On December 3, 2021, the “Serbian Association for Cancer Research” hosted its fifth congress with international participation, titled “Translational potential of cancer research in Serbia.” The event was virtually conducted via Zoom, attracting 206 attendees from Serbia and 14 from other countries. Registration for Congress was complementary for all participants.
The president of the SDIR, Dr. Mirjana Branković-Magić, inaugurated the event. A highlight of the congress was the plenary lecture delivered by EACR President Professor Caroline Dive, entitled “Liquid biopsies in lung cancer.” This presentation was both enlightening and motivational for the audience, enhancing the scientific value of congress and strengthening society’s reputation.
The SDIR5 Congress offered attendees insights into cutting-edge scientific discoveries in basic and translational oncology research. Distinguished scientists from Serbia and abroad delivered lectures across four sessions: “Advances in solid tumor research” (led by Prof. Caroline Diva and Dr. Milena Čavić), “Cancer and metabolism” (headed by Dr. Milica Pešić), “Radiobiology” (overseen by Dr. Ivana Matić and Dr. Vesna Stanković, substituting for Prof. Marina Nikitović), and “Imaging in cancer” (chaired by Dr. Jelena Grahovac).
Of the 69 submitted abstracts, the scientific committee chose the top 12 for brief oral presentations in three sessions. During the first session, SDIR members and PROMIS program project managers from the Science Fund of the Republic of Serbia, Miljana Tanić, Jelena Grahovac, and Aleksandra Nikolić, presented their projects. Dr. Ana Krivokuća expertly moderated a virtual e-poster session featuring 57 high quality poster presentations, sparking lively discussions among participants. The awards committee, comprising Dr. Ivana Matić, Dr. Marko Radulović, and Dr. Milica Pešić, bestowed three customary EACR awards for outstanding abstracts or poster presentations (first prize: EUR 250, second prize: EUR 150, third prize: EUR 100).
Dr. Iva Podgorski from the “Ruđer Bošković” Institute in Zagreb claimed the EACR’s top honor for the best abstract/poster. Her winning poster presentation was titled “Combination of sirtuin 3 and hyperoxia diminishes tumorigenic properties of MDA-MB-231 cells.” EACRs second prize went to Marija Ostojić, a PhD candidate from the Institute for Oncology and Radiology of Serbia. Her poster presentation was called “I1-imidazoline receptor ligand inhibiting P-glycoprotein efflux in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cells”. The third prize was awarded to Dr. Jelena Stanić, a medical doctor and a radiation oncology specialist from the same institute. She delivered a short oral presentation of her abstract titled “Radiation-induced lymphocyte apoptosis as a possible biological predictor of radiotherapy toxicity in patients with prostate cancer”.
Srpsko društvo istraživača raka duguje veliku zahvalnost na kontinuiranoj podršci Evropskom udruženju za istraživanje raka (EACR), Ministarstvu prosvete, nauke i tehnološkog razvoja Republike Srbije, Institutu za onkologiju i radiologiju Srbije i Institutu za biološka istraživanja “Siniša Stanković”.
Additionally, society extends heartfelt thanks to sponsors for their support of the congress.
