Global Oncology Symposium
Hosted by the UW Carbone Cancer Center’s Global Oncology Program, in partnership with the Big Ten Cancer Research Consortium.
Global Oncology, Local Impact: Bidirectional Partnerships in Cancer Research
2027 Theme: Detection, Diagnosis, and Prevention
Pre-Symposium
Funding and Grant Development Workshop
Tuesday, April 13, 2027, 4:30 – 8:45 pm
Pyle Center
Symposium
Full-day Scientific Program
Wednesday, April 14, 2027, 7:00 am – 5:30 pm
Health Sciences Learning Center
Specific Aims Studio
Deadline: January 11, 2027
Submit a Specific Aims page from either a new grant proposal or a previously submitted but unfunded proposal. Selected participants will be assigned to small-groups with experienced faculty mentors to receive constructive feedback and guidance to strengthen their proposals.
Who Can Apply?
Final-year trainees, early-career researchers, and junior faculty developing grant proposals relevant to Global Oncology. Applicants from institutions worldwide are welcome; UW–Madison affiliation is not required.
Travel Support
3–5 awards of $1,000 each to support travel and accommodation for selected participants.
Key Dates
January 11, 2027: Application deadline
February 11, 2027: Award notifications
March 11, 2027: Revised Specific Aims page due
Share Your Research – Abstract Submission for Trainee Presentation Competition
Deadline: November 30, 2026
All accepted abstracts will be presented as posters; top 6 will be selected
for oral presentation
Top three scoring presentations will be awarded.
Detailed Program
| Time | Session | Speaker/Moderator |
| 4:30 – 4:35 pm | Welcome, orientation, and workshop objectives | Syed Nabeel Zafar |
| 4:35 – 5:30 pm | NIH Funding Opportunities for Global Oncology Research: 2 talks followed by moderated Q/A on Federal mechanisms for trainees and researchers, portfolio priorities, and application strategy. | Speakers: Sudha Sivaram, DrPH and Mark Parascandola, PhD, MPH (NCI Center for Global Health) |
| 5:30 – 5:35 pm | Break | |
| 5:35 – 7:35 pm | Philanthropic, Foundation, and Industry Funding for Global Oncology: 3 talks followed by moderated Q/A. | Speakers: Kathleen Schmeler, Irina Stepanov |
| 7:35 – 7:40 pm | Closing remarks and next steps | Syed Nabeel Zafar |
| 7:45 – 8:45 pm | Informal networking dinner (workshop participants and faculty mentors) |
| Time, Location | Session | Speaker/Moderator |
| 7:00 – 8:00 am | BTCRC Global Oncology Working Group Meeting: Multi-site concept development and joint training-grant planning. Open to all BTCRC member institutions. | Chair: Syed Nabeel Zafar |
| 7:30 – 8:00 am Atrium | Registration opens · Coffee | |
| 8:00 – 9:00 am Lecture Hall: 1306 | The Value and Challenges of Cancer Clinical Trials in LMICs: UW Carbone Cancer Center Grand Rounds. | Mansoor Saleh – Aga Khan University, Nairobi, Kenya. |
| 9:00 – 9:30 am Atrium | Breakfast · Networking · Exhibitor hall · Poster viewing | |
| 9:30 – 10:00 am Lecture Hall 1306 | Opening Session: Welcome, Program Overview, and BTCRC Working Group Report | Syed Nabeel Zafar; Christian Capitini MD (UWCCC Director) |
| 10:00 – 11:30 am Lecture Hall 1306 | Session 1: Infectious and Environmental Causes of Cancer: Cancer Screening and Early Detection: HPV, hepatitis B and C, H. pylori; implications for US screening, vaccination, regulatory policy and early-detection technologies. Four 15-min talks + 30 min moderated discussion. | Lewis Roberts, MB ChB, PhD (Mayo Clinic), Irina Stepanov, PhD (University of Minnesota), Robert Striker, MD, PhD (UW–Madison), and Xiao-Ou Shu, MD, PhD, MPH (Vanderbilt University) |
| 11:30 – 12:45 pm Atrium | Lunch · Exhibitors · Poster Session | |
| 12:45 – 1:45 pm Lecture Hall 1335 | Keynote Lecture: Using novel point-of-care technologies for cervical cancer screening and diagnosis | Speaker: Kathleen M. Schmeler, MD (associate VP of Global Oncology, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center) Moderator: Nabeel Zafar |
| 1:45 – 2:45 pm Lecture Hall 1335 | Session 2: Point-of-Care Diagnostics and Telepathology: Three 15-min talks + 15 min moderated discussion. | Invited Speakers: Lifang Hou, MD, PhD (Northwestern University); Abiola Ibraheem, MD (University of Illinois Chicago), and Rouba Ali-Fehmi, University of Michigan Moderator: Marty Pagel |
| 2:45 – 3:00 pm | Break | |
| 3:00 – 4:00 pm Lecture Hall 1335 | Trainee Oral Presentations: Six competitively selected abstracts | |
| 4:00 – 4:15 pm Lecture Hall 1335 | Abstract awards and closing remarks and feedback |
Contact: globaloncology@uwcarbone.wisc.edu