CHOP Brings Together Experts to Discuss Precision Medicine in Pediatric Cancer Care

In a two-day pediatric cancer summit led by Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), experts from around the world gathered in Philadelphia and virtually to discuss the latest scientific advancements and breakthroughs in pediatric precision medicine oncology. Entitled “Personalizing Pediatric Cancer Care: Innovation through Collaboration,” the summit was the inaugural occurrence of what co-chairs John M. Maris, MD and Marilyn M. Li, MD hope will be a biennial event, alternately hosted by CHOP and the University of California-San Francisco.

Covering a broad array of topics related to pediatric cancer, from targeted treatments for leukemia and solid tumors to the regulatory landscape for pediatric therapies, the summit drew more than 250 attendees from more than 10 countries. The 24 guest speakers hailed from top research institutions across the globe, including CHOP, St. Jude Children's Research Comprehensive Cancer Center, Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, University of California-San Francisco, and University of Toronto, as well as representatives from the FDA, advocacy organizations, and industry partners.

“This summit, which was four years in the making, provided a wonderful opportunity for some of the greatest minds in pediatric cancer research to come together to exchange ideas and collaborate,” said event co-chair Dr. Maris, Giulio D'Angio Chair in Neuroblastoma Research at CHOP. “Collaboration is essential as we try to address pediatric oncology’s greatest challenges, and we are grateful to the esteemed colleagues who joined us to share their valuable insights.”

“The event featured outstanding, renowned speakers, who presented such a high-level of scientific research regarding pediatric cancer,” said Dr. Li. “We are thankful for their participation and for the support of our sponsors, without whom we could not have put on such a seamless, comprehensive experience. We hope this is the start of many more summits focused on personalized pediatric cancer treatment.”

The event was supported by nine sponsors, including: Illumina (premier sponsor), Mayo Clinic, Roche, LabCorp, Bayer, PacBio, Novartis, CHOP Labs Outreach, and Cancer Center Outreach.