Yale Cancer Center and BioCT will co-host the inaugural Future of Oncology Summit on November 9 and 10 in New Haven.
The Summit is expected to draw more than 70 speakers from academia, biotech, pharma, technology and investment. It is supported in part by the first grant from the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development’s Innovation Clusters Program.
Eric Winer, director of Yale Cancer Center and president and physician-in-chief of Smilow Cancer Hospital, and David Scheer, BioCT board co-chair and president of Scheer & Company, Inc., are co-chairing the event.
“We created this Summit because oncology is at a genuine turning point, and no single discipline can harness that change alone,” said Scheer, “This event brings together scientists, clinicians, technologists, industry leaders, and investors who don’t often share a room, so that discovery, technology, capital, and translation can move together. I hope attendees leave with new partners and a clear sense of how to turn this moment into real progress.”
Programming will explore Innovation, focused on science and translation; Intelligence, encompassing technology, artificial intelligence (AI) and data science; and Investment, spanning business development and venture.
Dr. Eric Winer said: “As Connecticut’s NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, Yale Cancer Center is proud to partner with BioCT to bring together leaders in oncology, research, business, and the biosciences to improve outcomes for people living with cancer. Together, we can change the future of cancer care.”
The Summit will examine the role of AI and data platforms across the cancer continuum, from early detection to treatment decisions. Keynote speaker Clifford Hudis, chief executive officer of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, will address the topic.
“We are in a golden age of science, built on decades of cancer research that today is delivering accelerating and meaningful progress,” said Dr. Hudis, “How we harness AI and data right now will be the key to driving even better outcomes tomorrow, and done right, I believe these tools will expand access to optimal care and empower clinicians to focus on what matters most: their patients.”
Keynote speaker Annie Lamont, co-founder and managing partner of Oak HC/FT, will offer an investor’s perspective on how business development and strategic partnerships can move promising ideas toward scale. Lamont said: “With the proliferation of AI and a new generation of entrepreneurs tackling some of the biggest challenges in life sciences, this is an incredibly exciting time to invest in the sector. At Oak, we have the opportunity to partner with these entrepreneurs and give them the resources and guidance they need to bring ideas to life that will reshape how we discover, develop, and deliver new treatments—ultimately leading to better outcomes for patients.”
BioCT, the life sciences trade organization for Connecticut, represents more than 300 member companies. The Summit also will offer attendees opportunities to build relationships across the oncology ecosystem.
“This first-ever oncology summit in Connecticut convenes top thought leaders from across the country around a critical therapeutic area to witness firsthand how catalyzed our ecosystem is,” said Jodie Gillon, president and chief executive officer of BioCT, “With startups such as Halda Therapeutics changing the landscape for pharmaceutical deals and acquisitions within oncology, it’s clear that New Haven has become a global center for research and development.”
