InterLymph: At the Forefront of International Lymphoma Research

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ABSTRACT In 2019, an estimated 114,420 individuals in the United States alone will be diagnosed and 33,930 will die from non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) or multiple myeloma (MM). The International Lymphoma Epidemiology (InterLymph) consortium assembles researchers in epidemiology and related disciplines interested in studying these conditions. Established in 2002 with 11 members, InterLymph now boasts 81 investigators representing 57 institutions in 13 countries. It is an open scientific forum undertaking collaborative research projects to better understand risk and prognostic factors of NHL, HL and MM. Thus far, InterLymph members have successfully completed collaborative research resulting in the publication of 66 peer-reviewed manuscripts and played a significant role in several high-profile discoveries of genetic and environmental risk factors. Structured around 8 working groups, this diverse community of epidemiologists, statisticians, geneticists, basic scientists and clinicians work together to: (I) foster international collaborations; (III) develop a framework to efficiently conduct and publish collaborative studies; (II) provide a forum for the discussion, development and pursuit of new research directions; and (IV) support early career researchers. The InterLymph annual meeting, regularly attended by 40-60 investigators, is an important event to share progress of on-going research projects, maintain and expand valuable networks, plan next steps, and explore new collaborative ideas. This is achieved with oral and poster presentations and round-table discussions. In addition, local non-member experts are invited to share their expertise in an effort to stimulate new ideas, broaden perspective and strengthen our cutting-edge science. Annual meetings also provide important opportunities for junior investigators and trainees to foster professional relationships and participate in the exchange of ideas. Meeting programs and themes are developed by the InterLymph Coordinating Committee and the meeting host. The 2020 and 2021 meetings will highlight “InterLymph: At the Forefront of International Lymphoma Research”. In 2020, the meeting will be hosted in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. Utah has a long history of successful genealogy-based studies and innovative genetic and genomic techniques. Accordingly, the InterLymph 2020 theme will be “Genealogy and Genomics”. The 2021 InterLymph meeting will be hosted in Lyon, France, the home of the International Agency for Research on Cancer. With the advent of huge population genetic databases, such as the UK biobank, the InterLymph 2021 theme will be “Big Data in Epidemiology”. Annual meetings are a proven means to maintaining collegiality and sustaining advances in joint research of lymphoid neoplasms. This conference proposal will contribute significantly to our success by providing the ability to offer travel awards and networking events, which will increase the diversity of attendees and overall value of the meetings.