The Society for Functional Precision Medicine (SfPM), in collaboration with Labcyte and SpeciCare, is proud to announce it will be hosting the first annual Functional Precision Medicine Summit in Atlanta on March 30, 2019.
(ATLANTA – March 26, 2019) The Society for Functional Precision Medicine (SfPM), in collaboration with Labcyte and SpeciCare, is proud to announce it will be hosting the first annual Functional Precision Medicine Summit in Atlanta on March 30, 2019. The event will bring together attendees from the cancer research, clinical and pharmaceutical arenas to share how functional testing can be harnessed as a precision medicine tool to identify patient responders, aid the development of novel therapeutics and inform treatment decision making.
“Functional precision medicine is emerging as an important way to choose drugs for cancer patients, and we’re thrilled that those at the forefront of this important category view the inaugural FPM Summit as a must-attend event,” said Dr. Anthony Letai, SfPM president and professor of medicine at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. “Our lineup of world-class speakers and no-cost-for-attendance model is designed to attract functional champions from around the globe as well as members of the medical community who may be visiting Atlanta and want to learn about the category. All levels of functional knowledge are welcome to join us at the FPM Summit for a day of meaningful discussion, debate and education.”
Featuring key speakers and panelists that include incoming acting FDA Commissioner Ned Sharpless; SfPM Vice President and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center Principal Investigator Christopher Kemp, Ph.D.; and Science for Life Laboratory Director and Karolinska Institute Professor Olli Kallioniemi, the event promotes the expansion of precision medicine beyond genomics with the goal of furthering research and improving personalized healthcare outcomes. Thanks to robust speaker sessions covering demonstration of clinical utility, execution of clinical trials, integration into healthcare practice and educational awareness, attendees will walk away with a thorough understanding of how to implement functional precision medicine across the healthcare continuum.
SfPM is collaborating with global biotechnology tool creator Labcyte as well as SpeciCare, a leader in living tumor tissue collection and storage, to host the FPM Summit, with both companies contributing to the session content. Labcyte Applications Manager John Lesnick will share how the company’s technology enables higher efficiency precision medicine, while SpeciCare CEO and surgical oncologist Dr. Ken Dixon will discuss the implications of bringing functional testing to cancer patients in smaller communities.
“We created SpeciCare to empower cancer patients through living tumor tissue storage, so they can seek out functional testing and personalized therapies,” said Dr. Dixon. “My hope is the FPM Summit will increase awareness and access to functional methods, which is exactly what SpeciCare is working to accomplish. We want to make these cutting-edge treatments available to patients across the country – both those at major cancer centers and the 85 percent of patients who initially receive treatment at community hospitals.”
The Functional Precision Medicine Summit will take place at the W Hotel - Downtown Atlanta on March 30, 2019 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. While there is no cost to attend the FPM Summit, capacity is limited, so pre-registration is required. Prospective attendees may view the FPM Summit event guide or visit functionalprecisionmedic
About the Society for Functional Precision Medicine
The Society for Functional Precision Medicine arose out of recognition of the unmet need in matching cancer patients to the therapies best for them. Members recognize there is tremendous utility in exposing patient tumor cells directly to the drugs that could be used to treat them in order to do this matching. The organization proposes to bring cutting-edge tools of tissue culture and analysis to bear on this strategy to create practical solutions. The SfPM’s overriding mission is to accelerate the day when functional assays are a routine tool in the care of cancer patients. The SfPM welcomes the input and participation of any who are interested, including scientists and clinicians, patient advocates and regulators, academia as well as pharma and biotech. For more information, visit www.sfpm.io.
About SpeciCare
B4CC, Inc., doing business as SpeciCare, is an innovative company connecting cancer patients to new treatment options available only through storing the patient’s live tumor tissue. Serving as the missing link connecting routine clinical care to the most advanced medical treatments and the research community, SpeciCare’s goal is to arm patients with new options and innovative solutions that enhance their quality of life and improve their chances of survival. SpeciCare serves as a catalyst in the development of the cancer treatment field and utilization of research for the benefit of the cancer patient. For more information, please visit specicare.com or call 833-242-2873.
About Labcyte
Labcyte, a global biotechnology tools company headquartered in San Jose, California, is revolutionizing liquid handling. Echo® Liquid Handlers use sound to precisely transfer liquids without contact, eliminating the use of pipettes. Labcyte instruments are used worldwide throughout the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, as well as by hospitals, service laboratories, contract research organizations, and academic institutions. Our customers work across a wide spectrum of scientific research, including drug discovery, genomics, proteomics and personalized medicine. Labcyte has 63 U.S. patents and others internationally. For more information, visit www.labcyte.com.
