Lund 5-8 May 2023

Kees-Jan Pronk was on duty!

Dear NOPHO and NOBOS friends, invited speakers and sponsors!

It is with a particularly great post-pandemic pleasure we welcome you all to the 40th annual NOPHO / biannual NOBOS meeting in Lund, Sweden. After a period of perhaps too much virtuality, we are longing to see all of you here in person, and to eat, chat and drink coffee together in the breaks, instead of closing the camera in the web browser. 

The first meeting between Nordic pediatric oncologists that subsequently resulted in the formation of NOPHO took place 1980 at Örenäs castle just outside of Lund (NOPHO was formally established in 1984 in Reykjavik). The next time we hosted a NOPHO meeting was in 1994, again at the Örenäs castle. Since then, NOPHO, and particularly with the addition of NOBOS since 1998, has by far outgrown the castle, and we need a much larger venue. 

The theme for the 1994 meeting was “Genetics, genetic technology and gen-ethics”, a theme that now, 29 years later, still is highly relevant for us in pediatric hematology and oncology. With the widespread use of whole genome sequencing and other -omics, and with precision medicine and AI just around the corner, it is of paramount importance that we all – physicians, nurses, researchers – are up to date with the development. It has, and will increasingly have, ramifications for diagnostics, prognostics, treatments, late effects, and care in general. But, recognizing that most of the challenges in medical ethics is the flipside of something good, this development will for sure put us, and our patients, in unexpected corners, and we will benefit if we are as open minded towards the challenges as possible. Hence, the theme for this meeting will be “Genes in cancer, child, and care”.

We plan to make the meeting as educational, inspirational, social, and fun as possible, and to have interactional sessions that will build us as multiprofessional teams ready to meet the future.

The meeting will take place in the heart of the city, in classical buildings belonging to the university and surrounded by beautiful medieval Lund, a location that facilitates walks and discoveries after (or before) the sessions. We hope you will have a pleasant stay.

Last, but not least, we would like to thank our sponsors for their contributions, which makes our meeting possible. We are also very grateful to the NOPHO webmaster Elisabeth Broby, who with her long experience and a firm but friendly hand has guided us through the “NOPHO/NOBOS meeting checklist”. Thanks also to the NOBOS board members and NOBOS webmaster Gitte Petersen and, finally, a big thank you to MKON, Sara Lago and Malin Nilsson for all logistic help.

Welcome to Lund!

Anders Castor on behalf of the organizing committee

Registration & Accommodation

Opens: 16th January 2023
Early bird prices before.: 27th March 2023
Late registration before: 27th April 2023

Abstracts

Opens: 16th January 2023
Deadline: 27th February 2023
Notification: 13th March 2023

Booking

Working Group meetings (preferably Friday 5th May)
Book here.

Guest speakers:

Prof. Stefan M. Pfister, Heidelberg
– Genetics in targeted treatment

Stefan Pfister serves as Director of the Preclinical Research Program of the new Hopp Children’s Cancer Center Heidelberg, a joint venture between the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and Heidelberg University Hospital. He is heading the Division Pediatric Neurooncology at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) since 2012. Being a pediatrician by training, Pfister received his MD from Tübingen University, and his clinical education at Mannheim and Heidelberg University Hospitals. As a physician-scientist, he completed postdoctoral fellowships with Christopher Rudd at the Dana-Faber Cancer Institute/Harvard Medical School, and with Peter Lichter at the German Cancer Research Center, Division of Molecular Genetics. Pfister’s research focuses on the genetic and epigenetic characterization of childhood brain tumors by applying next-generation profiling methods, the development of faithful models and functional validation of findings, and the preclinical testing of new treatment options using these models. In all his activities, translating novel findings into a clinical context is of highest priority. For his translational neurooncology projects, Pfister received amongst others the German Cancer Award in 2012. In 2020 he became member of the National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina.

Deputy Head KiTZ Clinical Trial Unit and Brain Tumors, Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Immunology, Heidelberg University Hospital

Karin Persson

Karin Persson is a speech and language therapist with 20 years of experience in rehabilitation of children and adolescents with acquired brain injury. Karin is currently a PhD student at Lund University. Her work focuses specifically on language and communication in children with posterior fossa tumors including the children’s own experiences after suffering from cerebellar mutism syndrome. Karin has been involved in the Nordic CMS-study since 2014.

