Editorial Article: Success for Virtual Summit on Cancer and Immunology Research: Second SelectScience Virtual Summit reaches over 780,000 scientists

Thousands of scientists and scientific manufacturers from across the globe have come together online at the SelectScience^® Virtual Summit on Cancer and Immunology Research, as COVID-19 forces the postponement of key events in the science industry calendar. 

The SelectScience^® Virtual Summits offer a crucial platform for the science industry to continue to connect, share knowledge and provide technology solutions in order to advance science and health at this critical time. 

With more than 9,400 total attendees of ‘live’ webinar presentations and virtual exhibit booths over 3 days of last week’s Virtual Summit on Cancer and Immunology Research, the event featured talks by eminent speakers, technology workshops, video interviews, virtual exhibitor booths featuring leading brands, product and application news, as well as live Q&As and the first online Scientists' Choice Awards event.  

With 31 presentations, the most popular drew crowds of 450+ live viewers, far more than most physical shows. The event content reached over a further 780,000 people online as word quickly spread on social media. 

SelectScience Editor-in-Chief and Publisher, Kerry Parker, said: “Our new Virtual Summits are designed to support the industry at this difficult time to ensure communication and collaboration continues to flourish. We’ve been delighted by the response from across the industry.” 

Virtual Summit on Cancer and Immunology Research 2020 attendee breakdown by industry 

• 44% Pharma/Biopharma/Biotech/CRO 
• 27% Academia 
• 18% Clinical Research 
• 5% Government 
• Plus, other major fields of science 

Speakers at the Summit included Dr. Amanda Hummon, associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry at the Ohio State University, Prof. Steve Conlan, professor of molecular and cell biology, University of Swansea, Dr. Bruno Sainz, Ramón y Cajal Investigator, Autónoma University of Madrid, Dr. Marzia Del Re, pharmacogenetics lab associate director, University of Pisa, Greg Poore, MD/PhD Candidate in the lab of Prof. Rob Knight, University of California School of Medicine, Dr. M. Laura Martin, Ex Vivo Models Director, Englander Institute for Precision Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, Dr. Herve Tiriac, assistant research scientist, University of California, Dr. Aram Chung, associate professor, Korea University and University of York scientists, Dr. Peter O'Toole, head of imaging and cytometry, Dr. William Brackenbury, senior lecturer in biomedical sciences, and  Dr. Nidhi Dey, postdoctoral research associate.

A number of manufacturers also presented information the latest technologies available to the field, including Bio-Rad, BD Biosciences, Fluidigm Corporation, Sony Biotechnology Inc., Nexcelom Bioscience, ForteBio, Sartorius Group, GenScript, Indica Labs, QIAGEN, Analytik Jena AG, Streck Inc., BioAgilytix, MicroGEM, Twist Bioscience, Molecular Devices, PHCbi, INTEGRA Biosciences. All presentations are now available to view on demand. 

Headline themes up for discussion included topics from COVID-19 and CAR T-cell therapy to CRISPR technology, liquid biopsies, and the microbiome. 

“Great scientific advances come through collaboration and joint effort. Participating in the summit allows us to share our most recent advances in cancer immunotherapy,” said Prof. Conlan, University of Swansea. “Interestingly this event will be attended by more people than a physical meeting would, so it expands the opportunity to meet new researchers and businesses, which will only serve to grow global collaboration.” 

Dr. Peter O’Toole, head of imaging and cytometry, University of York, said: “It was another great opportunity to introduce technologies that we are involved with, and better still we managed to bring William Brackenbury and Nidhi Dey in to talk about how they were applying these technologies to their exciting science.” The talks are now available to watch on demand: “I can actually share this with my group that couldn’t attend at the time. It was so digestible in the short slots that we had; it makes it very approachable, so we are also encouraging others to tune in afterwards,” Dr. O’Toole concluded. 

The Virtual Summit also saw the first online Scientists’ Choice Awards presentation, with scientists and industry leaders joining together to celebrate the most loved life sciences technologies and SelectScience content from the previous year. The winner of Best New Life Sciences Product of 2019, as voted for by scientists worldwide, was the DeNovix CellDrop ™ Cell Counter. The 10 latest products to earn a SelectScience Seal of Quality were also announced during the online event. 

Forthcoming SelectScience Virtual Summits include: 

• July 2020: Virtual Clinical Chemistry Summit  

Forthcoming event-themed Webinar Series include:  

• Advances in Mass Spectrometry – w/c June 1 
• Drug Discovery and Complex Biology – w/c June 8 
• Advances in Microbiology – w/c June 15 
• Cell and Immunotherapy Applications of Flow Cytometry – w/c June 22 
• Advances in Pesticide Residue and Food Analysis – w/c July 26
• Cannabis Testing - w/c August 3

SelectScience Virtual Summits and Webinar Series available to watch on demand include: 

• Virtual Analytical Summit 2020 
• Webinar Series: Advances in Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Disease

Manufacturers should contact salesteam@selectscience.net today for further information or to book booth space.  

All presentations from Virtual Summit on Cancer and Immunology Research 2020 are now available to watch on demand>>