areas of cancer research. They will be challenged to create a video to pitch a research question to potential funders, allowing them to gain in depth knowledge of a particular aspect of cancer research as well as learn film making skills.

Aileen Crawford, Head of Conventions at Glasgow Convention Bureau, said: “As Glasgow is home to the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre, the UK’s most advanced NHS cancer centre, Team Glasgow are proud to welcome the NCRI Conference to our city.

“Hosting the NCRI conference in Glasgow for the first time reinforces Glasgow’s position at the forefront of medical innovation and highlights the world-leading research undertaken in our city. By opening the doors of its conference to school children across the country, NCRI will help inspire the next generation of medical professionals and leave a lasting legacy on both Glasgow and Scotland as a whole.”

Professor Owen Sansom, Director of the CRUK Beatson Institute and of the Institute of Cancer Sciences at the University of Glasgow, who is Co-Chair of 2018 NCRI Cancer Conference, said: “We’re really looking forward to bringing the NCRI Cancer Conference to Glasgow for the first time, it’s ten years since the UK’s most advanced NHS cancer centre opened its doors here and the Beatson Institute has built an excellent reputation for cancer research including world-class metabolism studies and renowned in vivo modelling of tumour growth and metastasis.

What’s really exciting about this conference is that it brings together people from all areas of cancer research, from scientists to clinicians as well as cancer survivors, and enables us to make really important connections across specialisms both UK and internationally.”

Dr Iain Frame, NCRI’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “This Conference is NCRI’s flagship event, and is one of the many ways that NCRI brings people together to accelerate cancer research. The NCRI connects an enormous diversity of expertise from across the spectrum of cancer-related research, including people directly affected by cancer, clinicians, scientists and many more. Coming together at the NCRI Cancer Conference is a fantastic opportunity to share research ideas and knowledge, build new connections and strengthen existing partnerships. And we’re excited to be here in Glasgow, where we have received a very warm welcome.”

NCRI are also taking delegate health seriously at this year’s event, and are adopting a number of the SEC’s Healthy Venue initiatives, including relaxation sessions and a step challenge as part of their comprehensive Wellbeing Programme.”

Kathleen Warden, Director of Conference Sales at the Scottish Event Campus, said: “We are really looking forward to hosting the NCRI Cancer conference for the first time here at the SEC. Conferences like this are crucial for the development of cancer research and the wider community, and we have seen some ground-breaking outcomes in brain tumours and bowel cancer revealed at the conference in recent years. The SEC is proud to provide the host venue in 2018 and again in 2019.”