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Rockville, MD. (September 30, 2024) – The 2024 Global Summit and Award Ceremonies for Cancer Research & Entrepreneurship, co-hosted by the National Foundation for Cancer Research (NFCR) and AIM-HI Accelerator Fund, will be held on October 18th at the National Press Club in Washington, DC.

This is the one event each year where key leaders from the entire cancer research and patient care ecosystem come together under one roof to share critical discoveries and ideas from all areas of cancer research, drug development, and patient care. This is where many innovative ideas and collaborations are born, and actionable plans and visions for the future fight against cancer are strategized. Collaboration between prominent researchers, global business leaders, entrepreneurs, and patient care advocates at every level working to cure cancer is the predominant theme of the Global Summit.

Once again, NFCR has developed another superb, high-quality oncology program this year that is second to none. The Global Summit features multifaceted sessions that transition from scientific discoveries to discussions on entrepreneurship and leadership, insights from investors, patient advocacy, and celebrations of extraordinary iconic leaders. The 2024 event promises to be an enriching experience for attendees.

Co-founded in 1973 by Nobel Prize recipient Albert Szent-Györgyi, M.D., Ph.D., and entrepreneur Franklin Salisbury, Sr., JD, NFCR provides scientists in the lab with the critical seed funding they need to make breakthrough discoveries and ultimately cures for cancer, with an emphasis on long-term transformative research often overlooked by other major funding sources. The Global Summit is NFCR’s hallmark annual event where we bring together the world’s top cancer experts, business leaders, entrepreneurs, and patient advocates to celebrate progress, share their vision, and chart new pathways in the quest for a cure.

“Our Global Summit fosters critical collaborations between the world’s top cancer scientists, clinicians, biotech leaders, and entrepreneurs that not only accelerate research breakthroughs but speed the advancement of significant laboratory discoveries to reach patients’ bedsides,” said Dr. Sujuan Ba, Ph.D., President and CEO of NFCR. “The crucial basic discoveries generated in the laboratories over the past 51 years have transformed our understanding of cancer and revolutionized the way we approach treating, but these breakthrough discoveries need a collaborative approach and continued support to get through the pre-clinical stages needed to get to the patient’s bedside. This event fosters the dialogues to drive these potential cures forward.”

Now in its fourth year, NFCR’s highly packaged daylong 2024 Global Summit will begin with an opening keynote delivered by the highly respected scientist-entrepreneur, Drew Pardoll, MD., Ph.D., Director, Bloomberg- Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, followed by interactive and integrated panel discussions from key opinion leaders in cancer research.

Global Summit sessions are focused on unmet needs of current treatments, future innovative areas of therapies on the horizon, new and emerging developments, trends, early detection, and cancer prevention.

To kickoff afternoon programming, partnering with AIM-HI Accelerator Fund, we will host a Luncheon Award Ceremony for Women’s Leadership & Entrepreneurship, where Margaret Foti, PhD, MD (hc), Chief Executive Officer of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), will be honored with the prestigious 3rd annual Beacon Award for Women Leaders in Oncology award.

Following the Beacon Award Ceremony, prize recipients of the 2024 AIM-HI Women’s Venture Competition, a first-of-its-kind program that provides funding, coaching, and networking opportunities to women-led oncology start-ups, will also be honored during a luncheon award ceremony. This year’s winners include: First Prize with Distinction Nabanita Nawar, Ph.D., Co-Founder & CEO, HDAX Therapeutics, and Second Prize; Paraskevi Giannakakou, Ph.D., Co-Founder & CSO, ARMA Bio.

During the midday portion of the event, attendees will enjoy a different aspect of the programming element, The Innovative Oncology Companies Showcase and the Investors Perspective for Funding Early Stage Biotech. During this part of the event, several emerging and innovative oncology startups will showcase their technologies that are addressing unmet needs of current patient care. And several investors will share their feedback and perspectives with a fireside chat and dialogue with attendees.

The evening session presents highly anticipated programming that will begin with a keynote presentation by the globally-known author, cancer researcher and entrepreneur, and 2011 Pulitzer Prize Winner, Siddhartha Mukherjee, M.D., Associate Professor of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, Columbia University. 

During Dinner and Award Ceremony portion of the evening the 2024 Szent-Györgyi Prize winner, Dennis J. Slamon, M.D., Ph. D., from UCLA Health, Dinner and Award Ceremony, will be honored for his groundbreaking research discoveries that helped to shape the field of precision medicine for breast cancer patients.

