Symposium celebrates collaboration and achievement in cancer virus research

The Institute for Molecular Virology hosted the annual Symposium on Viruses and Cancer in June. Co-sponsored by the Masonic Cancer Center, the symposium brought over 70 researchers together to share updates in research and discovery.

“The purpose of the symposium is to unite cancer researchers at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, the Hormel Institute and the Mayo Clinic who are engaged in cancer research involving viruses,” explained Louis Mansky, PhD, professor and director of the Institute for Molecular Virology. “There was a strong turnout of researchers on topics ranging from basic mechanisms of virus replication and oncogenesis to virus oncolytics and health disparities in cancer virus vaccine access. The breadth of research topics and presentations from individuals at various points in their career was well appreciated by the symposium participants.”

The day featured two keynote lectures, short talks, a poster session and opportunities for networking.

Chelsey Spriggs, PhD, assistant professor at the University of Michigan Medical School and research assistant professor in the Life Sciences Institute at the University of Michigan, provided the morning keynote on the biology of Merkel cell polyomavirus infection, which causes an aggressive form of skin cancer.

“The symposium allowed me to hear presentations from different researchers in the field studying both oncogenic and oncolytic viruses, and gave me the opportunity to engage with trainees about their science,” she reflected. She hopes participants walked away with an appreciation for the study of early steps in infection that can prevent further damage, including cancers. She enjoyed networking with experts and early career professionals, expanding her knowledge as she further dives into her research.

Milkie Vu,  MA, PhD, assistant professor of preventive medicine at Northwestern University, shared the afternoon keynote on HPV vaccine uptake in the United States, especially in Asian-American communities—including the need for disaggregated data on vaccination rates, trusted sources of information for parents of adolescents and how community engagement and culturally relevant strategies can increase vaccination.

“I hope attendees gained a deeper understanding of the disparities in HPV vaccine uptake among diverse Asian American communities,” she explained. “Ultimately, I wanted to inspire further research and action toward equitable healthcare solutions that address the needs of different Asian origin groups.”

Vu also appreciated the opportunity to collaborate and network. “The conference brought together a diverse mix of trainees, early career investigators and established researchers across fields,” she explained. “I really appreciated the opportunity to engage with these researchers.”

It’s no surprise that both speakers enjoyed the interdisciplinary connections at the conference, because that was a main goal of Mansky’s goal in organizing the symposium. “One of the major takeaways from the symposium was encouraging interactions among researchers, with a goal of facilitating new collaborative interactions,” he explained.

Gloria Baxter, PhD candidate in molecular, cellular, developmental biology and genetics, appreciated this goal, especially the way it encouraged growth in trainees. “As students, we had the opportunity to get to know the keynote speakers, who are early-career faculty,” she explained. “It was a great stage of academia that we don’t often get to witness.”

Elise Travis, MS/PhD graduate student, agreed. “The symposium had a large turnout from labs, clinics and neighboring professors throughout the day,” she reflected. “I hope everyone who attended the event was able to learn something new about virology, and was inspired to be creative in their field.”

Mansky hopes for much of the same, and was thrilled to have the opportunity to showcase the importance of cancer virus research and the common goals that bind researchers across disciplines.

“As the School of Dentistry has research strengths in both virology and cancer research, this symposium brings together researchers with overlapping interests to interact with like-minded colleagues at the university and at the Mayo Clinic,” he said. “The feedback we received from registrants provides evidence that the symposium was well received and gratefully appreciated.”