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Our agenda, scientific committee and speakers

Our second data-driven Cancer Research Conference includes three days of scientific sessions, networking, panel discussions and much more.

Register now

Meet our scientific committee

Andi Roy.

Andi Roy

Professor of Paediatric Haematology, University of Oxford

Claude Chelala.

Claude Chelala

Professor of Bioinformatics, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London

Headshot of Debbie Keatley.

Debbie Keatley

Patient affiliate

Ellen Bisci.

Ellen Bisci

Patient affiliate

Headshot of Michael Cuthbert.

Michael Cuthbert

Director, National Quantum Computing Centre

Raj Jena.

Raj Jena

Professor of AI in Radiation Oncology, University of Cambridge Department of Oncology and Cambridge University Hospitals

Shaumya Kularajan.

Shaumya Kularajan

Patient affiliate

Tony Ng.

Tony Ng

Senior Vice President and Head of Oncology Translational Research, GSK

Explore our agenda

Tuesday 24 Feb 2026 (Day 1)

09:00–10:00

Registration, networking and poster set-up

10:00–10:20

Welcome

Catherine Elliot

Cancer Research UK

10:25–11:00

Opening keynote

11:00–12:05

Session 1: Short talks on how emerging quantum technologies are being used in cancer/health research

12:05–13:05

Lunch and posters

13:05–15:05

Session 2: Deeper dives into the challenges and opportunities for using emerging technologies in cancer research

15:05–15:35

Networking break

15:35–16:30

Great debate 1: Quantum computing will be as transformative as AI if we don't make the same mistakes again

16:35–17:15

Closing keynote

17:15–17:20

Closing remarks

Melissa Lewis-Brown

Cancer Research UK

17:20–18:15

Drinks and networking reception

Wednesday 25 Feb 2026 (Day 2)

08:30–09:00

Registration and networking

09:00–09:10

Welcome back

Melissa Lewis-Brown

Cancer Research UK

09:15–09:45

Keynote: "Why children are key to responsible AI"

Mhairi Aitken

Turing Institute

09:50–10:35

Session 3: AI-enabled target/drug discovery

Chair: Greg Hannon

Cambridge Cancer Institute

10:35–11:05

Networking break

11:05–12:30

Session 4: AI-accelerated early detection of cancer using imaging and multimodal data

Chair: Raj Jena

University of Cambridge

12:30–13:30

Lunch and posters

13:30–14:35

Great Debate 2: "AI in population genomics is more hype than help"

Chair: Richard Lee

The Royal Marsden and Institute of Cancer Research Early Diagnosis and Detection Centre

14:35–15:05

Networking break

15:05–16:10

Session 5: Advances in AI and computation in personalised radiation therapy

Chair: Bill Nailon

University of Edinburgh

16:15–16:55

Closing keynote

16:55–17:00

Closing remarks

17:00–19:00

Networking drinks reception (with bowl food)

Thursday 26 February 2026 (Day 3)

08:30–09:00

Registration

09:00–09:10

Welcome back

09:10–09:50

Keynote: "Why data matters: enabling large scale population health research in the UK in the 'big data' era"

Cathie Sudlow

University of Edinburgh

09:55–10:20

Flash talks 1: The power of health data in personalised medicine

Chair: Cathie Sudlow

University of Edinburgh

10:20–10:50

Networking break

10:50–12:15

Session 6: Transforming medicine through digital twins

Chair: Tony Ng

GSK and King's College London

12:15–13:45

Lunch and posters

13:45–14:40

Great Debate 3: "Without regulation, digital twins and personalised medicine will do more harm than good"

Chair: Mark Lawler

Queens University Belfast

14:40–15:10

Networking break

15:10–15:40

Flash talks: Is personalised medicine accessible to all? Biases and opportunities for diverse groups of patients

Chair: Melissa Davis

Morehouse School of Medicine

15:45–16:15

Closing keynote

16:20–16:30

Closing remarks

Meet our keynote speakers

Cathie Sudlow.

Cathie Sudlow

Director of the Usher Institute, School of Population Health Sciences, The University of Edinburgh and Director of the UKRI Adolescent Health Study

Why data matters: Enabling large scale population health research in the UK in the 'big data' era

Mhairi Aitken.

Mhairi Aitken

Senior Ethics Fellow, The Alan Turing Institute

Why children are key to responsible AI

Meet our co-chairs

Greg Hannon.

Greg Hannon

Senior Group Leader, Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute

Day 2 - Revolutionising cancer research: the transformative role of AI

Raj Jena.

Raj Jena

Professor of AI in Radiation Oncology, University of Cambridge Department of Oncology and Cambridge University Hospitals

Day 2 - Revolutionising cancer research: the transformative role of AI

Richard Lee.

Richard Lee

Consultant Respiratory Physician, NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at The Royal Marsden and the Institute of Cancer Research

Day 2 - Revolutionising cancer research: the transformative role of AI

Bill Nailon.

Bill Nailon

NHS Clinical Scientist

Professor, Department of Oncology Physics at the Edinburgh Cancer Centre

Day 2 - Revolutionising cancer research: the transformative role of AI

Melissa Davis.

Melissa Davis

Director, Institute of Translational Genomic Medicine, Morehouse School of Medicine

Day 3 - Personalising cancer medicine: the power of health data

Tony Ng.

Tony Ng

Senior Vice President and Head of Oncology Translational Research, GSK

Day 3 - Personalising cancer medicine: the power of health data

Mark Lawler.

Mark Lawler

Professor of Digital Health, Queen’s University Belfast

Scientific Director, DATA-CAN

Day 3 - Personalising cancer medicine: the power of health data