From Discovery To Application:

This two-day program focused on new discoveries in the biology of human cancers and their implications for drug development. Experts in bioinformatics and systems biology discussed the use of new technologies for target identification and mapping oncogenic pathways. Faculty also addressed the role of signal transduction, imaging, EGFR inhibition, and tumor hypoxia in the drug discovery, screening, development and validation processes. The meeting provided a rare gathering of basic and clinical experts in oncology and stem cell biology who discussed their recent work and the challenges of translating science into therpaeutic targets and applications in medicine. In addition, faculty from the biopharmaceutical industry offered perspectives on clinical development. All attendees learned the crucial decision gates in drug development that companies consider and that the FDA scrutinizes when evaluating an IND package. This was of particular interest to young investigators focused on the early stages of drug development, who want to see how their discoveries will translate into the clinical realm. The Nancy Ann Hughes Welsh Young Investigator Prize and other cash awards were given to the lead author of the best papers in the poster session.