The discovery that inter-cellular communication via extracellular vesicles (EV)is a significant contributor to cancer progression has revealed a new dimension to cancer biology and opened exciting opportunities for diagnosis and treatment. The proposed conference on Extracellular Vesicle in Cancer (August 2-4, 2019, Vanderbilt University) will not only highlight how advances in EV research are changing our understanding of cancer progression but also provide insight on how the detection and targeting of EVs is clinically relevant and provides novel diagnostic and treatment strategies. This conference was established with support from both the International Society for Extracelluar Vesicles (ISEV) and the Metastasis Research Society (MRS) in response to a urgent need to address the role of EVs in cancer biology. To achieve that objective, the scope of the proposed congress will include the spectrum of biology, basic and translational research. Moreover, the event will be a forum for: 1) identifying top priorities in clinical and experimental research and promote collaborative studies that focus on these high priority topics, 2) encouraging young and established investigators to leverage a new understanding of EV biology in their focus on cancer research, 3) facilitating multi-disciplinary exchanges between young and established investigators regarding current basic and clinical cancer research findings, and 4) identifying research opportunities, approaches and resources in EV research needed to develop new and more effective preventive, diagnostic and treatment options for cancer. At this conference, scientists and physician scientists at different stages of their career in the field of cancer biology will gather together at the proposed congress to discuss experimental and clinical information on the role of EVs in cancer progression and focus on finding new opportunities for more effective diagnostic and intervention strategies. The cross-fertilization of ideas at the congress will benefit all investigators with the ultimate goal of improving cancer patient outcomes. The congress will be also be particularly useful for supporting the career development of young investigators interested in cross-training in both cancer research and EV biology. The conference chairs and the Organizing Committee have made an explicit commitment to early-career investigators that will be realized through three specific actions: 1) 30% of the speakers selected from abstracts (10 of 32 slots) will be committed to individuals that are trainees (students, postdocs and residents) or young investigators (within 3 years of their faculty appointment). 2) leadership opportunities will be created by pairing early career investigators with senior investigators as chairs of individual scientific and networking sessions. 3) A networking event for early-career investigators is created to enable these individuals to connect with peers and senior faculty to establish collaborative opportunities that can catalyze novel research opportunities.
Inter-cellular communication is fundamental to the progression of cancer and the pathology that leads to cancer- related deaths, thus, the discovery that extracellular vesicles (EV) can exchange cellular content and impart cancer-related functionality on adjacent tumor cells as well as host cells transformed our understanding of tumor progression. The conference on Extracellular Vesicles in Cancer co-hosted by the International Society for Extracellular Vesicles (ISEV) and the Metastasis Research Society (MRS) will serve to assemble leaders in the field of EV biology and Cancer Biology to discuss the rapidly transforming understanding of EV's contribution to cancer progression, to share the latest experimental and clinical information, and to identify synergistic collaborations among investigators that will lead to both improved understanding as well as effective intervention strategies. The cross-fertilization of ideas at the congress will move the cancer field forward with the ultimate goal of improving patient outcomes.
