Conference History

The Australian Children's Brain Cancer Conference 2024

Some of the world brightest medical minds came together in early March to tackle paediatric brain cancer, sharing insights and research findings to bolster the fight against the insidious childhood disease. 

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08:00
Registration Open - Tea and coffee available
09:00

Acknowledgement of Country

Conference Opening
Lyndsey Rice, Children's Hospital Foundation

09:15-10:30
Plenary Session: Translational Molecular Pathology
Session Chair: Prof Brandon Wainwright

Molecular characterization and clinical implications for paediatric glioma
Dr Cynthia Hawkins

A Systems Biology Approach to Mapping Genetic Dependencies in Paediatric Brain Cancer
Prof Ron Firestein
10:30-11:00
Morning tea with poster viewing
11:00-12:20
Selected Abstracts
Session Chair: Ms Anja Kordowski

Targeting Post-Translational Protein Modification to Halt Diffuse Midline Glioma Tumorgenicity
Dr Benjamin Rayner

Novel Formulation to Target MYCN expression and Copper Level in DIPG and Overcome Multidrug Resistance
Dr Riccardo Cazzoli

DRD2 antagonism induces immune-tumour surveillance, warming the tumor immune microenvironment of diffuse midline glioma models
Miss Mika Persson

Rational combination targeting of therapeutic dependencies in Diffuse Midline Glioma
Dr Ryan Duchatel
12:20-13:30
Lunch
13:30-15:00
Plenary Session: Epigenetics
Session Chair: Prof Raelene Endersby

Human prefrontal cortex gene regulatory dynamics from gestation to adulthood at single-cell resolution
Prof Ryan Lister
Speaker involvement made possible thanks to the support from


Exploring the boundaries of nuclear reprogramming
Prof Jose Polo

RNA-mediated regulation of PRC2 – lessons from a complex story
Dr Qi Zhang
15:00-15:30
Afternoon tea with poster viewing
15:30-17:00
Plenary Session: Clinical Implementation
Session Chair: Prof Greig du Zubicaray

The First Year of Accredited Methylation Array Profiling in Australia
Dr Christine White

The utility of cancer genomic testing in paediatric cancer
Assoc Prof Aideen McInerney-Leo

Pediatric Low Grade Glioma Survivors’ Need for Survivorship Care: Piloting ‘Engage’ a Multidisciplinary, E-Health Intervention.
Dr Jordana McLoone

The program session made possible thanks to the support from
17:00
Poster session
18:00
Close
19:00-22:00
Conference Dinner, Sky Room, Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre

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08:00
Registration Open - Tea and coffee available
09:00
Opening
09:15-10:30
Plenary Session: Gliomagenesis and Preclinical Models
Session Chair: Prof Bryan Day

Injury reprogramming at the origin of glioma
Dr Peter Dirks

Emulating natural tissue barriers in the laboratory to improve preclinical cancer models
Prof Geraldine O'Neill
10:30-11:00
Morning tea with poster viewing
11:00-12:20
Selected Abstracts
Session Chair: Dr Marija Kiska

Addressing the blood-brain barrier challenge in Diffuse Midline Glioma
Dr Maria Tsoli

ATR Inhibitor AZD6738 Enhances the Efficacy of Chemotherapy and Radiation in Preclinical Models of Medulloblastoma
Dr Meegan Howlett

CD63 is a tumour associated antigen for DMG and can be targeted with novel CD63 CAR T cells
Dr Alexander Davenport

Spatial Transcriptomic Sequencing of a DIPG Patient Tumour Resource
Ms Anja Kordowski
12:20-13:30
Lunch
13:30-15:00
Plenary Session: Breakthroughs and Bioinformatics
Session Chair: Prof Misty Jenkins

Changing the paradigm for childhood brain cancer
Prof David Ziegler

Mapping differential responses to drug using spatial multiomics
Dr Quan Nguyen

Computational immunogenomic approaches to predict neoantigens treatment response
Dr Venkat Addala
15:00-15:30
Afternoon tea with poster viewing
15:30-16:45
Plenary Session: Innovative Therapeutics
Session Chair: Dr Tim Hassall

FLASH Radiotherapy: A Synergy of Physics, Biology and Medicine
Dr Anthony Mascia

Tackling Childhood Brain Cancer on a Tiny Scale
Prof Maria Kavallaris
16:45-17:15
Awards and Closing
17:30-19:30
Conference Networking Function, Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre
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Children's Brain Cancer Conference 2023

Some of the world brightest medical minds came together in the final weekend of March to tackle paediatric brain cancer, sharing insights and research findings to bolster the fight against the insidious childhood disease. 

