Panos and Saoirse in Chicago: Engaging, Networking and Looking Ahead

Earlier this year, Saoirse and Dr. Panos Sarametidis, both supported by AICRI, travelled to Chicago, Illinois, to attend the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting. This is one of the world’s most prominent gatherings in oncology research. Their participation was made possible by funding from the AICRI Centralised Innovation Fund, which supports early-career researchers in gaining international experience and building collaborative networks.

For both researchers, the scale and energy of AACR 2025 left a lasting impression.

“I don’t think I’ll be able to look at an Irish conference the same again,” Saoirse admitted. “The sheer scale of AACR was something else, I was literally running between talks to catch the ones most relevant to my project. My step count doubled!”

For Panos, the conference was equally impactful.

“My participation in AACR was invaluable, both professionally and intellectually,” he shared. “I attended sessions on immunotherapy, tumour microenvironment modelling and precision medicine, all highly relevant to my work. Exposure to new methodologies has already begun to shape my thinking for future research.”

Both highlighted the value of connecting with researchers in their respective fields.

“The highlight of my visit was definitely presenting my poster,” Saoirse said. “I was nervous at first, but once the first attendee arrived, all the fear disappeared. Everyone was so encouraging and asked insightful questions. I spoke with researchers working in cancer metabolism for three hours straight, by the end my voice was hoarse, but my confidence was sky-high.”

Panos echoed the importance of those interactions.

“Networking was a huge benefit. I had the chance to speak with leading experts in oncology and explore ideas for future academic and clinical collaborations. That kind of access and dialogue is hard to come by outside of an event like this.”

The conference also offered moments of personal discovery and cultural appreciation.

“Chicago did not disappoint,” Saoirse noted. “It’s a beautiful city and yes, the deep-dish pizza absolutely lived up to the hype!”

Reflecting on their experiences, both researchers expressed sincere gratitude to AICRI.

“I’m truly thankful to AICRI for the ongoing support they provide to early-career researchers,” Panos said.
“This might be the highlight of the last three years of my PhD,” Saoirse added. “It’s given me motivation, confidence and clarity as I work towards completing my research.”