WELCOME

Dear colleagues

Progress in experimental cancer research has defined a plethora of new potential targets for cancer therapy, some of which have already lead to new tailor-made treatments blocking particular kinases by small molecules or interfering with signal transduction by blocking receptors with the help of specific antibodies. Yet the speed with which academic, biotech and pharma-research churn out new pathogenic principles, targets and drug candidates has to be matched by clinical research in order to bring potential new treatments to the patient. This was already an important topic at the 12th AEK Cancer Congress in the year 2003 and it is the reason why the work-groups AEK and AIO within the German Cancer Research Society, representing basic experimental and clinical research respectively, have formally joined forces to co-organise the 13th International AEK/AIO Cancer Congress. We invite you to join us in this event.

The congress will be a truly international forum for all the different players that contribute to the fight against cancer, the disease that may surpass all other causes of mortality in developed countries in the years to come. Sessions will cover basic genetic and epigenetic mechanisms related to uncontrolled cell growth and invasiveness and we will highlight the contribution of tools such as RNA interference, proteomics and animal models in elucidating proliferative mechanisms.

From the clinical perspective the development and application of new drugs will take center stage and the best strategies for various tumor entities will be discussed.

A special emphasis will be put on developments in biotech-companies that have established themselves as the third driver of innovation in new approaches to cancer-therapy next to academic research and the pharma-industry.

Würzbug, the venue of the conference, has a remarkable history in research on cancer development and diagnosis. Rudolf Virchow, Wilhelm Konrad Röntgen and Theodor Boveri have contributed groundbreaking work. We are looking forward to honor a very distinguished scientist with the Boveri Award for Molecular Cancer Genetics. This year awardees of the German Cancer Award and the AIO-Science Award will also be honored at the occasion of the conference. But Würzburg is not only worth a trip on scientific grounds. The city has just celebrated its 1300th anniversary and is a treasure chest of art and architecture. Make sure to plan some extra time to see the baroque Duke-Bishop‘s Residence, a UNESCO Wolrd Heritage, to immerse yourself into the middle ages of the famous sculptor Tilman Riemenschneider or at least expose yourself to the history -and products- of some of the oldest wineries in the world.

We are looking forward to meeting you in Würzburg.

The organisers

Ulf R. Rapp
Hans Schmoll
Peter Vogt
 

Note for physicians:
Attending the congress will be rewarded by up to 18 credit-points for continuing medical education by the "Bayerische Landesärztekammer"