Working Together to Accelerate Collaboration

TFRI’s 10th Scientific Meeting will bring together researchers funded under all Terry Fox programs across the country, with a focus on accelerating collaboration in cancer research. We will have participants from our Research Grants Programs (PPGs, NIs, TRPs), the Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network and the relaunched Digital Health and Discovery Program attending the meeting, as well as trainees from most of our programs and projects.  

The meeting is at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel in downtown Toronto and is a two-day session (Friday, May 24, and Saturday, May 25) consisting of several plenaries, poster presentations, rapid-fire talks, keynote speakers and a dinner, with closing remarks at the end of the day on the 25th. There will be a Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network session on Sunday morning only for those invited to participate.

This pan-Canadian meeting continues to provide our community with a mechanism for exchanging ideas, sharing innovations and discoveries, trainee engagement and learning about the state of current Terry Fox cancer research from coast to coast. We look forward to seeing you there! 

The theme for this year’s meeting is Accelerating Collaboration. Our Scientific Organizing Committee is in the midst of developing the scientific program for the meeting right now! Check this website often for updates on the program topics, speakers, travel and accommodation details.  

Please note: Registration for this event is by invitation only.  

TFRI Scientific Meeting Details

WHERE

Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel  
123 Queen St W, Toronto, ON M5H 4G1 
Hotel telephone : +1 416-361-1000 
marriott.com/en-us/hotels/yyztc-sheraton-centre-toronto

AIRPORT TRANSFERS

Toronto Airport Transportation – Getting to and from Pearson Airport

PARKING

Onsite: Valet parking is currently available at a charge of $60.00 plus tax, per car, per 24-hour period. Max vehicle height for valet parking is 6.5ft. (2m) with limited availability. Oversized vehicles are $75/daily, plus tax. There is also an EV charging station. Prices are subject to change without notice.

Self-parking is available offsite at the Nathan Phillips Square Garage connected to the Sheraton Centre Toronto. Overnight rates from $26.00 with Flat, Hourly and discounted weekend rates available. Prices are subject to change without notice.

2024 10SM Scientific Organizing Committee

Dr. Jim Woodgett, Dr. Isabel Serrano, Dr. Christopher Paige, Dr. Robert Rottapel, Dr. Ly Vu, Dr. Sonia del Rincon, Dr. Rama Khokha, Dr. Dean Regier, Dr. Jessica McAlpine, Dr. Natalie Szudy, Dr. Russ Watkins, Kelly Curwin, Marina Lefilliatre

Agenda

10th SCIENTIFIC MEETING

“ACCELERATING COLLABORATION”
MAY 24 & 25: Scientific Program (Joint TFRI Research Grants/MOHCCN/DHDP programs)
MAY 26: Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network Meeting (Invitation only)
Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel

Download the latest version of the 10SM agenda here | Last update: April 10)

Registration 

Abstracts & Rapid-Fire Talks

Trainees must be a part of a TFRI/MOH-funded project to attend the meeting and will be selected by their program/project supervisor.

Important documents for trainees submitting abstracts:

• Abstract Guidelines
• Abstract Template 
• Sample Abstract

MOHCCN Trainees

This year, MOHCCN trainees presenting posters at the TFRI's 10th Scientific Meeting will be included in the judging of all posters presented at the meeting and will also be eligible to present a rapid-fire talk (subject to selection and notification by April 30) at the meeting. Winners selected from these competitions will receive award certificates.

Additionally this year, MOHCCN trainees will also participate in the inaugural "MOHCCN Poster Presentation: Patient Choice Awards". This award will be adjudicated by members of the MOHCCN Patient Working Group, who will evaluate each MOHCCN trainee's ability to communicate their research in plain, patient-focused language. All MOHCCN trainees will be expected to participate and present a brief (3-4 minutes) pitch about their research to Patient Working Group members during poster sessions. Evaluation criteria will include the ability of a trainee to explain why their research is important, what question(s) they were trying to answer, and how their research could potentially impact patients, amongst other things.

Patient Choice Award Evaluation Criteria.

TFRI Travel Assistance

To encourage trainee participation, TFRI-funded trainees who submit an abstract will be eligible to receive a TFRI Travel Assistance. Travel assistance is only for trainees living outside the GTA. 

The value of the travel assistance is based on a pre-determined fee schedule for air flights only from the trainee’s city of departure and return. The fee schedule and other related travel details will appear in the TRAVEL section of this website. 

All participants who are eligible for TFRI Travel Assistance will be required to prepay their own travel to/from the meeting, and TFRI will reimburse based on the fee schedule following the meeting. 

