Highlights from ESUR23 in Basel
The 29th Meeting of the EAU Section of Urological Research (ESUR23) was held from 19 to 21 October 2023 in Basel, Switzerland. Fostering interdisciplinary interactions, the meeting was organised in collaboration with the EAU Section of Uropathology (ESUP). Renowned international speakers presented their latest basic and translational findings in experimental urological research.
Delegates and faculty members met at the Biozentrum, an inspiring brand-new building dedicated to high-level basic research in Basel. The meeting integrated six scientific sessions with presentations given by 18 keynote speakers. Topics included patient-derived and mouse models, combination therapies, spatial biology, extracellular vesicles, as well as infectiology, immunity, and microbiome.
Providing an outstanding platform for young scientists and clinicians to present their work and maximising interactions, the meeting also included short oral presentations and two poster sessions, all selected from submitted abstracts. This year, a total of 132 abstracts were submitted with 82 accepted for poster presentation and 18 accepted for oral presentation.
Day 1
To gain knowledge on cutting-edge laboratories technologies, delegates had the opportunity to attend one course and one workshop. The course entitled “Patient-derived organoids in urological cancer: tips and tricks” was presented by Dr. Clémentine Le Magnen and Mr. Michele Garioni (CH), which enabled a group of 25 delegates to discuss key steps, technical difficulties, and opportunities associated with the generation of such novel model systems. Novel technologies in the spatial biology field were also shared with delegates in an industry session.
In the afternoon the meeting officially opened with the first scientific session focusing on patient-derived models (organoids, xenografts) and their application for translational research and personalised medicine in several urological tumour entities. This was followed by a more clinically-oriented session where lecturers tackled the biological and clinical rationale for combination therapies and novel therapeutic strategies in the context of bladder, kidney, and prostate cancer.
Day 2
The second day started with innovative lectures showcasing the use of mouse models to decipher molecular and cellular mechanisms driving urological cancers. The second session featured the latest data in the field of infectiology and immunity. Following lunch, the first poster session took place and allowed young scientists to discuss their projects in an informal and friendly setting. The afternoon session focused on spatial biology, an emerging area of investigation which is becoming increasingly important in the urological research field.
Day 3
The ESUR organised for the first time a joint session with the International Society for Extracellular Vesicles (ISEV). This session specifically aimed at fostering interdisciplinary and cross-societal collaborations, educating scientists on state-of-the-art developments in the field, and improving the scientific rigour associated with extracellular vesicles (EV) research. The three keynote speakers addressed EV-driven mechanisms and therapeutic options associated with EV in the context of urological diseases and beyond.
Following a very interactive poster session, ESUR23 closed with the awards ceremony. A total of six awards were generously sponsored by the Department of Urology (University Hospital Basel, CH) and the ARTP (Association pour la Recherche sur les Tumeurs de la Prostate, FR).
Meet all the prize winners from ESUR23
- First prize for Best Oral Abstract Presentation - Mr. Andrea Mazzoleni (CH), Second prize for Best Oral Abstract Presentation - Ms. Chloe Pacyna (GB)
- First prize for Best Poster Presentation - Dr. Pilar Salamanca Jiménez (ES), Second prize for Best Poster Presentation - Mr. Riccardo Bevilacqua (IT)
- First prize Best Oral Presentation on Prostate Cancer Research - Ms. Vera Constâncio (PT)
- Best Poster Presentation on Prostate Cancer Research – Mrs. Elisa Federici (CH)
New ‘Research Forum’ set for Paris!
ESUR23 marked a significant milestone as the final ‘stand-alone’ meeting for the EAU Section of Urological Research. Instead, next year a brand-new ‘Research Forum’ will feature at EAU24 in Paris, France. The Scientific Committee Office and ESUR are in the process of choosing abstracts for this research-focused session. This exciting edition to the scientific programme is planned to expand into a two-day session at EAU25, offering a robust platform for research and collaboration.