Prof. Smita Bhatia, Alabama
– Genetics and Adverse Outcomes in Childhood Cancer Survivors

Smita Bhatia, MD, MPH completed her training in Blood Banking and Hematology/ Oncology and Epidemiology from the University of Minnesota. She served as founding chair of the Dept. of Population Sciences at City of Hope from 2006 to 2014. Dr. Bhatia joined University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) in 2015 to establish the Institute for Cancer Outcomes and Survivorship. She is the White Endowed Professor in Pediatric Oncology at UAB. With over 380 peer-reviewed publications and continuous funding from NCI and LLS since 2000, she is an internationally renowned leader in cancer outcomes and survivorship. She serves as Associate Editor for the Journal of Clinical Oncology and Senior Editor for Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention. She is an elected member of American Society for Clinical Investigation and Association of American Physicians. She is the recipient of the Frank H Oski Lectureship Award from ASPHO, the Clinical Scholar Award from LLS and the Outstanding Investigator Award from the NCI. She was the recipient of the Dean’s Excellence Award in Mentoring (2020), and the Distinguished Professor award from UAB (2021).

Prof. David Gisselsson Nord, Lund
– History of genetics in pediatric oncology/hematology

Dr. David Gisselsson Nord leads the GMS Childhood Cancer Working Group, providing whole genome sequencing to all children diagnosed with cancer in Sweden. He is a clinician-researcher focused on understanding how cancer cells develop resilience against current ontological treatments. He has identified one of the most common mechanisms by which cancer cells alter their genome through repeated breakage of chromosomes with eroded telomeres. Dr. Gisselsson Nord has also established a series of methods for measuring genetic instability of cancer cells that allow better prediction of prognosis and treatment response. Today he divides his time between clinical work as a pediatric pathologist and research on childhood cancer. He combines high-resolution genomics on clinical samples with mathematical modeling and methods from species evolution. By this approach, his team identified four fundamental evolutionary trajectories by which cancer cells compete with each other and evolve towards a higher degree of malignancy. Dr. Gisselsson Nord has received the Fernström Prize to Promising Young Investigators and the SIOP Award for Translational and Basic Research.

Prof. Ann Nordgren, Stockholm
– Cancer predisposition syndromes and the Swedish experience

Ann Nordgren is Senior consultant and Professor in Clinical genetics at Sahlgrenska University hospital, Gothenburg University, Karolinska University hospital and Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden. Her clinical work and research is mainly focused on phenotyping and genetic diagnostics of childhood cancer predisposition syndromes, overgrowth and intellectual disability syndromes. She is since May 2021 coordinator of a large prospective national study – Genomic Medicine Sweden Childhood Cancer Predisposition “GMS ChiCaP”, offering whole genome sequencing (WGS) to all children diagnosed with cancer in Sweden irrespective of diagnosis. This talk will include preliminary results from the GMS ChiCaP study, recommendations for germline genetic testing and examples of clinical benefits to individual patients when implementing WGS in the routine diagnostics for childhood cancer.

Ass Prof. Karin Wadt, Copenhagen
– Cancer predisposition syndromes and the Swedish experience

Consultant Karin A. W. Wadt (KW), MD, PhD, associate professor, is the daily leader of the oncogenetic clinic at the Department of Clinical Genetics, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, and part time organizing the national scientific project, STAGING, since April 2016, examining germline whole genome and tumour RNA in paediatric cancer patients with a focus on genetic cancer predisposition and actionable somatic mutations. KW concluded her PhD about familial malignant melanoma in 2015, which at this point was the most extensive Danish oncogenetic studie performed, where participants were offered feedback on their genetic results. KW has extensive experience with interpretation of genome data and integrating these results in conjunction with clinical information and has first-hand experience regarding reporting of secondary genetic findings from several large national studies. KW is a steering committee member in the Host Genome Working Group in SIOPE and is the national coordinator in the European Reference network, GENTURIS, regarding rare cancer syndromes. KW has participated in multiple international clinical guidelines regarding genetic testing and surveillance in rare tumour syndromes. KW has presented her work at several international conferences and has co-organised several meetings. KW has an extensive international collaboration network, and is currently supervisor of four PhD students, and one scholarship student covering various aspects within germline disposition and bioinformatics regarding paediatric cancer and melanoma.

Publications: 74. First author: 10. Last author: 12

Prof. Henrik Hasle, Department of Pediatrics, Aarhus University Hospital Skejby, Aarhus N, Denmark
– Sherlock Holmes lunch lecture

Henrik Hasle is professor in pediatric hematology/oncology at the department of Pediatrics, Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark. Henrik Hasle is a founding member of the European Working group on Myelodysplastic Syndromes in Childhood (EWOG-MDS) and served as chairman of the group 1998-2002. Henrik Hasle was the chairman of the acute myeloid leukemia (AML) group of the Nordic Society for Pediatric Hematology and Oncology (NOPHO) 2002 to 2010 and the chairman of the International-BFM-AML study group from 2016. Cofounder of the Adult Life after Childhood Cancer in Scandinavia (ALiCCS) research program on late effects in Nordic children with cancer. Henrik Hasle is the author or coauthor of more than 250 peer reviewed journal articles mainly dealing with myeloid leukemia in children, genetic predisposition to cancer, and late effects after cancer therapy.

