The Young Oncologist (YO) Track Sessions are specially designed by young oncologists for young oncologists and initiated by the ESMO Young Oncologists Committee (YOC).
The sessions cover topics which are highly relevant to YOs in their daily practice, career development and/or research activities.
YO Track sessions are always very popular and well attended, and for good reasons: not only do attendees acquire a deeper knowledge on key professional aspects, but the sessions also provide attendees with a platform for networking with other oncology professionals including key opinion leaders in a friendly environment!
Here below, you can find the overview of the 2024 YO Track which includes practical tips, information and take-home messages from both young oncologists, those who have recently walked the career path you are on now, and senior key opinion leaders.
Vesalius Talk
Friday, 13 September 2024, 14:00 – 15:00 CEST, Tarragona Auditorium – Hall 7
The Vesalius Talk is an excellent opportunity for a direct discussion between young oncologists and key opinion leaders in the field of medical oncology. The 2024 Vesalius Talk will discuss how to become an independent investigator. The audience will have the opportunity to ask live for practical advice from the panel. A major opportunity to learn from key opinion leaders on their career path and to ask all the questions you never had the chance to ask.
Becoming an independent investigator: The journey from a young oncologist to leading your own team
Moderators: Rille Pihlak, UK & Pablo Mando, AR
Panellists:
- Rebecca Dent, SG
- Fabrice André, FR
- Lizzy Smyth, UK
YO Mentorship Session: Your Choice of Career Path in Oncology
Friday, 13 September 2024, 16:00-17:30 CEST, Tarragona Auditorium Hall 7
Limited seats: first come, first serve
Chairs: Deniz Can Guven, TK and Angelika Starzer, AT
Key opinion leaders will share their experience and vision, both professional and personal, in an informal setting, encouraging open conversation with mentors and peers. Seats are limited and this year we will have a first come first served policy. Don’t lose this unique opportunity!
- Table 1 - Career path: Tertiary or district hospital, Lazar Popovic, Novi Sad, Serbia
- Table 2 - Career path: Academia, Ann Partridge, Boston, MA, US
- Table 3 - Career path: Academia, Massimo di Maio, Turin, IT
- Table 4 - Career path: Clinician scientist, Samra Turajlic, London, UK
- Table 5 - Career path: Clinician scientist, Joaquin Mateo, Barcelona, ES
- Table 5 - Career path: Clinical trialist - Early phase clinical trials, Giuseppe Curigliano, Milan, IT
- Table 6 - Career path: Policy making and public health, Josep Tabernero, Barcelona, ES
- Table 7 - Career path: Industry, Neelima Denduluri, Phoenix, AZ, USA
- Table 8 - Clinics and research in LMIC (Low Middle Income Countries), Bishal Gyawali, Kingston, ON, CA
- Table 9 - EONS: cancer nurses, Johan de Munter, Ghent, BE
- Table 10 – W4O: Helena Linardou, GR
YO Boxing Session
Saturday, 14 September 2024, 09:00-10:00 CEST, Cartagena Auditorium - Hall 7
In the time of growing knowledge, it is important to encourage the active debating of new findings. The aim of the YO “boxing” session is therefore to discuss controversial topics in oncology and thereby encourage young oncologists to discuss these topics with young and senior experts in the field. After the presentation of each point of view, the audience is encouraged to discuss and ask questions to the experts on the podium.
Chairs: Liz Connolly, AUS & Emre Kocakavuk, DE
Debate 1: Should we try immunotherapy for all patients with advanced cancer? Myriam Chalabi, Amsterdam, NL and Jonathan Lim, UK
Debate 2: Who should be responsible for cancer survivorship? Maryam Lustberg, New Haven, CT, US and Alice Indini, IT
YO Brunch Sessions
14,15, 16 September 2024, 10:45-11:30 CEST, Cartagena Auditorium - Hall 7
Practical, personal and professional development tips for YOs during a late morning brunch slot (snack is provided J !). These sessions delivered in a relaxed and friendly environment with the opportunity to asks questions and enter a discussion, are extremely useful for YOs and other interested attendees to learn about tried and tested approaches that can be adopted for improving their own academic and clinical careers.
