Welcome to the 3rd AEK Autumn School 2017

Prof. Dr. Jürgen C. Becker Congress Chair
Prof. Dr. Jürgen C. Becker
Prof. Dr. Rainer Enger AEK Chair
Prof. Dr. Rainer Enger
Dr. Jens Hoffmann
Dr. Jens Hoffmann
Prof. Dr. Klaus-Peter Janssen
Prof. Dr. Klaus-Peter Janssen

Dear colleagues and cancer scientists,

encouraged by the success of the first two AEK Autumn Schools in 2015 and 2016 it is our great pleasure to announce the 3rd AEK Autumn School to be held in Berlin, 6-8 November 2017.

The Autumn School is organized by the experimental cancer research organization of the German Cancer Society (AEK, Abteilung Experimentelle Krebsforschung), which with about 940 members represents the majority of experimental cancer research scientists in Germany. AEK's major aim is to stimulate scientific exchange in cancer research and to support young cancer scientists. In this context the well-known biennial International AEK Cancer Congress is the central congress for scientists from Germany and neighbouring countries in basic and translational cancer research with a tradition of more than 30 years (www.aek-congress.org).

The 3rd AEK Autumn School addresses again a particularly exciting and rapidly progressing field in current experimental and clinical cancer research: 

“Minimal Residual Disease, Circulating Tumor Cells and Metastasis”.

The crucial and fatal characteristic of malignant tumors is their capability to metastasize into distant organs by invading the adjacent host tissue, entering the blood and lymph circulation (intravasation), circulating in the blood and lymph system, leaving the vessels (extravasation) in distant organs and growing out into distant tumor foci. Here we will address the cell biological and molecular mechanisms of the entire metastatic cascade, the diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic relevance of circulating tumor cells and minimal residual disease as well as methods of their detection. The format with nationally and internationally renowned speakers, a limited number of participants as well as the outstanding 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 limited to 25 and registration takes place on a first-come, first-served base.

Accommodation is available at the conference venue. A limited number of rooms has been reserved by the organizers and booking by participants is required by 5. September 2017.
We are grateful to the German Cancer Society (Deutsche Krebsgesellschaft) and German Cancer Aid (Deutsche Krebshilfe) for their support, enabling us to organize this Autumn School 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 3rd AEK Autumn School's exciting scientific program in an inspiring environment. We are 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.

Kind regards,

Jürgen C. Becker   Prof. Dr. Rainer Engers   Jens Hoffmann   Klaus-Peter Janssen
Jürgen C. Becker   Rainer Engers   Jens Hoffmann   Klaus-Peter Janssen