MD PhD Marie Stenmark Askmalm, Lund
– Basic in genetics, inheritance, analysis methods and genetic counseling

Marie Stenmark Askmalm is Associate Professor in Medical Genetics and Senior Consultant in Clinical Genetics. She is also head of the unit Center for Rare Diseases, South Sweden (CSD Syd) at the Regional Center for Hereditary Cancer at Skåne University Hospital, Lund.  During her medical studies she started her PhD studies in breast cancer related to the tumour suppressor protein p53, especially concerning the prognosis and prediction of adjuvant therapy. After her PhD at the Medical Faculty of Health Science at Linköping University she continued her research in DNA repair pathways and the effect of radiotherapy in breast cancer. Her training in Clinical Oncology fostered her interest in the field of oncogenetics and during her role as a Clinical oncologist, she both developed and was the head of the oncogenetic clinic in the South East Health Region in Sweden.

Stenmark Askmalm trained in Clinical Genetics attained present position in Lund 2015. She is at the Regional Cancer Center South Regional Cancer Process Leader (RPPL) in hereditary cancer and has led a subsidiary project in the South Health Care Region to improve the process of identifying patients and families in need of genetic counselling as well as the superintendence.

Stenmark Askmalm is chair of National task group “Hereditary Cancer” constituent of Confederation of Regional Cancer Centres in Sweden as well and member of the national Program Group of Rare Disease in the National System for Knowledge-driven Management within Swedish Healthcare. 

Present research interest is in the field of hereditary cancer, especially genetic counseling, and medical care processes for patients with a genetic predisposition for cancer.

Nurse Charlotte Armins-Waldeck, Lund
– Basic in genetics, inheritance, analysis methods and genetic counseling

Charlotte Armins Waldeck is at present working within Healthcare Quality Management at the Center for Rare Diseases, South Sweden (CSD Syd), and at the Regional Center for Hereditary Cancer at Skåne University Hospital, Lund. Both centers support healthcare providers, other professionals, and authorities in patient care improvement in the field of rare diseases and/or hereditary cancer.

Waldeck is a trained nurse and holds a master’s degree in public health science. Moreover, she has special interests in the field of education, genetic counseling, aspects of health literacy, patient-centered care, and empowerment. In collaboration with Marie Stenmark Askmalm, she is acting responsible leader for the commissioned education programme “Clinical genetics and genetic counseling, 15 credits”, at Lund University.

In the past Waldeck held a position as junior lecturer at the Nursing programme (180 credits) at Linköping’s University, Faculty of Health 2013 – 2018, where she was teaching undergraduate nursing students, supervising bachelor thesis work and responsible course leader for semester 5 and 6.

Liv Andrés-Jensen, Copenhagen

” Integration of severe toxicities with treatment outcome reporting”

Liv Andrés-Jensen defended her thesis on acute and long-term toxicity and childhood and young adult ALL in May 2021 in Copenhagen. She works as a post doc and research leader at Copenhagen University Hospital, leading and/or involved in national and international projects focusing on distinct acute toxicities, late-effects, and integration of severe treatment-related toxicities with traditional cancer outcome reporting. She supervises both PhD students and scholars. Liv is PI for the ALL-STAR project, which quantifies treatment-related long-term morbidity among survivors treated on the NOPHO ALL2008 protocol across the NOPHO countries. Besides these research activities, Liv is working as a clinician at the department of pediatric oncology and hematology at Copenhagen University Hospital.

Charlotte Castor, paediatric nurse, PhD
-E-health in pediatric oncology
Charlotte Castor has a long-term experience of paediatric care and from being a “konsultsjuksköterska” in paediatric neuro-oncology care at Skåne University Hospital in Lund. In 2019 she defended her PhD thesis in health sciences named Home care services for sick children. Charlotte Castor’s clinical work as well as her research interest departure in the needs of the sick child and the needs of sick children’s families’ and of ways to support these needs throughout the illness trajectory. During her postdoc period at Lund University she has participated in several international projects aiming at development and evaluation of eHealth within paediatric care. A further interest has been the knowledge based development and implementation of paediatric palliative care as well as educational assignments. Charlotte is co-supervisor to PhD students within eHealth, paediatric palliative care and paediatric oncology rehabilitation.

Tove Ullmark

Tove Ullmark is specialized in Clinical Genetics at the Department of Clinical Genetics at Skåne University Hospital, Lund. Her PhD studies described the transcriptional regulation role of Wilms’ tumour gene 1 (WT1) in leukaemic cells. Tove Ullmark is a member of the Lund team for the clinical care of patients with hereditary childhood cancer.

