The conference, which ends tomorrow, follows from the announcement that the Republic and Northern Ireland were to join with the US National Cancer Institute in a new research partnership.
The agreement is expected to enhance research and the development of new cancer therapies for patients throughout Ireland.
The three parties will share research, develop joint clinical trials and link scientists and doctors in the three countries in a formal way.
Initial projects will focus on the co-ordination of tumour registries, a new information technology network to support clinical trials in the hospitals and the training and exchange of students and practitioners. The formal agreement was signed last Sunday by the Minister for Health and Children, Mr Cowen, the Northern Minister for Health and Social Services, Mr George Howarth, and officials from the National Cancer Institute.
It establishes the All-Ireland NCI Cancer Consortium which is expected to open a long-term partnership. It will also help to foster valuable North-South co-operative exchanges in cancer research.
US National Cancer Institute: http://nci.nih.gov
