Pure science: 9th World Congress on Urological Research

The European Section of Urological Research is pleased to announce the 9th World Congress on Urological Research which will take place in Innsbruck, Austria, on 15-17 September 2011. Organised together with the American Society for Basic Urological Research (SBUR), the central theme concerns “Molecular Pathology and Experimental Models of Urological Diseases”. ESUR Vice President Prof. Zoran Culig (AT) is Congress President.The three-day programme is organised to bring together speakers from Europe and the United States to present findings on the latest scientific research. The scientific programme comprises of state-of-the-art lectures, poster sessions and oral presentations. The interaction between young and experienced investigators is set to deliver some interesting discussions. Prof. Culig: “I would like to particularly encourage young urologists to come, and also to present their work. It is very important to have this mixture of young and more experienced speakers in the main programme.”

The ESUR is co-organising the congress with the SBUR. The SBUR was founded in 1986 to offer American urological scientists a forum for collaboration and the presentation of research. “So far, we’ve had very good relationships between the two societies, and we are aiming to have 25% of all participants come from the United States,” Culig said. While independent from the American Urological Association, the SBUR does work closely with the AUA to provide expertise and research. The Innsbruck meeting is set up by a joint ESUR-SBUR Organising Committee, featuring members of each organisation.

As a major part of the overarching theme of “Molecular pathology and experimental models of urological research”, “molecular epidemiology and biomarkers” is the subject of two of the seven sessions. Molecular epidemiology looks at potential genetic and environmental risk factors, through predictive biomarkers on a molecular level.

Befitting a congress focused on research, sessions will take place covering some relatively recent breakthroughs, whose use in urological research are still not completely clear. Representing the vanguard of new developments are miRNA and urological disease; targeted therapy in renal cancer and epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT). EMT’s relationship to the development of cancer is still not completely clear, a subject deserving of attention from researchers. Targeted therapy holds great promise, interfering with specific molecules needed for carcinogenesis and tumour growth.

A further session concerns the discussion about the pitfalls and benefits of the use of animal models in prostate cancer research. Culig is pleased to announce that one of the most influential scientists in the field of animal models in prostate cancer, Prof. Pradip Roy-Burman (Los Angeles, USA) is to deliver a speech. “His work was instrumental in understanding the implications of deletion of some of the tumour suppressors, especially the pathogenesis of PCa.” Therapies which differentiate between benign and malignant cells are also covered.

Highlights of the meeting will be the presentation of the highly prestigious Dominique Chopin Award and the ARTP (French Organisation for Prostate Cancer Research) Award.