EVENT HIGHLIGHT | DF/HCC Celebration of Early Career Investigators Symposium
Published 12/23/2024
The 12th Annual Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center (DF/HCC) Celebration of Early Career Investigators in Cancer Research took place on December 3, 2024, at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute's Yawkey Conference Center. This symposium highlighted the contributions of early career researchers in population science, encompassing fields such as epidemiology, biostatistics, outcomes, diversity, and survivorship.
The event commenced with opening remarks from Dr. Ramesh Shivdasani, Deputy Director of DF/HCC; Dr. Lorelei A. Mucci, Deputy Associate Director of the Population Science Programs at DF/HCC; and Dr. Brittany M. Charlton, Co-leader of the Cancer Epidemiology Program at DF/HCC.
The keynote address was delivered by Scout, Ph.D., M.A., Executive Director of the National LGBT Cancer Network. His talk, titled "When Your Career Is Both Your Passion Project & A Political Football," explored the intersection of research, policy advocacy, and LGBTQI+ health, emphasizing the role of scientists and clinicians in effecting policy change.
The symposium featured two sessions of oral presentations by early career investigators and a poster session that covered themes related to biological and social determinants of health, health equity, community influence on health behaviors, and disparities in cancer treatment and outcomes. For a full list of presenters, please see our event website at https://www.dfhcc.harvard.edu/ecis
The event concluded with an awards ceremony recognizing outstanding contributions:
- Best Oral Presentation: Noah Chigier (DFCI) and Brett Ranieri (DFCI)
- Most Innovative Idea: Phillip Nicol (HSPH)
- Best Poster Presentation: Kelcie Willis (MGH)
This annual celebration underscores DF/HCC's commitment to fostering the development of early career investigators and promoting excellence in cancer research.