Gathering the Best of the Best

Each year, the V Foundation for Cancer Research invites recently funded V Scholar grantees to gather together for the V Foundation for Cancer Research Summit! The conference, designed specifically for early-career investigators, serves as a way to gather like-minded scientists from across the United States and Canada for a few days of collaboration, networking and seminars designed to equip scientists to further their careers.

The 2025 V Summit was held at the beautiful SAS campus in Cary, NC, May 12-14, with 43 recently funded V Foundation grantees in attendance. Grantees traveled from all over to attend: Los Angeles, New York, Seattle, Miami, Toronto, Dallas, and elsewhere.

As part of the conference, the grantees each attended mentoring panel sessions with past V Foundation grantees, educational seminars and professional development sessions to sharpen skills as researchers, and social outings to collaborate and network with fellow grantees. In addition, each grantee shared a brief insight into their research by presenting flash talks to their peers, V Foundation Board Members and V Foundation staff.

“To be in the room with great minds that are going to be the rock stars of science in the future and brainstorm different ways to deal with the same issue is something that you actually bring back to your lab and you’re more equipped, not only for success, but also to address difficult situations that we are all going to face.”

– Camilla Dos Santos, Ph.D., 2016 V Scholar, Associate Professor at Cold Springs Harbor Laboratory

An incredible experience for all attendees, supporting these inspiring grantees would not be possible without the continued investment from dedicated donors. 100% of direct donations to the V Foundation go directly to game-changing cancer research. The support from V Foundation donors is making progress in research possible and does not go unnoticed.

For Chad Pecot, MD, the mission is personal. A former V Foundation grantee who was inspired to go into cancer research after being diagnosed with cancer himself, Dr. Pecot is pushing the envelope for lung cancer at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He credits the V Foundation and its donors for spurring his career forward as a young investigator.

“You don’t realize how important what you are doing is. I can tell you there are some incredibly bright people out there who are hardworking and want the most. They really want to make a difference and really end cancer. What you are doing to donate and make a difference is mattering. You are seeing it from the very beginning of their careers to older folks like me who got one over 10 years ago, I’m still alive and kicking the research world because you guys gave me the inspiration and someone believes in me. Thank you so much and keep doing it. I can’t think of a more important time for us to have support than right now.”

We want to say thank you to our researchers. Without them – we wouldn’t be here. We are proud of their impact each day to help us achieve Victory Over Cancer®. We will always continue to fund their bold ideas. pic.twitter.com/gwbqP0iv07

— The V Foundation for Cancer Research (@TheVFoundation) May 19, 2025

Taking pictures like we were at a concert. Can you tell we had a great time at the V Foundation for Cancer Research Summit? pic.twitter.com/Z6TTWOE0sB

— The V Foundation for Cancer Research (@TheVFoundation) May 16, 2025