Abstract Submission Guidelines
Call for Abstracts is now open!
Abstract submissions are invited for consideration for European Society for Animal Cell Technology 2024,
which will be held in Edinburgh, UK on 23 – 26 June 2024.
Important Dates
25 September 2023
Call for Abstract Submissions Opens
10 January 2024
Abstract Submission Deadline
08 March 2024
Notification of Review Outcome
27 March 2024
Accepted authors to register to confirm attendance
April 2024
Programme Available Online
What are we looking for?
Submitting an abstract at a conference is an excellent way to communicate the outcomes of your research project with fellow practitioners, researchers and educationalists. Presenting will also support your personal development, showcase your skills and help grow your CV. A limited numbers of abstracts may be considered as short oral presentations. Please indicate if you wish for your abstract to be considered for (i) a short oral or poster presentation or (ii) a poster presentation only.
Themes
Abstracts are welcome in any one of the following six categories. Full descriptions for themes 1 to 5 are shown below. Theme 6 is intended to cover aspects that are not readily definable as fitting into themes 1 to 5.
- Cells as factories
- Product quality
- Data, cells and processes
- Transitioning from development to manufacture
- Innovate or Die – Technology Innovation
- Other topics
1. Cells as factories and therapies: modernizing biologics production for emerging modalities
Cell culture is the key to the manufacture of protein-based (biopharmaceutical, non-mRNA vaccines), viral gene and cell-based therapies. Manufacturing challenges exist around the capacity of mammalian cells to support the generation of novel therapeutic modalities (e.g. domain-engineered proteins) and gene- and cell-based therapies (e.g. CAR-T cells). The yields and quality of emerging modalities can be limited by a lack of the fundamental understanding of product interaction and influences upon the capacity of cells to produce the target therapy. To generate innovative products at the scale required to enable realisation of their therapeutic potential requires a molecular and cellular understanding of how the cell factory is influenced by the molecular interventions. Such understandings will aid development of enhanced processes, cell factory hosts and, in certain cases, potential replacement of cell-based manufacture by cell-free systems.
In this session we seek to examine current understanding of the potential for manufacture of a range of engineered and emerging modalities (such as multi-domain antibodies, antibody-drug conjugates, hard-to-express proteins, non-mRNA vaccines, viral-based gene therapies, modifies [CAR-T, NK, etc] and non-modified cell therapies, including both allogenic and autologous systems). In particular, we are looking for contributions that will exemplify the development of understanding through which cells, products and/or processes can be engineered to improve efficacy, economy and safety of emerging entities, and which identify means to predict successful enhancement of production of therapeutics of novel structure and function.
2. Product Quality – Functional Relevance and Emerging Technologies
Ensuring consistent high product quality has been an integral part of process and product development and this extends well into commercial manufacturing, testing, and product release. While relationships between product quality attributes and in vivo product function have always been foundational, the need for improved understanding of these relationships has intensified with the emergence of novel modalities both as complex expressed proteins and more specifically cell and gene therapy-based therapeutics. Additionally, health authorities across the globe are increasingly expecting rigorous science-based understanding of product quality attributes as part of regulatory filings, both during manufacturing and release of biological drugs.
In this session, we wish to explore the complex relationships between product quality attributes and their impact on product function. Recognizing the modality-specific nature of such relationships, we wish to broadly explore the modality space and are especially interested not only in complex protein-based drugs but also in emerging modalities such as cell and gene therapy. Novel analytical technologies and PAT are playing an increasingly important role in attribute understanding and will also be explored in this session.
3. From Big Data to Better Cells and Processes
The acquisition, transformation and interpretation of large data sets has become a cornerstone in animal cell technology and efforts to advance digital workflows offer the potential to create better therapeutics in a shorter time in the future. In recent years, various ‘big data’ analytics and mathematical modelling tools have been developed to provide novel and deeper insights into cells and processes, which have led to an increased understanding of the biological systems used to manufacture biologics. These tools and their application have the potential to fundamentally alter modern bioprocessing methodologies. Of equal importance are both the development of digital tools as well as the transformation of these large data sets into tangible improvements in the form of better cell lines and more efficient production processes.
