Shaping the Cancer Research of Tomorrow (WIN-Konferenzen)

As the first in-person event since the creation of PostdoCaRe Europe, the Con-
ference program was meticulously designed to encapsulate the three pillars of cancer
research - bench, bytes, and beds. Presentations spanned a diverse spectrum of scien-
tific domains, ranging from molecular biology to medicinal chemistiy, AI in cancer
diagnostics to personalized immunotherapies. It was a highly interactive and interdis-
ciplinaiy event where we could discover new science, discuss ideas, and connect with
peers. Notably, the majority of the presentations were driven, presented, and passio-
nately discussed by postdocs and PhD students in their last year. The lively and engaged
participation of eveiy attendee created an intellectually stimulating atmosphere. The
thought-provoking questions and vibrant discussions underscored the commitment
of all participants to advancing the frontiers of cancer research. In particular, we would
like to acknowledge the exceptional presentations by Hassan Fazilaty, Johanna Chiffel-
le, and Anna Dopler, as well as the poster discussion by Efstathios-Iason Vlachavas.
We are also extremely grateful to our keynote speakers, Anna Obenauf, Moritz
Gerstung and Eduard Batlle. They shared not only their knowledge and the view
of their respective fields but also their wisdom on how to foster our community
and approach our professional futures.
Networking extends beyond individuals to include different organizations.
We appreciated Marianna Childress-Poli's presentation on the fantastic resources
of Bioimaging and the Horizon-funded canSERV project. Both initiatives aim to
bring cutting-edge resources to eveiy researcher who needs them, with various
forms of financial support for our endeavors. Importantly, postdocs as independent
principal investigators can directly access these initiatives.
Our heartfelt appreciation goes to the Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and
Humanities (HAdW) for their generous support. They believed in us and our idea
despite our veiy young age, and awarded us the WIN conference grant, instru-
mental in bringing this event to fruition. Additionally, they provided a magnificent
venue and invaluable organizational support.
We also extend our gratitude to the companies that provided further funding
and engaged in discussions about their products and research strategies: Eric Bor-
ges from Boehringer Ingelheim; AbbVie; Andor/Oxford Instruments; and Lucinda
Haines from Springer Nature/Oncogene.
The conference aimed not only to disseminate scientific knowledge but al-
so to foster lasting connections and collaborations. The main hope is that eveiy
participant left having explored new frontiers, exchanged invaluable insights, and
forged connections that will shape the future of cancer research. As the pursuit of
shared scientific progress continues, the conference stands as a testament to the
strength of collaborative endeavors.
For further information, visit the PostdoCare Europe 2023 Conference web-
site: https://www.postdocareeu.com/conference2023

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