- Saturday 14 September: How to utilise open data sources to start research projects? Rodrigo Dienstmann, Barcelona, ES – Chairs: Maria Kfoury, FR & Pablo Mando, AR
- Sunday 15 September: Molecular profiling from panel NGS to WGS: Do YOs need special training? Benedikt Westphalen, Munich, DE - Chair: Pawel Sobczuk, PL
- Monday 16 September: Frailty assessments and its impact on treatment decisions: What YOs need to know? Etienne Brain, Paris, FR - Chairs: Myrto Moutafi, GR and Hongcheng Zhu, CN
YO Session for Medical Students and New Physicians
Saturday, 14 September 2024, 15:00-16:00 CEST, Tarragona Auditorium - Hall 7
The programme includes a session especially dedicated to the ESMO Student Course on Medical Oncology, chaired by ESMO President Andrés Cervantes. It starts off with practical information, and it is followed by a poster walk to view and comment on some of the posters presented at the congress. The limited available seats are distributed on first come, first serve basis.
Chairs: Andrés Cervantes, Valencia, ES & Matteo Lambertini, Genoa, IT
- ESMO Medical Students Course - Andrés Cervantes, ES
- Developing a career in medical oncology: From the ESMO Medical Student Course to a successful career, Angelika Starzer, Wien, AT
- Guided Poster walk – YOC members
YO Masterclass
Sunday, 15 September 2024, 14:45-17:45 CEST, Cartagena Auditorium - Hall 7
The YO Masterclass is the highlight of the YO track, tackling timely questions in a very practical way. This year it features international speakers discussing the new challenges faced by young investigators in academic research.
Designing v2.0 clinical trials
Chairs: Rille Pihlak, UK and Rodrigo Sanchez-Bayona, ES
- New approaches to trial design to minimise costs and maximise benefit: The oncologists perspective, Ruth Plummer, UK
- Are adaptive trial design and platform studies widely applicable? Tips from statistician, Saskia Litière, BE
- Integrating digital technologies into clinical trials, Ines Vaz Luis, FR
- Integrating translational research into clinical trials: Understanding models and their readouts, Christos Sotiriou, BE
YO Forum
Monday 16 September, 08:30-10:00 CEST, Cartagena Auditorium - Hall 7
This year, participants will have the chance to learn and ask questions about people management, support needed to build your career and opportunities in a competitive environment. The speakers are well known colleagues that will be more than happy to clarify all your burning questions. Don’t miss this opportunity to engage with the experts!
Finding your “X-factor”: Skills for professional development
Chairs: Elene Mariamidze, GE and Hongcheng Zhu, CN
- What makes you stand out? Evandro de Azambuja, BE
- Understanding the support you need to build your career, Angela Lamarca, ES
- Do you need to be more assertive: How to benefit from opportunities in a competitive environment? Solange Peters, CH
- Tips and techniques for people management at work, Claire Hardy, UK
YO Fellowship Session – Fellowships in Europe: Educational Opportunities for Young Oncologists
Monday 16 September, 12:00-13:30 CEST, Tarragona Auditorium - Hall 7
The fellowship session features presentations by two previous ESMO fellows, who are chosen from a competition open to recent fellowship recipients. Practical advice from a former fellow, and career-impact details from the Chair of the ESMO Leadership Development Committee, will add to the detailed overview of available ESMO Fellowship and the ESMO Leaders Generation Programme. The 2024 Research Fellowships awardees, the José Baselga Fellowship for Clinician Scientist, the Best Exam Award 2023 and Merit Awardees 2024 will be presented at the end of the session.
YO Clinical Case Discussion: Discussion Forum for Young Oncologists
Monday 16 September, 16:00-17:00 CEST, Tarragona Auditorium – Hall 7
Limited seats, first come first serve
This is a highly interactive round table discussion on clinical cases on solid tumours, for a small group of attendees. The expert speakers in each of the different topics present scenarios and guide the discussion along with a YOC member coordinator that will introduce the session. Seats are limited and this year we will have a first come first served policy. Don’t miss this chance to have your practical questions answered by KOL!
- Topic 1: Integrating precision medicine / ESCAT in your choice of treatment, Joaquin Mateo, ES YOC coordinators: Pawel Sobczuk, PL & Emre Kocakavuk, DE
- Topic 2: Multiple co-occurring cancers, Elena Garralda, ES – YOC coordinators: Elene Mariamidze, GE & Deniz Can Guven, TK
- Topic 3: Use of ablative therapies in patients with oligometastatic disease, Icro Meattini, IT – YOC coordinator: Liz Connolly, AUS
- Topic 4: Cell therapy in solid tumors, John Haanen, NL - YOC coordinator: Angelika Starzer, AT
- Topic 5: Fertility and pregnancy in patients with gynecological cancer, Ilaria Colombo, CH - YOC coordinators: Maria Kfoury, FR & Rodrigo Sanchez-Bayona, ES