2023 New Concepts Symposium
The New Concepts Symposium is designed as a novel way to reach out to a wider spectrum of the group. This session provides an opportunity for delegates to present embryonic new concepts for feedback and discussion with the audience, as well as comments from invited faculty in terms of perspective, international interest.
A good idea can be tested and a perception gained on whether to take the concept forward to a more formal review by the Upper or Lower GI Working Party. The identification of other AGITG members who may wish to assist in progressing the concept as an AGITG supported protocol is also possible.
The winner of the Best New Concept Award will receive a $3,500 prize and a framed certificate. The runner up will receive a $1,500 prize and framed certificate. Both winners will be announced at the Annual Scientific Meeting. Details of the Best New Concepts Award are published on the AGITG website and in the Annual Report. Past winners have later been successful in submissions to the AGITG Innovation Grant which provides up to $200,000 for AGITG pilot research.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Fulfils the definition of translational or clinical research
- International competitive science
- Contribution to area of unmet need in Australia
- Feasible as AGITG coordinated research
- Fundable (contestable funding and/or charitable sources)
Process:
- Concept submissions will be peer reviewed.
- Three concepts will be chosen for presentation.
- Selected concepts will be reviewed by a statistician with suggestions for improvement provided to the Investigator prior to printing the concept in the program book.
- Following presentation of the concept a critique will be provided.
- Delegates will then be invited to provide comments and the presenter will have opportunity to respond.
- The process is intended to be constructive and result in refinement of the concept – with the aim of becoming an AGITG sponsored Protocol.
Request an application form:
Submissions close Monday 4 September, 9am AEST
2022 WINNER – BEST NEW CONCEPT AWARD
The Best New Concept winner was Dr Helen Mohan for her COALA concept: changing outcomes after low anterior resection – a rectal cancer survivorship trial of pelvic floor prehabilitation prior to reversal of ileostomy. Dr Sonia Gill accepted the Best New Concept Award on behalf of Dr Helen Mohan.
2022 RUNNER UP – BEST NEW CONCEPT AWARD
Best New Concept Runner Up was Dr Laura Tam for her BIL-PPP: Combination PD1 and PARP inhibitor as maintenance treatment following platinum-gemcitabine for unresectable locally-advanced or metastatic biliary tract cancers concept. Professor Niall Tebbutt picked up the award on behalf of Dr Laura Tam.
2021 WINNER – BEST NEW CONCEPT AWARD
Associate Professor Dr Tim Clay was awarded the Best New Concept at the 2021 AGITG Annual Scientific Meeting for his concept ‘The ACE study’, which is investigating amivantamab activity in colorectal carcinoma previously treated with an EGFR monoclonal antibody.
2021 RUNNER UP – BEST NEW CONCEPT AWARD
Dr Shehara Mendis received the Runner Up Best New Concept Award for her concept on biomarker informed optimal management of advanced RAS wild type colorectal cancer (BIOMARCER1).
2021 – Sponsor
The Best of New Concepts Award was proudly sponsored by Amgen.
2020 WINNER – BEST OF NEW CONCEPTS AWARD
Associate Professor Jeanne Tie was awarded the Best New Concept Award at the 2020 AGITG Annual Scientific Meeting’s New Concepts Symposium for the concept titled: ‘RESOLUTE: Randomised Phase II Trial to Evaluate the Strategy of Integrating Local Ablative Therapy with First-Line Systemic Treatment for Unresectable Oligometastatic Colorectal Cancer’.
2020 RUNNER UP – BEST OF NEW CONCEPTS AWARD
Dr Natalie Collier received the Runner Up New Concept Award for her concept ‘Phase 2 trial of Interim MRI, FDG PET, and circulating tumour HPV DNA during chemoRadiotherapy In p16-positive AnaL squamous cell carcinoma: The IMPERIAL study’.
2020 – SPONSOR
The Best of New Concepts Award was proudly sponsored by Servier.
2019 WINNER – BEST OF NEW CONCEPTS AWARD
Dr Mark McGregor was awarded the Best New Concept Award at the meeting’s New Concepts Symposium for the concept titled: ‘A phase II study of oncolytic immunotherapy of metastatic neuroendocrine tumours using intralesional rose Bengal diodium in combination with pembolizumab’.
2019 RUNNER UP – BEST OF NEW CONCEPTS AWARD
Dr Grace Gard received the Runner Up New Concept Award for her concept ‘A pilot study to define the feasibility of randomized controlled study incorporating organoid sensitivity testing driven treatment for patients with chemorefractory metastatic colorectal cancer’.
2019 Sponsor
The Best of New Concepts Award was proudly sponsored by Specialised Therapeutics.