This scientific session will cover the latest advancements around utilizing ‘big data’ sets and emerging digital technologies including but not limited to the application of omics technologies for high content cell and process characterization, the identification of predictive biomarkers to accelerate cell line development, mechanistic & hybrid modelling, digital twins, multi-variate data analysis (MVDA), machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) applications in bioprocessing, in order to guide, enhance and accelerate decision making and performance in all areas of biopharma including discovery and development, cell line improvement, and bioprocess advances.
4. Transitioning from development to manufacture – How do science and innovation translate into highly efficient biomanufacturing?
Process knowledge is gained throughout early development efforts and often successfully built into advanced biomanufacturing platforms. The objective of this scientific session is to consider strategies which help to accelerate process development and tech transfer with a high level of confidence. The smart integration of predictive models and novel experimentation strategies are used to fine tune the desired product quality and enhance process control at manufacturing scale. As a result, more cost efficient, robust and scalable bioprocesses are established to support the production of biologics and vaccines, as well as a variety of new therapeutic modalities. But how do the cellular and process imperatives come together during scale up and tech transfer and what can we learn from recent success stories? To answer this, we will look at ongoing efforts in the following areas of interest: quality by design, high throughput process development, process monitoring and control, predictive modeling and statistical process control, tech transfer, automation and facility concepts, characterization of highly complex processes, advanced in-line and at-line tools.
5. Innovate or die – technology innovation driving the understanding and control of bioprocesses
As new therapeutic modalities become more and more complex, and we move to new processes (e.g. continuous culture systems, personalised tailoring of medicines and delivery formats) novel technologies are required for process control and successful development of ideas into drugs and products. The interrogation of cell factory functional status or product status based on novel principles is likely to drive understanding and control of bioprocesses. To achieve these aspirations, the sector needs to engage with the developers of technologies that can integrate features that verify process status within and beyond the expected bioprocessing community.
This session of ESACT2024 seeks contributions on emerging technologies with the potential to enable bioprocessing breakthroughs and will consider technologies applicable to any product format and at all stages of product manufacture. The emphasis must be on technology and those that have the potential to favour step-changes in our capacity to understand and control bioprocesses will be selected for short talks on one of two sessions during ESACT2024.
Presentation Type
Abstracts can be submitted for presentation at the Conference as one of the following categories:
- Oral or Poster Presentation
- Poster Presentation only
At the review stage, the Programme Committee may change the presentation preference submitted by the author to ensure the continuity of the conference programme i.e. oral presentation may be changed to poster presentation OR poster presentation to oral presentation. The presenting Author will be informed of any change to their submitted presentation preference at the acceptance notification stage. The decision of the programme committee is final.
Oral Format
Duration of short oral presentations will be determined by the session chairs.
Poster Format
If accepted to present accepted poster authors will be asked to produce a poster for display at the conference. Presenters are asked to take note of the following guidelines when producing their poster:
- Maximum poster size is A0 (0.84 x 1.19m) (portrait orientation)
- Keep text to a minimum
- Ensure any text is in large font
- Use graphs, charts, and/or tables
- Ensure contents have a logical flow
- Make it colourful
Removal and collection of posters at the end of the conference is the responsibility of the presenter. Posters not removed will be removed and disposed of.
Previously presented abstracts
Data showcased in abstracts are expected to report novel research outputs that produce incremental advances to current understanding. Novelty is a major criterion for the acceptance for presentation.
Please email ESACT2024@conferencepartners.com if you are unsure about submitting previously presented work.
Prizes
The committee will judge and select three posters for 1st, 2nd and 3rd prize.
Submission Process
The abstract submission process for ESACT 2024 will be through an online submission portal.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ON THE SUBMISSION PROCESS
- Abstracts must be submitted by the individual who will present the work in oral or poster format. This individual will be the corresponding author for that abstract.
- All abstracts must be received by the submission deadline (10th of January 2024) to be included in the review.
- Whilst registration for the conference can be undertaken at the same time as submission of the abstracts, it is not compulsory to do so.
- However, authors of accepted abstracts must register for conference attendance by 27 March 2024.
- Abstracts must be submitted in English.
Submission Guidelines
It is ESSENTIAL that you read the guidelines below before you submit.
Abstracts which do not adhere to the guidelines will not be reviewed.
Who submits the abstract?
