Welcome to the 2nd AEK Autumn School 2016

Prof. Dr. Rainer Engers AEK Chair Prof. Dr. Rainer Engers
Prof. Dr. Jürgen C. Becker Congress Chair Prof. Dr. Jürgen C. Becker

Dear colleagues and cancer scientists,

given the success and very positive evaluation of the 1st AEK Autumn School by participants in 2015, it is our great pleasure to announce the 2nd AEK Autumn School to be held in Berlin, 21-23 November 2016.

The AEK (Abteilung Experimentelle Krebsforschung) represents the experimental cancer research branch of the German Cancer Society. With over 900 members, AEK represents the majority of experimental cancer research scientists in Germany. Our major aims are to stimulate scientific exchange in all aspects of cancer research and to support young scientists. Since more than 30 years, the AEK’s well-known biennial International Cancer Research Congress is the central meeting for all scientists from Germany and European countries working in basic and translational cancer research (www.aek-congress.org).

The 2nd AEK Autumn School addresses one of the most exciting and most rapidly progressing field in current experimental and clinical cancer research, i.e.,  

“Immuno-Oncology”.

Disclosure of molecular mechanisms involved in the interaction of tumor cells and cells of the immune system allowed the development of new drugs with major clinical implications for patients with different solid cancers. Despite the therapeutic success of “checkpoint therapies” and other immune-based interventions, still at least half of the patients do not respond to immune therapy. In the 2nd AEK Autumn School we will address surrogate and predictive biomarkers, immune escape mechanisms as well as means to overcome these. The format with internationally and nationally renowned speakers, a deliberately limited number of only 25 participants  as well as the conference venue (Harnack-Haus of the Max-Planck Society, Berlin) will allow in-depth and comprehensive discussions in an inspiring environment.

Please note that the number of participants is limitedand registration takes place on a first-come, first-served base. Moreover, all participants should present their ongoing research projects in an extended poster session and in selected cases as short presentation; selected  participants will be informed in due time.

Accommodation is available at the conference venue at reasonable prices. A limited number of rooms have been reserved by the organizers and booking by participants is required by 12 October 2016.

We are grateful to the German Cancer Society (Deutsche Krebsgesellschaft) and German Cancer Aid (Deutsche Krebshilfe) for their generous support, enabling us to organize this Autumn School at very reasonable registration fees and allowing us to provide travel bursaries for the three participants with the best scientific contributions.

We are delighted that the Autumn School will be held again in Berlin, the cultural scene of which is second to none.

We hope you will enjoy the 2nd AEK Autumn School's exciting scientific program in an inspiring environment. I am confident that you will return from the conference with many new insights and ideas as well as with new friends and scientific contacts enriching your further scientific work.

See you in Berlin and kind regards,

Prof. Dr. Rainer Engers   Jürgen C. Becker
Rainer Engers   Jürgen C. Becker