12th Annual AACI CRI Meeting: Day 1 Overview

Many thanks to the cancer center clinical trial leaders and other colleagues who participated today in the 12th Annual AACI CRI Meeting, held virtually this year due to travel and gathering restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Today’s presentations included brief videos by meeting exhibitors Florence and Veeva Systems and a break sponsored by Essex Management. Thank you to our meeting exhibitors and supporters.

Dr. Theresa Werner, CRI Steering Committee chair, kicked off the meeting with opening remarks and a look at CRI's recent accomplishments, including updated strategic objectives and an active Shared Investigator Platform (SIP) Task Force.

In a panel discussion on harnessing technology to improve cancer clinical trials, Dr. Muhammad Beg, from the Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, UT Southwestern Medical Center, reported on the role of wearable devices and sensors in monitoring cancer patients. The panel also featured presentations by Theresa Cummings, University of Maryland Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, and Leslie Pettiford, University of Florida Health Cancer Center, and was moderated by Collette Houston, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

In a review of ways that cancer centers are managing change, especially in relation to coronavirus restrictions, the Cleveland Clinic Cancer Center’s Kimberly Jenkins highlighted the importance of trust at her institution for everything from training, communication, and management, to determining pay and goals. Michael Sainz, from Dartmouth-Hitchcock Norris Cotton Cancer Center, moderated the panel discussion, with presentations from Andrea Skafel, UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center; and Stefanie Belanger, UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

The day’s events closed with a vendor presentation by Advarra, home of Forte Technology Solutions. Jivan Achreja, Advarra's chief technology officer and president, technology solutions, provided an overview of the current state of clinical research and where the industry is headed, and discussed using technology to keep research moving and ensure stability in the post-COVID landscape.

Join AACI tomorrow for the final day of the 12th Annual AACI CRI Meeting. Abstracts and poster presentations will be featured, along with a deep dive into the National Cancer Institute's Cancer Center Support Grant with Drs. Henry Ciolino and Gisele Sarosy.