The proposal will support the tenth through the fourteenth international conferences devoted exclusively to gene therapy of cancer. Each year, the International Conference on Gene Therapy of Cancer will focus on cutting edge technology in the field. Leading researchers from around the world will present the latest results of their basic research, pre-clinical and clinical studies of cancer treatment using gene therapy technology. The principal topics will be selected with regard to the current emphasis and direction of the field. The format of the meeting will be designed to provide participants with the latest results in all disciplines of cancer gene therapy. Invited speakers will be followed by the presentation of proffered abstracts describing recent basic research, pre-clinical, and clinical data. Current session topics include vector systems and targeting, cytokine and immunotherapy, hematopoietic progenitor cells, treatment resistance and sensitivity, and tumor suppression, apoptosis, angiogenesis, and oncogene inhibition. Presentation topics will be modified in future years to include new developments. Each topic session will begin with an overview of the field and the current status of human clinical trials. Discussion sessions for each of the presentation topics will be part of the conference agenda with additional oral and poster presentations from submitted abstracts. This conference will be of interest to clinical oncologists, molecular biologists, cellular biologists, tumor immunologists and other interested health professionals and researchers working in this field.
