55th Annual Conference
We had an amazing 3-day event showcasing the exceptional cancer research being undertaken across the island of Ireland.
The 55th Annual Conference opened with a public event in honour of the late Professor Patrick (Paddy) G. Johnston QUB, where cancer researchers gave overviews of their research for a public forum.
We heard from national and internationally acclaimed speakers and gave awards to Phd students, Post Doctoral Fellows and team leaders who have excelled in their cancer research endeavours.
Conference Speakers
Special Guest Speaker

Peter A. Jones, Ph.D, D.Sc. (hon)
Distinguished Professor and Director of the Center for Epigenetics
VARI Chief Scientific Officer
Van Andel Research Institute,
Grand Rapids, Michigan – USA
Peter Jones was born in Cape Town, raised and attended college in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), and received his Ph.D. from the University of London. He joined the University of Southern California in 1977 and served as Director of the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center between 1993 and 2011.
He became Chief Scientific Officer of Van Andel Research Institute (VARI) in Grand Rapids, Michigan in 2014. His laboratory discovered the effects of 5-azacytidine on cytosine methylation and first established the link between DNA methylation, gene expression, and differentiation. He helped pioneer the field of epigenetics, particularly its role in cancer and helped develop novel therapies for cancer.
He has published more than 300 scientific papers and received several honors, including an Outstanding Investigator Award from the National Cancer Institute. He and his colleague Stephen Baylin shared the Kirk Landon Award for Basic Cancer Research from the AACR in 2009 and the Medal of Honor from the American Cancer Society in 2011.
Dr. Jones is a past President of the American Association for Cancer Research and was elected a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2009 and a Fellow of the Academy of the AACR in 2013.
He was elected a member of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States in 2016, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2017 and received an honorary Doctor of Science from Stellenbosch University in 2018.

Prof Christian Ottensmeier
Southhampton

Prof David Finlay
TCD

Prof Doreen Cantrell
Dundee

Dr Elaine McSherry
Roche Products (Ireland) Ltd

Dr Gillian Prue
QUB

Dr Noel McCaffrey
DCU

Prof Jacqui Shaw
University of Leicester

Prof Manuel Salto Tellez
QUB

Margaret Grayson
NCRI

Prof Nasir Rajpoot
Warwick University

Niamh Clarke
TCD

Prof Paul Workman
ICR

Ramon Whelan
Cancer Survivor & Peer Support Volunteer

Dr Robert O'Connor
Irish Cancer Society

Prof Rosemary O'Connor
UCC

Ruth Boyd
Belfast City Hospital

Dr Timothy Gilligan
Cleveland Clinic, Ohio

Professor Tim Maughan
QUB

Dr Tracy Robson
RCSI

Dr Tríona Ní Chonghaile
RSCI
2019 Conference Sponsors
Charity Sponsors

Platinum Exhibitor

Gold Exhibitors

Silver Exhibitors

IACR Membership
We have a number of membership categories available. Find out which membership suits you.
Virtual IACR Cancer Conference
The virtual IACR Annual Meeting takes place 24th - 26th March 2021.
IACR Public Engagement
Would you like to know more about how we involve patients in research, our fundraising, and lay seminars?
Contact Us
Latest News
PhD in Tumour Immunology
A fully funded 4-year PhD studentship (€18,000 per annum stipend) is available in the research group of Dr. Aideen Ryan.
Education Grant 2020
The Irish Association for Cancer Research supported five Educational Grants in 2020. These were made available to postgraduate PhD researchers who had been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Irish Association
for Cancer Research
9A Coolkill, Sandyford
Dublin 18, Ireland
D18 C1W3
info@iacr.ie
+353 (0)295 8859
Irish Association for Cancer Research (IACR) is a registered charity on the Register of Charitable Organisations, Charities Regulator, 3 George's Dock, IFSC, Dublin 1, D01 X5X0, Ireland.
Registered Charity Number (RCN): 20030117.
©Design by LetterEleven