Attending the Gordon Research Conference on brain tumours

This is the application for a travel grant by Cancer Institute NSW. The NSW Cancer Plan has four objectives, which include reducing disparities in cancer outcomes between populations (Goal A), decreasing new cancer cases frequency (Goal B), improving survival rates (Goal C), and enhancing the well-being and experience of individuals at risk of or affected by cancer (Goal D). My research aligns with these objectives, as I develop new in vitro models of glioblastoma, the deadliest type of brain cancer. Our 3D models are living fragments of glioblastoma cultured in the laboratory. They are reconstructed by tissue engineering from tumour cells and accessible (sheep) brain matrix. These models are biologically accurate and sustainable testbeds for cancer research, helping to explore new treatments and diagnostics. For instance, using these models, we optimise the tools for fluorescence-guided surgery (Goal C) and combinations of repurposed drugs with standard treatments to enhance patient outcomes while reducing chemotherapy toxicity (Goal D). In addition, limited access to glioblastoma tissues makes individual cases challenging to monitor. My approach allows creating patient-specific tumour avatars in vitro and optimising personalised treatment (Goal A). Studying the early stages of glioblastoma development on our 3D models helps to identify factors of tumour progression and develop new strategies for preventing malignant gliomas (Goal B).

I am seeking support to attend the Gordon Research Conference "Basic Mechanisms to Clinical Trials in Brain Tumors: Advances in Brain Tumor Research and Therapy" and present my work on 3D brain scaffold-based in vitro models of glioblastoma as a poster. The conference will be held in the USA in June 2023. This conference will significantly benefit my professional growth as a glioblastoma researcher. It will help me to learn from leaders in the field and gain new insights into brain tumour studies and therapy, network with fellow professionals, and enhance visibility of my work to the highly-relevant
international community. Additionally, I want to build new collaborations that will prioritize our pioneering glioblastoma modelling approach to test innovative treatments. This is expected to result in high-quality publications and external funding for rapid research translation. Ultimately, attending this conference will make me more resourceful in improving treatment outcomes for glioblastoma patients.

The Gordon Research Conferences (GRCs) are a series of scientific forums that provide a safe and secluded environment for researchers of all levels to stay and work together for a week to discuss the newest, unpublished, ideas and results. GRCs facilitate direct interactions between established experts in the field and postdocs while protecting intellectual property and building topic-focused research communities. I attended two GRCs in 2019 (focused on tissue engineering and cancer nanotechnology) and found them to be the most exciting and useful forums I've attended among over 50 others. The upcoming GRC on brain tumours will initiate a new series of thematic meetings to bring together the superstars and the growing researchers in the field and form a new influential community that will define the direction of brain cancer research and treatment advancements. Attending this conference is a unique opportunity to be involved in this strategic movement for years.