Birmingham Brain Tumour Network Symposium

Birmingham Brain Tumour Network Symposium

By Birmingham Brain Tumour Network-Uni of Birmingham

From Concept to Delivery: Developing Networked Solutions for Brain Cancer Patients

Date and time

Location

The Birmingham Conference & Events Centre

Hill Street Birmingham B5 4EW United Kingdom

Agenda

9:30 AM - 10:00 AM

Arrival & Registration

10:00 AM - 10:15 AM

Welcome

Professor Colin Watts


Professor Colin Watts leads the newly established Brain Cancer Programme at the University of Birmingham. His research aims to improve the treatment and survival of patients with glioma by understand...

10:15 AM - 10:45 AM

Building a long-term network and achieving clinical impact

Prof. Andrew Peet

Dr. John Apps


Professor Peet is an NIHR Research Professor and practicing paediatric oncologist whose pioneering work in MRI and tumour metabolism has shaped international standards in childhood cancer imaging. He...

11:00 AM - 11:15 AM

Tickling our telomeres: new perspectives on an old problem

Dr. Ronan Broderick


Dr Ronan Broderick’s research focuses on the Alternative Lengthening of Telomeres (ALT); a telomere maintenance mechanism that promotes the proliferation and survival of 10-15% of all cancers. Rona...

11:15 AM - 11:30 AM

Alternatives to X-rays: improving cell killing, protecting the brain

Prof. Jason Parsons


Professor Jason Parsons is Chair of Radiobiology at the University of Birmingham, working across Cancer and Genomic Sciences and Physics and Astronomy. His research focuses on the molecular and cellu...

11:30 AM - 11:45 AM

Break

11:45 AM - 12:00 PM

Developing our tissue pipelines: challenges and successes

Dr. Victoria Wykes


Victoria Wykes is a Senior Clinical Lecturer at the Department of Cancer and Genomic Sciences at the University of Birmingham and an Honorary Consultant Neurosurgeon at University Hospital Birmingham...

12:00 PM - 12:15 PM

The operating room as an extension of the laboratory: an EPIC idea

Dr. Ola Rominiyi


Dr. Ola Rominiyi is a neurosurgical trainee and Translational Lead for the Sheffield Translational Brain Tumour Research Group. He studied medicine at the University of Manchester, graduating with Ho...

12:15 PM - 12:30 PM

WOOPs the future of early drug development?

Dr. Vinton Cheng


Dr Vinton Cheng is an Associate Clinical Professor and Honorary Consultant in Medical Oncology with a clinical focus on the holistic management of adult patients with primary and metastatic brain tum...

12:30 PM - 2:00 PM

Lunch

2:00 PM - 2:15 PM

DETERMINE to do things differently: novel trial design for the 21st century

Lucy Abell - Trial Statistician for the DETERMINE trial

2:15 PM - 2:30 PM

Brain Cancer Networks: Lessons from BRAIN MATRIX

Prof. Colin Watts

2:30 PM - 2:45 PM

Fit for filing cancer studies: Our experience

Prof. Amos Burke


Amos Burke is Professor of Paediatric Oncology at the University of Birmingham and an Honorary Consultant Paediatric Oncologist at Birmingham, Women and Children’s Hospital. He is Director of the Can...

2:45 PM - 3:00 PM

Break

3:00 PM - 3:15 PM

Biomarker application in the real-world

Abigail Lishman DX Cover Head of Commercial Development

Dr. Sonia Ashraf

3:15 PM - 3:30 PM

Novel Approaches & Technical Solutions

Prof. Paul Brennan


Paul’s research is focused on improving outcomes for people living with a brain tumour diagnosis. Understanding the cellular processes that lead to initiation and development of the most common prima...

3:30 PM - 3:45 PM

Spinout programme: how research transitions into collaborations with industry

Dr. Jan Novak

3:45 PM - 4:15 PM

How UoB can help: & Expert Panel discussion

Florence Gannon - Business Engagement Partner UOB

Claire Peters - Head of Charitable Funding UOB

4:15 PM - 4:30 PM

Wrap Up, next steps & logo design winner

Prof. Colin Watts

4:30 PM - 4:30 PM

Close

Good to know

Highlights

  • 7 hours
  • In person

About this event

Health

The Birmingham Brain Tumour Network (BBTN) is a dynamic, cross-disciplinary initiative committed to transforming brain tumour research and care through collaboration, innovation, and impact. Anchored at the University of Birmingham, BBTN brings together clinicians, scientists, industry partners, charities, and patient advocates to accelerate progress from idea to implementation.

Our upcoming symposium, From Concept to Delivery: Developing Networked Solutions for Brain Cancer Patients, showcases Birmingham’s exceptional breadth of expertise — from cutting-edge organoid modelling and translational pipelines to pioneering clinical trials and commercial spin-outs. It’s a space where early-career researchers, senior academics, and external stakeholders converge to spotlight success stories, identify barriers, and co-create solutions.

This event for BBTN is more than a showcase, it’s a call to action. Whether you’re working in diagnostics, data science, drug development, or patient support, we invite you to join a growing network that’s shaping the future of brain tumour research and care across the UK and beyond.

Organised by

Free
Nov 7 · 09:30 GMT