Ann-Christin Björklund

Ann-Christin Björklund is a pediatric nurse with extended experience in neuro-oncology from clinical work with children diagnosed and treated for a brain tumor at Uppsala University Hospital, Sweden. Since 2005 she has a consultant nurse role for children with brain tumors including school related issues and supporting children´s everyday life according to child/family needs. Ann-Christin is also a PhD student at Jönköping University with preliminary dissertation plans in 2024. Her research focus on children´s participation in everyday life after ending brain tumor treatment.

Ulrika Kreicbergs

Together we can do it better  

• The care of the seriously ill child and its family 

Ulrika Kreicbergs, RN, PhD, holds a professorship, funded by Gålö Foundation, in palliative care for children and youth at Marie Cederschiöld University and is also associated to Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.

Her research on families affected by cancer has been acknowledged worldwide. She received the prestigious Schweisguth Prize – SIOP, the International Society of Paediatric Oncology in 2004. Dr Kreicbergs did her postdoc at Dana Farber Cancer Institute and Boston Children’s Hospital in Boston, US. Dr Kreicbergs has continued her research on the child and family in palliative care. Her work is focused on factors in the health care that can be modified or avoided to reduce suffering and thereby enhance quality of life for the child and their families.

Motivation for the election of NOPHO Lecturer 2023

There are few researchers that are able to both publish groundbreaking articles in a research area established by themselves, and furthermore significantly change the clinical mindset and practice to the benefit for families while they are still active within clinical research. Ulrika has accomplished all this, and in addition she is an outstanding lecturer, repeatedly appointed key note speaker at SIOP, and an exceptional candidate to present the NOPHO Lecture at the forthcoming NOPHO/NOBOS meeting in Lund 2023. 

Download Scientific program here.

Friday 5 May 
19.00 – Beverage and sandwich at Kulturen (only for WG-meeting participants)

Saturday 6 May
18.00-19.00 – Guided tour of Lund – Meeting Point outside AF-borgen – Pre-registration is required
19.00 – Get together – Welcome Reception at Grand Hotel Lund with Josefin Björk Werner and band

Sunday 7 May
07.00 – 08.00 Fun & Run. And Yoga – Pre-registration is required
18:45 – Photography of NOPHO and NOBOS – Meeting Point outside AF-borgen at the fountain
19.00 – Gala dinner at AF-Borgen Akademiska föreningen with Henrik Widegren and DJ Ollhage

Call for Abstracts – Opens 16th January 2023

Opens: Monday 16 January 2023
Deadline: Monday 27 February 2023 at midnight
Notifications: Monday 13 March 2023

Poster guidelines, click here

Abstract committee 2023
Kees-Jan Pronk
Lars Hjorth
Dominik Turkiewicz
Ingrid Øra
Anna Sällfors Holmqvist

You are welcome to submit an abstract for the meeting!
Much of the success of any meeting depends on the quality and range of abstracts. We are interested in giving an opportunity not only for the invited speakers but also for everyone interested in sharing their work and enthusiasm with colleagues.
Please consider submitting an abstract either reporting scientific work and reporting recent innovations or interventions, results, or case studies within the scope of the meeting.
Abstracts on all aspects of pediatric hematology and oncology are welcome.
Abstracts must be submitted in English via the NOPHO abstract form. Please see Recommendations for the Authors for abstract submission requirements.
Abstracts are automatically forwarded directly to the abstract committee. They are reviewed anonymously (authors and affiliations unknown to the reviewers) and then selected for oral presentation, poster presentation, or publication in the programme book only. Posters may be presented orally in “Rapid Fire” sessions. Please indicate your preferred presentation format, if any.
The abstract committee will send out notification of acceptance and mode of presentation on the 13th of March 2023, in time for registration at early bird fee. Young researchers and Young NOPHO members with an acceted abstract will be able to register for a reduced fee.
At the meeting, the NOPHO Scientific Committee will award the NOPHO prize for the best oral presentation by a young NOPHO member or young researcher. A prize for the best poster will be awarded according to popular ballot by the meeting participants.

Abstracts registration for non NOPHO-members, click here.

Abstracts login, click here.

Help for authors, click here.

Recommendations for abstract authors, click here.

Help for reviewers, click here.

Registration is CLOSED
The latest day for Registration is Wednesday 26th April.

Hereafter Registration must be at AF-Borgen.

Working groups chairs booking

Exhibition and Sponsorship Invitation

Build up monters 5 maj at 07:30 – 10:00 – Remove monters 8 maj from 11:30

Sponsorship registration CLOSED

New Exhibition information, click here

Registration for booth staff, click here

Floor plan Exhibition area