View 2023 Program

Day 1
08:00
Registration Open
09:00
Welcome to Country
Songwoman Maroochy, Turrbal Dippil
 
Opening
Lyndsey Rice | CEO of Children's Hospital Foundation
09:15-10:30
Gliomagenesis and Preclinical Models
Chair: Professor Brandon Wainwright

Selective pressures shaping pediatric glioma evolution
Dr Pratiti (Mimi) Bandopadhayay

Kids are not small adults – improving preclinical models to optimise translational paediatric neuro-oncology research
Assoc Professor Raelene Endersby | Telethon Kids Institute

10:30-11:00
Morning tea with poster viewing
11:00-12:20
Selected Abstracts
Chair: Dr Carolin Offenhauser
Development of Clinically Relevant Radiotherapy Methods in Mouse Models of Medulloblastoma for Measuring Survival Benefits and Late Effects of Radiosensitising Drugs
Dr Jessica Buck
 
Inhibition of the Polyamine Pathway: A Novel Therapeutic Approach to Treat Aggressive Paediatric Medulloblastoma Tumours

Dr Aaminah Khan

PI3K is a therapeutically targetable genetic dependency in diffuse midline glioma
Dr Ryan Duchatel

3D in vitro Assessment of EphA2 CAR T Cell Efficacy in Paediatric Brain Cancer
Prof Geraldine O'neill

12:20-13:30
Lunch
13:30-15:00
Immunotherapy
Chair: Dr Wayne Nicholls

Developing a pipeline for the development of novel CAR T cells for paediatric brain cancer
Assoc Professor Misty Jenkins | WEHI

How to target immune ‘cold’ brain cancer by immunotherapy?
Professor Di Yu | The University Of Queensland

Selective silencing of point-mutated oncogenes with single-nucleotide precision using CRISPR-Cas13
Dr Carolyn Shembrey | Peter Maccallum Cancer Centre

15:00-15:30
Afternoon tea with poster viewing
15:30-16:30
Clinical Translation
Chair: Professor Di Yu

Can understanding brain development contribute towards new therapeutic approaches for paediatric high-grade gliomas?
Professor David Eisenstat | The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne

The road less travelled…..Integrating research into clinical practice
Professor Jordan Hansford | WCHN/SAHMRI/SAIGENCI

16:45

Poster session

17:30
Close
18:30-22:00
Conference Dinner, Ballroom 1, Sofitel Brisbane Central
Day 2
08:00
Registration Open
09:00

Opening and Acknowledgement of Country
Dr Tim Hassall | Children's Health Queensland

09:15-10:30
Trial Design and Big Data
Chair: Professor Bryan Day

Accelerating the path to cure through more efficient clinical trial design
Professor Darren Hargrave | UCL Great Ormond Street Institute Of Child Health

Connecting the Dots: A Federated Approach to Cancer Research Data
Dr Kim Carter | Minderoo Foundation

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10:30-11:00
Morning tea with poster viewing
11:00-12:20
Selected Abstracts
Chair: Dr Joseph Yunis

Fenretinide: a brain penetrant diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma therapeutic
Dr Dannielle Upton

Minimally invasive disease monitoring in high-risk childhood brain cancer
Dr Marion K Mateos

Fluorinated Polymer-Iron Oxide Probes for Intranasal Delivery of Therapeutic siRNA and MRI Treatment Monitoring of Medulloblastoma
Dr Helen Forgham

Quality of Life and Family Functioning Soon After Paediatric Brain Tumour Diagnosis
Dr Kate Young

12:20-13:30
Lunch
13:30-15:00
Survivorship
Chair: Professor Natalie Bradford

Recent advances in improving neuropsychological outcomes for paediatric brain tumour patients – Are we entering a new era?
Dr Donald Mabbott | The Hospital For Sick Kids

Understanding trends in health service utilisation for children with brain tumours: the highs and lows of navigating linked administrative data
Dr Erin Pitt | QUT

Preclinical models of cancer therapy-induced adverse effects
Dr Hana Starobova | The University Of Queensland

15:00-15:30
Afternoon tea with poster viewing
15:30-16:45
Emerging Breakthroughs
Chair: Dr Tim Hassall

Lineage-specific dependencies in paediatric-type diffuse high-grade glioma
Professor Chris Jones | Institute Of Cancer Research

Structure of neurofibromin reveals new insights into neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1)
Assoc Professor Andrew Ellisdon | Monash University

16:45-17:15

Awards and Closing

17:30-19:30
Conference Networking Function, Soiree Terrace, The Sofitel Brisbane Central