We will convene the second annual Interdisciplinary Nutrition Sciences Symposium (INSS), entitled ?Heterogeneity in Obesity: Implications for Cancer and Related Obesity-Associated Outcomes.? This conference will focus on cancer given the role of obesity and related co-morbidities in cancer pathophysiology as well as obesity's association with poor outcomes among cancer survivors. Interactive discussions will enable early career investigators and faculty from underrepresented minority groups to engage with senior investigators, and for academic and industry scientists to engage. These highly valuable experiences will provide early career investigators and trainees with a foundation upon which they will be able to contribute to the next generation of successful cancer and translational obesity research. Confirmed and invited speakers include leading national academic and industry scientists with expertise in cancer and translational obesity research. The four interactive sessions are organized to facilitate and encourage integration across disciplines, synthesize knowledge, and generate new ideas in selected areas of cancer-related nutrition and obesity research, including precision nutrition. A major goal of the conference is to build on the dialogue we began in our successful 2019 symposium to develop best practices for translational nutrition science and to generate ideas for proposals and collaborative projects. To that end, we will hold an industry-focused panel, which will bring together leading scientists from industry and representatives from patient advocacy groups for a discussion of novel technologies and therapeutics related to the role of obesity and related co-morbidities in cancer pathophysiology. In addition, we will feature a networking lunch to encourage discussion across scientific approaches, seniority, and industry/academia ties. We will also hold an early career lunch and workshop to allow opportunities for detailed discussions around career development. Rigorous evaluation of the symposium will involve summative assessment activities through online surveys conducted via the conference website to assess what participants learned, what was effective, and what needs improvement. An anticipated deliverable of the symposium is a scientific paper geared towards a major cancer journal, such as Cancer Prevention Research, on the translation of science to prevent cancer and ameliorate obesity- associated conditions in cancer patients and survivors. We will promote the symposium broadly through the American Cancer Society and patient support groups such as the Obesity Action Coalition as well as oncology- related scientific societies, nutrition- and obesity-focused scientific societies, nutrition departments, and Nutrition Obesity Research Center networks. We anticipate that attendees will span the diverse fields of nutrition, endocrinology, microbiology, immunology, behavioral sciences, bioinformatics, biochemistry, and more. We anticipate attendance of approximately 100 scientists, based on the success of last year's symposium and the outstanding leading scientist keynote speakers who have agreed to attend.
Obesity is a complex disease associated with increased risk for at least 13 types of cancer as well as impaired chemotherapeutic response and increased metastatic potential. We propose to convene the second annual Interdisciplinary Nutrition Sciences Symposium (INSS), entitled ?Heterogeneity in Obesity: Implications for Cancer and Related Obesity-Associated Outcomes? to address the reversibility of the obesity-cancer link. The goal of the symposium is to develop ideas for advancing scientific rigor in translational obesity and nutrition studies in relation to the following important cancer-related health issues: non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, unresolved chronic inflammation, the obesity-cancer link, and weight management.
