# Systems Approaches to Cancer Biology Meeting

> **NIH NIH R13** · UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER · 2024 · $25,400

## Abstract

SUMMARY
The Systems Approaches to Cancer Biology (SACB) meeting aims to bring together scientific leaders and
early-stage investigators in Cancer Systems Biology to build and foster a thriving and collaborative field
through sharing scientific advances. Started as a grassroots effort from early-stage Cancer Systems Biology
investigators, the first SACB meeting was held in 2016 and is held every other year. SACB has previously
been co-sponsored by the National Cancer Institute and the Association for Cancer Systems Biologists
(ACSB). The meeting is solely focused on research topics that address cancer as inherently complex, with
spatial, temporal, and interpatient heterogeneity, and with multifactorial causes and consequences that cannot
be understood without integrating diverse approaches from a combination of traditional scientific disciplines.
The SACB meeting consists of seven plenary sessions, poster sessions, and many opportunities for early-
stage investigators to network and gain mentorship from more senior investigators, including “meet the PI”
lunches and happy hours. SACB plenary sessions focus on many aspects of cancer biology and cover a
diversity of computational/mathematical modeling approaches. This problem-domain-focused programming is
particularly conducive to the synthesis of new ideas and collaborations among attendees. Given the history of
this meeting, there is a strong emphasis on the development and fostering of early-stage investigators, which
includes at least half of the oral presentations being given by trainees and addressing topics of interest to
early-stage investigators through special topic sessions. Another focus of the meeting is to grow the Cancer
Systems Biology community, which we will accomplish by targeting underserved research communities,
reaching out to researchers in complementary topic areas, such as computer science or engineering, as well
as funding support for investigators with additional family needs. The SACB Scholars program, initiated in
2022, will support at least 8 undergraduate and/or graduate trainees from under-represented groups in
biomedical research to attend the SACB 2024 meeting. This program in 2022 was highly successful and is
aimed at providing training and networking opportunities to individuals that might not be able to gain these
experiences otherwise. SACB has successfully helped to advance the careers of many early-stage
investigators and brings together like-minded investigators to share research findings. SACB 2024 will maintain
the hybrid meeting format to both in-person and virtual meeting options. This will provide a venue for SACB to
reach colleagues across the world and still be able to provide the intimate environment needed to foster
Cancer Systems Biology research into the future.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10904271
- **Project number:** 1R13CA291000-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER
- **Principal Investigator:** James Christopher Costello
- **Activity code:** R13 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $25,400
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-07-11 → 2025-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10904271

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10904271, Systems Approaches to Cancer Biology Meeting (1R13CA291000-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10904271. Licensed CC0.

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