EACR-20: The European Translational Oncology Meeting

The 20 biannual Meeting of the European Association of Cancer Research EACR-20 was held in Lyon, in July 2008. The Meeting successfully gathered researchers from basic, translational and clinical cancer research to exchange and discuss recent results in the areas of major interest. This review presents a meeting report and intends to be a portrait of the excellent research presented at EACR-20. Introduction. From Saturday July 5 to Tuesday July 8, EACR-20 welcomed 1151 participants, including 353 students, to the Cité Centre de Congrés Lyon. The Meeting followed The Integrative Molecular Cancer Epidemiology-An IARC-EACR-AACR-ECNIS Symposium from the 35 of July. M. A. Pierotti Conference and Scientific chairman together with R.J. White, chairman of the Young Cancer Researchers ́ Committee and G. Lenoir chairman of the National Organizing Committee, proposed an excellent scientific programme with plenary lectures, parallel scientific symposia, presidential sessions and educational lectures, covering the areas of current interest and the most recent discoveries in cancer research. Following the success of the initiative at EACR-19, the Young Researchers ́ Scientific Committee organized two workshops focused on interesting issues for young researchers at the beginning of their scientific careers. These workshops covered strategies for fellowship applications and an introduction to pharmaceutical research and development. The location of the Cité Centre de Congrés set in attractive surroundings and the hospitality of our hosts in Lyon contributed to a very enjoyable Meeting. The highlight of the social events was the Conference Dinner at Lyon’s City Hall, a magnificent building with an exquisite atmosphere. This was the most successful of the EACR Meetings, both for the scientific level and the major interest that the participants demonstrated in high attendance at all sessions. This success was possible due to the contributions made by the local committee, together with the work of the organizing team at ECCO and the EACR Secretariat at Nottingham; to all of them we wish to express our thanks and recognize their effort in making this possible.