Conference Description
ATTENTION: The GRC bus picks up and drops off at the Florence Airport (FLR) only. GRC no longer has bus service to / from the Pisa Airport.
The Mammary Gland Biology GRC is a premier, international scientific conference focused on advancing the frontiers of science through the presentation of cutting-edge and unpublished research, prioritizing time for discussion after each talk and fostering informal interactions among scientists of all career stages. The conference program includes a diverse range of speakers and discussion leaders from institutions and organizations worldwide, concentrating on the latest developments in the field. The conference is five days long and held in a remote location to increase the sense of camaraderie and create scientific communities, with lasting collaborations and friendships. In addition to premier talks, the conference has designated time for poster sessions from individuals of all career stages, and afternoon free time and communal meals allow for informal networking opportunities with leaders in the field.
Breast cancer remains a significant global health challenge. As we are living longer, it is important more than ever to develop new strategies to prevent, detect, and treat breast cancer. To expedite advancements in these areas, a deeper understanding of normal mammary gland biology and its implications for breast cancer is imperative. The 51st edition, of this conference aims to explore insights derived from the study of normal mammary gland biology and their potential application for enhancing breast cancer prevention, detection, and treatment. With breast cancer affecting millions of women worldwide, comprehending the fundamental mechanisms underlying mammary gland development and function is of utmost importance. We now know that cancer is not solely a disease driven by genetic mutations, but a complex process whereby neoplastic cells influence their ecosystem, which in-turn becomes permissive to tumour development. Investigating the heterogeneity of cells involved in normal breast tissue formation, and understanding their interactions and dynamics during physiological and pathological states can provide valuable insights into breast cancer susceptibility, initiation, and progression. By merging insights from normal mammary gland biology and lactation with breast cancer research, this conference aims to accelerate the development of personalized therapies and improve patient outcomes. The 2024 Mammary Gland Biology Gordon Research Conference (GRC) and Gordon Research Seminar (GRS) wilI provide a platform for researchers, clinicians, and experts from diverse disciplines to share the latest findings, foster collaborations, and drive progress in breast cancer prevention, detection, and treatment.
The topics, speakers, and discussion leaders for the conference sessions are displayed below. The conference chair is currently developing their detailed program, which will include the complete meeting schedule, as well as the talk titles for all speakers. The detailed program will be available by February 3, 2024. Please check back for updates.
Keynote Session: Mammary Gland and Breast Cancer Studies at Scale
Discussion Leaders
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Camila dos Santos (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, United States)
Speakers
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Gregory Hannon (Cancer Research UK, Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom)
Cell Types and Cell States in Normal Mammary Gland Development
Discussion Leaders
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Silvia Fre (Institut Curie, France)
Speakers
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Colinda Scheele (VIB-KULeuven Center for Cancer Biology, Belgium)
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Salah Elias (University of Southampton, United Kingdom)
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Eva Gonzalez-Suarez (Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas, Spain)
Lessons From Human Genomic Studies
Discussion Leaders
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Paola A. Marignani (Dalhousie University, Canada)
Speakers
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Serena Nik-Zainal (University of Cambridge, United Kingdom)
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Simon Knott (Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, United States)
Normal Mammary Gland Development in Mouse, Human and Other Mammals
Discussion Leaders
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Traci Lyons (University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, United States)
Speakers
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Renee Van Amerongen (University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands)
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Jane Visvader (The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Australia)
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Kate Hughes (University of Cambridge, United Kingdom)
New Tools and Technologies in Mammary Gland and Breast Cancer
Discussion Leaders
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Emilia Peuhu (University of Turku, Finland)
Speakers
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Luca Magnani (Institute of Cancer Research, United Kingdom)
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Daniel Schramek (Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute/University of Toronto, Canada)
Lactation Biology: New Insights into Epithelial and Immune Cells
Discussion Leaders
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Christine Watson (University of Cambridge, United Kingdom)
Speakers
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Felicity Davis (AARHUS UNIVERSITET, Denmark)
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Brittany Goods (Dartmouth College, United States)
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Marcy Zenobi-Wong (ETH Zürich, Switzerland)
Multiomic Analysis of The Breast in Health and Disease
Discussion Leaders
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Niamh Buckley (Queen's University Belfast, United Kingdom)
Speakers
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Alex Swarbrick (Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Australia)
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Kai Kessenbrock (University of California, Irvine, United States)
Normal Development, Targeted Prevention and Treatment
Discussion Leaders
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Andrew Reynolds (AstraZeneca, United Kingdom)
Speakers
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Sophia George (Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Miller School of Medicine,University of Miami, United States)
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Judy Garber (Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, United States)
Keynote Session: Lessons From Embryonic and Adult Mammary Gland Development
Discussion Leaders
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Eran Andrechek (Michigan State University, United States)
Speakers
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Geoffrey Wahl (The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, United States)
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Mohamed Bentires-Alj (University of Basel / University Hospital Basel, Switzerland)
The GRC Power Hour™
Organizers
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Sara Pensa (University of Cambridge, United Kingdom)
