NF CONFERENCE TAKING PLACE AT THE RENAISSANCE HOTEL DOWNTOWN WASHINGTON, DC JUNE 10-13, 2017
WITH KEYNOTE SPEAKER GREG SIMON, DIRECTOR, BIDEN CANCER INITIATIVE
WHAT:
The Children’s Tumor Foundation NF Conference is the premier gathering of scientists and clinicians from around the world dedicated to advancing research and care for those living with neurofibromatosis, or NF, a genetic disorder that affects 1 in 3,000 people and causes tumors to grow on nerves throughout the body.
The conference is fostering groundbreaking collaborations, providing strategic direction in the NF field, and eliminating barriers to research progress. Key agenda topics include tumor biology, personalized medicine, stem cell research, and cognitive deficits in NF. Attendees will include scientists, medical professionals, NF patients, pharmaceutical and biotech companies, government agencies and private and public funders. Grant support for the NF Conference has been provided by Pfizer and the National Institutes of Health.
WHERE:
Renaissance Hotel Downtown Washington, DC
999 Ninth Street NW
Washington, DC 20001
WHEN:
June 10-13, 2017
CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS:
Please visit www.ctf.org/nfconference for the complete agenda. Some highlights include:
Greg Simon, Welcome Dinner Keynote Speaker Greg Simon served as the Executive Director of the White House Cancer Moonshot Task Force, a position created by President Barack Obama and for which he was chosen by Vice President Joe Biden in March 2016. The Cancer Moonshot was launched to advance the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer. Over the past nine months Greg and his team helped launch over seventy innovative collaborations related to changing the culture of research in order to encourage teamwork and innovation.
Saturday, June 10 6:30PM at the National Press Club (529 14th St NW, Washington DC)
2017 Friedrich von Recklinghausen Award This prestigious award will be presented to Karen Cichowski, PhD, Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and Chair and Scientific Director of the Neurofibromatosis Preclinical Consortium in recognition of her significant contributions to neurofibromatosis research.
Saturday, June 10 6:30PM at the National Press Club (529 14th St NW, Washington DC)
Excellence in Team Science Award In recognition of the value and impact of collaboration across basic, translational and clinical research, the annual Excellence in Team Science Award will be presented to the labs and clinics that make up the Synodos for NF2 Consortium. Launched in 2014, Synodos for NF2 is a multi-year initiative comprised of a team of researchers from 12 world-class labs and medical centers around the country committed to sharing data and information across research disciplines in order to accelerate drug development for NF2.
Saturday, June 10 6:30PM at the National Press Club (529 14th St NW, Washington DC)
Keynote Presentations:
Elaine Fuchs, PhD, Rebecca C. Lancefield Professor of Mammalian Cell Biology and Development, Rockefeller University
– Stem Cells in Silence, Action and Cancer on Saturday, June 10 at 1:00PM
Michael Dyer, PhD, Investigator, HHMI Richard C. Shadyac Endowed Chair in Pediatric Cancer Research Chair/Member, Department of Developmental Neurobiology Co-Leader, Developmental Biology and Solid Tumor Program Head, Division of Developmental Biology St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital
– Identifying Tumor Vulnerabilities through Integrated Analysis on Sunday, June 11 at 9:00AM
Shasha Jumbe, PhD, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
– Mind the Research Science – Data Science Gap on Sunday, June 11 at 10:30AM
Helen Morrison, PhD, Group Leader, Leibniz-Institute of Age Research, Fritz Lipmann Institute, Jena, Germany
– Peripheral Nerve Homeostasis and Repair – Impaired Signaling Circuits in Neurofibromatosis Type 2 (NF2) on Tuesday, June 12 at 10:00AM
WHY:
Neurofibromatosis, or NF, is a genetic disorder that causes tumors to grow on nerves throughout the body, and may lead to a number of health issues, including blindness, deafness, bone abnormalities, disfigurement, learning disabilities, disabling pain, and cancer. NF affects 2.5 million people worldwide; it affects all populations equally. There is currently no cure, which is why nearly 400 clinicians and researchers gather each year to build relationships, share information and accelerate the path to treatment.
Note: Media is invited to attend. Please contact Simon Vukelj, Children’s Tumor Foundation VP, Marketing and Communications at 212-344-7568 or svukelj@ctf.org.
ABOUT THE CHILDREN’S TUMOR FOUNDATION:
The Children’s Tumor Foundation is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to funding and driving innovative research that will result in effective treatments for the millions of people worldwide living with neurofibromatosis (NF), a term for three distinct disorders: NF1, NF2, and schwannomatosis. NF causes tumors to grow on nerves throughout the body and may lead to blindness, deafness, bone abnormalities, disfigurement, learning disabilities, disabling pain, and cancer. NF affects 1 in every 3,000 births across all populations equally. There is no cure yet – but the Children’s Tumor Foundation mission of driving research, expanding knowledge, and advancing care for the NF community fosters our vision of one day ending NF. For more information, please visit www.ctf.org.
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