IGDD Study Group Seminars

Seminar Concept

Each seminar covers two of the four areas.

• TECHNIQUE | introduce novel techniques and experimental concepts to combine nanomedicine and multiscale imaging for therapeutic and diagnostic approaches.
• CLINIC | update on clinical applications of IGDD and discussion on improving the transfer of preclinical results into the clinic.
• INDUSTRY | introduce products/solutions of small and large companies that support finding the right (imaging) solution. Moreover, many (inter)national grant opportunities demand for public-private partnerships: seminars shall provide you with further insights into industrial innovations/solutions and support interaction.
• HOT PAPER | discussion on recent publication in the IGDD field.

Kristian Pietras received his PhD in 2002 at the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Uppsala University, Sweden. He then performed postdoctoral work at the University of California in the laboratory of Douglas Hanahan. Kristian returned to Sweden and in 2012, he was recruited to Lund University, where he became the founding Director of the Lund University Cancer Centre. As a well-positioned link between basic science, oncology and pharmaceutical industry, Kristian has made important contributions in defining tumours as communicating organs comprising multiple cell types that collectively sustain cancer progression. He has received numerous awards for his research.

Abstract & Bio

Cristianne Rijcken @ Cristal Therapeutics

The biotech rollercoaster ride to success: what are the essential elements to keep you flying high?

Cristianne Rijcken is the founder of Cristal Therapeutics, and serves as Chief Scientific Officer of the company and serves as independent consultant to early-stage life science startups.

She is pharmacist by training and holds a PhD degree from Utrecht University. She is (co-) author of ~50 scientific publications.

Cristal Therapeutics is a clinical stage pharmaceutical company developing the next generation nanomedicines based on its proprietary CriPec® platform to treat various diseases, including cancer. CriPec® is suited for the development of customizable (targeted) nanomedicines with superior efficacy and safety profiles. The most advanced product in development has been CriPec® docetaxel for the treatment of solid tumours. Currently, the main focus is to commercially exploit CliCr® as a next generation class of metal-free click reagents.

Abstract & Bio

Eugene Koay is a physician scientist at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, who specializes in radiation therapy for patients with hepatobiliary and pancreatic cancers, and develops applications of the physical sciences to cancer for the purposes of early detection, biomarker development, and therapeutic management.

Jonathan T.C. Liu is a professor of mechanical engineering, bioengineering, and laboratory medicine & pathology at the University of Washington, where his molecular biophotonics laboratory develops high-resolution optical imaging and computational analysis strategies primarily for surgical guidance and clinical decision support.