The presenting author must submit the abstract and will act as the main point of contact for the abstract with organisers.
Once you enter the online submission portal, start by creating an account. Please keep a record of the details you use to set up the account as you will require these details to log into both the ESACT 2024 abstract submission portal and conference registration portal. Upon successful submission of the abstract a confirmation email will be sent to the presenting author.
If you do not receive a confirmation email, please check that your abstract is not left in draft format and is fully submitted by logging back into the portal and checking on the Edit/View Abstracts page.
How to edit a submitted abstract?
You can save your submission as a draft and return to edit the submission at a later point. It is important to note that once it has been submitted the abstract cannot be edited after the abstract submission deadline (10 January 2024). Ensure that your abstract is not left in draft as it will not be reviewed.
Submission Guidelines
The online abstract submission is a simple step-by-step process and will ask you to input the following details:
- Abstract title – word limit is 300 words
- Presentation type – Oral or Poster, Poster only
- Theme – chosen from the theme list above
- Presenting Author – Name, affiliation, and job title of presenting author (this person must be listed as the first author)
- Co-Authors – Name, affiliation, and job title of co-author(s)
- Abstract style –
- Abstracts must be written in a narrative format (not bullet points). Abstract must be written using accurate grammar and spelling. Poor grammar or spelling may result in the abstract being rejected.
- All places, people and organisation must be anonymised within the submitted document.
- Organism names should be presented using italics – first use should be genus name in full e.g. – Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and any subsequent use should be upper case initial followed by a full stop and the species name e.g. tuberculosis.
- Abstract document – Abstract word limit is 300, use abstract template (word limit includes: references; excludes: title, authors and affiliations)
- Additional information
- Early career status (within 4 years of initial undergraduate qualification)
- Letter from current supervisor/Head of Department required
- Not previously presented – confirmation
- Conflict of Interest – Please list any conflicts of interest related to your abstract below. If there are none, please type ‘no conflicts to declare’
- Data consent agreement
- Alternative contact for abstract
- Publication of abstract agreement
- Early career status (within 4 years of initial undergraduate qualification)
- Additional information
Abstract Template
Abstracts must be formatted using the ESACT 2024 template.
Download the template below to create the abstract and then save as a Word file to upload to the system. Only WORD files will be accepted for upload. Graphs and tables may not be included in the abstract. Abstracts will not be edited and will added to the conference website and/or conference app as submitted. Ensure that all grammar and spelling is correct.
Review and Notification of Acceptance
All abstracts will go through a blind peer-review carried out by reviewers selected by the ESACT 2024 Programme Committee.
Notification of acceptance or rejection will be sent to the submitter on 08 March 2024.
Registration of the Abstract Presenter
When notified of acceptance, the presenting author is required to accept the offer by registering for the conference and paying in full by 27 March 2024. You will be provided with a link to register at this rate in your acceptance email.
If a presenter fails to register by 27 March they:
- Will be removed from the programme
- Will be removed from all ESACT 2024 related publications
Withdrawal Conditions & Change of Presenter
If you need to withdraw the abstract or change the presenting author contact ESACT2024@conferencepartners.com by 20 March.
Terms and Conditions
- The abstract submitted adheres to the abstract submission guidelines outlined on the Conference Website.
- The abstract submitted is in English.
- This abstract has only been submitted once for ESACT 2024.
- It is the responsibility of the presenting author to submit the abstract. They are the main contact whose responsibility it is to communicate with other co-authors.
- Conflicts of interest (if any) have been declared.
- The presenting author is available to present at the conference between 23 – 26 June 2024.
- The presenting author must register and pay in full by the deadline indicated in the abstract review outcome email. If they do not register and pay in full, the abstract will be removed from the programme and any associated publications.
- The text of the abstract, along with the names and affiliations, poster and/or additional documents as requested, will be published on the conference website, in the abstract document and on the conference app, and this will not raise any copyright issues.
- A submission as a particular presentation type or theme may be changed to a different type following review in order to be accepted and included in the programme.
- Presenters may be recorded for live streaming. A recording of the presentation and a copy of the slides may be published online after the conference.
If you have any queries regarding the above, please contact the ESACT 2024 Programme Team ESACT2024@conferencepartners.com