WELCOME

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

It is our great pleasure to invite you to the 19th International Symposium on Pediatric Neuro-Oncology (ISPNO), which will take place in Karuizawa, Japan in December 2020.

The very first ISPNO was held in Tokyo, Japan in 1986. The ISPNO has since become the most prominent and distinguished scientific meeting in the field of pediatric neuro-oncology and now it comes back to where it all started. ISPNO2020 covers virtually all aspects of pediatric neuro-oncology, including diagnosis, clinical trials, novel treatment, basic and translational researches, neuroradiology, psychology, quality of life, nursing and patients’ care. Pediatric neuro-oncology has seen the explosion of new developments in the last decade, relishing the technological advancement of molecular genetics. Molecular classification and translational researches are now an integrated part of clinical practices. Where do we go from here? ISPNO2020 will be the opportunity to discuss and work together towards the next steps.

The ISPNO2020 will be held from Sunday, December 13 to Wednesday, December 16, 2020, rescheduled from the original dates in June. Under the current status of the COVID-19 pandemic, ISPNO2020 will go hybrid, combining an in-person and virtual meeting. The in-person meeting will be held at the Karuizawa Prince Hotel West in Karuizawa, Japan. Those who will not be able to attend in-person will be able to participate in the virtual meeting online. We assure you that we will organize ISPNO2020 that accommodates any circumstances, and make sure all of you will be able to participate in the ISPNO meeting.

The meeting includes the Education Day, the main symposium that consists of a series of plenary sessions, keynote lectures, panel discussions, concurrent and sunrise sessions as well as plenty of posters, covering most major topics on pediatric brain tumors. In particular, ISPNO2020 will shed light on the Asian scene of pediatric neuro-oncology. We welcome delegates from all over the world, especially those who have never attended ISPNO to join us in Karuizawa. For those who cannot travel, we believe that the virtual meeting will serve as a good option to attend ISPNO2020.

Karuizawa is a popular mountain resort, originally promoted by a Canadian missionary Alexander Croft Shaw, who was fascinated by its rich nature and climate, which he felt was similar to his hometown in Toronto. Karuizawa is located at the foot of the magnificent Mt. Asama, and as a part of a National Park, its forests, waters and volcanic landscape offers a cozy secluded atmosphere for the meeting, away from the hustle and bustle of the city. It also offers great winter resort, particularly for skiing.

If you have not been to Japan before, do not miss this opportunity. If you have, explore more. ISPNO always offers you the most up-to-date information on pediatric neuro-oncology and brings you a chance to meet experts. We will do our best to make ISPNO2020 the greatest opportunity to push the field of pediatric neuro-oncology forward and connect people. We look forward to working with you toward the cure of pediatric brain tumors. See you in December!