A unique gathering of 80 top scientists from all over the world addressed the urgent need to deal with the ever increasing gap between the rapidly growing number of cancer patients, and the development of effective treatment.

The scientists acknowledged the urgent need to define new ways of collaborating on cancer research. Current problems such as competition, data ownership and overregulation can be overcome by stimulating data sharing, standardisation, and patient participation. They succeeded in outlining four programmes that should enable science to turn cancer into a controllable disease within the coming ten years. One of the main results is 'personalized cancer medicine 2.0' aiming at the development of an open innovation space where physicians, patients and scientists can together drive better screening, diagnosis, treatment, and control of cancer.

The conference was initiated by the Foundation Inspire2Live and hosted by the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) and the Dutch Central Bank (DNB).

The keynote lectures

More information

• Press release 'Understanding Life'
• Inspire2Live