2018 Winner – Best of New Concepts Award
Dr Lorraine Chantrill won the 2018 Best of New Concepts Award for her concept ‘A pilot feasibility and discovery study of neoadjuvant FOLFIRINOX followed by
immunotherapy for resectable adenocarcinoma of the pancreas’. Dr Chantrill received $3,500 and a framed certificate.
2018 Runner Up – Best of New Concepts Award
Dr Wee Loon Ong received the Runner Up New Concept Award for his concept ‘Using the CancerAid® mobile app to collect toxicity and quality of life data to improve the efficiency of trial data collection’.
2018 Sponsor
The Best of New Concepts Award is proudly sponsored by Specialised Therapeutics.
2017 Winner – Best of New Concepts Award
Four concepts at the 2017 New Concepts Symposium. Congratulations to Dr Katherine Geddes of St Vincent’s’ Hospital VIC for winning the 2017 Best of New Concepts Award for her concept ‘The prevalence and significance of sarcopaenia in patients with operable adenocarcinoma of the stomach or gastro‐oesophageal junction undergoing treatment with curative intent and the impact of altered body composition on chemotherapy delivery’. Dr Geddes receives $3,500 and Best of New Concepts Award framed certificate.
2017 Runner Up – Best of New Concepts Award
The Co-Chairs of the New Concepts Symposium found the quality of the other three concepts presented to be of equal standing and awarded each a Runner-up Award of $500 and framed certificate.
Dr Andrew Dean of St John of God Hospital, Subiaco WA for his concept ‘Biliary neoplasm, OXaliplatin, Fluorouracil Folinic acid nal‐Irinotecan ChemothErapy for late / advanced tumours (BOXOFFICE)’.
Dr Andrew Oar of Liverpool Hospital NSW for his concept ‘A Feasibility Study using Mfolfirinox And STEreotactic Radiotherapy for Pancreatic cancer with Locally AdvaNced disease (MASTERPLAN)’.
Prof Phillip Clingan of the Illawarra Cancer Care Centre NSW for his concept ‘A Randomised, Multicentre, Open label Phase II Study of novel formulation Deflexifol in combination with Oxaliplatin (Delox) vs FOLFOX in subjects with unresectable metastatic colorectal cancer’.
2017 Sponsor
The Best of New Concepts Award is proudly sponsored by Specialised Therapeutics Australia.
2016 Sponsor
The AGITG thanks Specialised Therapeutics Australia for sponsoring the Best of New Concepts Award.
2016 Winner – Best of New Concepts Award
Four concepts were presented at the 2016 New Concepts Symposium.
Congratulations go to Associate Professor Eva Segelov of St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney for winning the 2016 Best of New Concepts Award for her concept ‘Inducing immunogenicity in rectal cancer: A Phase I/II trial of aspirin +/- PD1 inhibitor in combination with neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy for locally advanced rectal cancer: The INTIMACCI study (Inducing Tumour IMmunogenicity with Asprin, chemoradiation and Checkpoint Inhibition)’.
A/Prof Segelov receives $5,000 and Best of New Concepts Award framed certificate.
2015 Sponsor
The AGITG thanks Specialised Therapeutics Australia for sponsoring the Best of New Concepts Award.
2015 Winner – Best of New Concepts Award
The 2015 New Concepts Symposium featured six presentations of embryonic research concepts.
Prof Rob Ramsay from the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre won the Best of New Concepts Award for his concept ‘Vaccination against Adenoid cystic and Colorectal Carcinoma Using MYB cDNA – VACCUMeD clinical trial – Immune Modulatory Therapy in Colorectal and Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma’.
A/Prof Barbara Mullan from Curtin University and Dr Haryana Dhillon from the University of Sydney were runners up with their concept ‘Managing bowel symptoms after colorectal cancer: an online dietary advice intervention’.
2014 Winner – Best in New Concepts
The 2014 New Concepts Symposium featured seven presentations of embryonic research concepts.
Congratulations go to Dr Matthew Burge of Royal Brisbane Hospital for winning the Best of New Concepts Award for his concept ‘A randomised Phase 2/3 study of Infusional FU/LV with panitumumab V FU/LV/capecitabine with bevacizumab as first line therapy for never resectable, RAS and RAF wild type metastatic colorectal cancer’.
2014 Runner-Up – Best in New Concepts
Dr David Lau from the Ludwig Institute was awarded runner up for his concept entitled: “A phase II, single arm, multi-site study utilizing ctDNA to prospectively determine the evolution of cetuximab resistance prior to radiologic progression in metastatic colorectal cancer.”
2014 Sponsor
The AGITG thanks Specialised Therapeutics Australia for sponsoring the Best of New Concepts Award.