To conclude the evening program, award-winning journalist, cancer survivor, and host of WUSA-9’s Great Day Washington, Kristen Berset-Harris, will moderate a star-studded panel “Live from the Press Club” to discuss the major weakness in current cancer research and care system that we must address and the future vision of how every part of the ecosystem working to cure cancer must join forces to collaborate in an integrated way to benefit patients as our ultimate goal.

Participants of the evening panel include: Dennis Slamon, M.D., Ph.D.; Margaret Foti, Ph.D., M.D.; Siddhartha Mukherjee, M.D.; Olufunmilayo Olopade, M.D.; Mohit Manrao, MBA; and Cancer Research Advocates: Shereen and Isabella Pavlides.

Dr. Azra Raza, a prominent physician-scientist who attended the 2023 Global Summit for the first time, stated: “Let me state right at the beginning that if I don’t attend another great conference for five years, I will not mind it because I was just given the opportunity to attend this one by NFCR. It was a humbling experience to be in the company of so many outstanding and accomplished scientists. Congratulations on organizing a totally mind-blowing Global Summit where NFCR assembles a constellation of shining stars under one roof for several days! Besides the talks and panel discussions, the opportunity to network and exchange ideas with others was deeply appreciated. I also loved the way you mixed hard science, heartbreaking oncology stories, and glamorous dinners. It was such a memorable event!”

 

Space is limited (by design), so reserve your tickets quickly for the 2024 Global Summit and Award Ceremonies for Cancer Research & Entrepreneurship on Friday, October 18th, 2024, at The National Press Club in Washington, D.C. All net proceeds from this event, which is open to the public, will support NFCR’s leading-edge cancer research programs. 

Inquiries regarding sponsorship of this event can be made by e-mail at Sponsorship@nfcr.org or by phone at 1-800-321-CURE (2873). Ask to speak with Brian Wachtel, Executive Director of NFCR.

OncoDaily serves as NFCR’s media partner for the 2024 Global Summit. Press and media are encouraged to attend. Interested media should contact Jonathan Larsen, NFCR Chief Marketing Officer, at jlarsen@nfcr.org to make arrangements for attendance.

About the National Foundation for Cancer Research

The National Foundation for Cancer Research (NFCR) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization co-founded in 1973 by Nobel Laureate Dr. Albert Szent-Györgyi and Attorney/Business Entrepreneur Franklin Salisbury, Sr. NFCR provides scientists in the lab with the critical seed funding they need to make game-changing discoveries in cancer detection, treatments, prevention, and ultimately, a cure for all cancers. NFCR has distinguished itself in the cancer research sector by emphasizing “high-risk, high-impact” long-term and transformative pioneering research fields often overlooked by other major funding sources. With the support of more than 5.3 million individual donors over the last 50+ years, NFCR has provided more than $415 million in funding to cancer research, prevention, and public education. NFCR-supported research has led to some of the most significant life-saving discoveries that benefit patients today. 

To learn more about the National Foundation for Cancer Research, visit NFCR.org.

About the AIM-HI Accelerator Fund

The AIM-HI Accelerator Fund (AIM-HI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established in 2019 with an initial capacity-building grant from the National Foundation for Cancer Research to accelerate the translation of cancer drug discoveries by investing in seed-stage oncology companies. AIM-HI Accelerator Fund bridges the gap between innovative cancer discoveries and high-impact cancer treatments and technologies and facilitates an ecosystem for early-stage companies and entrepreneurs.

To learn more about the AIM-HI Accelerator Fund, visit AIM-HIAccelerator.org.

About the Szent-Györgyi Prize for Progress in Cancer Research

The Szent-Györgyi Prize for Progress in Cancer Research was established in 2006 by the National Foundation for Cancer Research in honor of its co-founder, Albert Szent-Györgyi, M.D., Ph.D., recipient of the 1937 Nobel Prize for Physiology and Medicine. The award recognizes outstanding scientists whose seminal discovery or pioneering body of work has contributed to cancer prevention, diagnosis, or treatment and has had a lasting impact on understanding cancer, holding the promise of improving or saving the lives of cancer patients.

About Beacon Award for Women Leaders in Oncology

Established in 2022 by the AIM-HI Accelerator Fund, a translational research and impact-investment partner of the National Foundation for Cancer Research (NFCR), the Beacon Award recognizes outstanding women leaders in the health and life sciences industry who have made a significant impact on advancing and advocating cancer treatment, detection, and diagnosis for patients around the world.