Please note: We encourage all project and program leaders to support and assist as necessary any trainees who find payment of the travel and or registration fee a barrier to attendance through the use a departmental, project or corporate team credit card to aid in trainee attendance. In instances where flight fees are charged to these accounts, TFRI will reimburse the credit card holder based on the above-mentioned fee schedule. 

Accommodation

Notice: Our Room Block is full. As of April 12, all registrants who require accommodation will have to make their own arrangements for hotel and submit a claim for this expense following the meeting. (Registrants will be contacted to confirm if they need to proceed with their own booking.) TFRI will reimburse up to 2 nights (and three nights for delegates also attending the May 26, 2024, MOHCCN invite-only meeting), up to a maximum of $349 plus taxes and fees per night, with receipts provided and an expense claim submitted following the meeting.

If the attendee requires changes to a booking, they must email 10smhotel@tfri.ca immediately to avoid accommodation charges.

Travel

The 10th SM will begin early Friday, May 24, and conclude late afternoon on Saturday, May 25. Participants attending the 10th SM should plan their return travel for the Saturday afternoon/evening. On Sunday there is an MOHCCN meeting which is by invitation only.

Attendee expenses for the meeting will be covered by TFRI and/or MOHCCN according to a pre-determined fee schedule. This includes Flex Fare for air travel (where applicable and only to those living outside the GTA).

For travel within Ontario: Ground transportation (mileage [per the TFRI Travel Policy], bus or train) and accommodation will be covered for attendees travelling 50 kilometres or further each way to the event destination. Parking will not be reimbursed.

Please read all the information in this section before you indicate whether or not you will be applying for TFRI Travel Assistance. You will need to indicate whether you are applying for this assistance when you register for the event.  

10SM Travel Assistance Claim Form

Travel Assistance Reimbursement Schedule

Travel Assistance amounts are based on return airfares currently to Toronto from cities listed below May 23-26, 2024.

Terms and Conditions

All project team members, including trainees, attending the meeting are required to book their own travel. We encourage you to book early and well in advance to secure the best fare possible.

Travel Assistance funds are provided to cover the cost of airfare only. Attendees will be reimbursed following the meeting for actual cost of base air travel up to the amounts provided above. Any changes, cancellations or modifications and associated costs to air travel are the responsibility of the traveller, including baggage fees, incremental seat fees, etc.

TFRI will not cover incidentals such as travel to the airport, taxi, parking, meals or any other incidentals related to travel to/from the meeting. These are the responsibility of the traveller.

We will not accept any Travel Expense Claims for these Travel Assistance funds, rather, all travellers (PIs and trainees) must complete a Travel Assistance Form to confirm they were present at the meeting, proof of actual airfare paid, name of payee and direct deposit/wire banking information for the Travel Assistance. Payment will be made by Electronic Funds Transfer or wire payment (international) to the traveller directly and/or the holder of the credit card to which the fare was charged. We will only issue payments post event.

To avoid any financial barriers for trainees to attend the meeting, we encourage project supervisors and/or departmental/ budget managers to assist eligible trainees where required with pre-payment of their travel costs through project grants and/or by enabling the use of a departmental or project credit card where possible.

Child-Care Bursary

We are pleased this year to announce that we are offering bursaries of up to $500 to meeting delegates with children who will incur extra expenses for child care while attending the 10th Scientific Meeting (SM) in Toronto May 24 & 25, 2024 (joint meeting dates) and the invite-only MOHCCN meeting on May 26.

If requests exceed available funding, preference will be given to trainees and early career researchers (within five years of an independent research position). To apply, select the Child-Care Bursary applicant box when you register for the event online. TFRI will send an application form to interested applicants.

Examples of allowable expenses:

• Extra child-care services incurred at home or at the conference due to attendance at this meeting
• Travel expenses for child(ren), e.g., airfare/ground travel to 10th SM 2024
• Travel expenses for caregiver (non-SM attendee), e.g., airfare/ground transportation and/or extra accommodation costs for 10th SM

Examples of expenses not allowed for reimbursement:

• Any registration or travel expenses for the attendee
• Entertainment for child(ren) or caregivers

Reimbursement procedure:

• Bursary recipients will be eligible to receive reimbursement of eligible expenses based on submission of applicable receipts or justification of costs at the close of 10th SM 2024.

*Note: TFRI/MOHCCN do not sanction or recommend child-care providers and does not assume responsibility or liability for child-care services of any sort. It is the responsibility of the parent(s) to thoroughly investigate all child-care providers.