Latest news from BNOS and across the neuro-oncology network

Brain Tumour Research and the Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission are pleased to announce applications for the next BTR-NTA review round are now open!

The BTR-NTA programme is designed to fast-track the development of new therapies for brain tumours by offering industry and academic groups:

• Up to 240 hours of expert input from an international, multidisciplinary committee
• Independent guidance on future work and next steps
• Recommendations on potential avenues for partnerships or funding

Applications close: 11th July 2025

We are inviting expressions of interest to join the BNOS Council Executive Team in the positions of Honorary Secretary and Meetings Secretary. 

The positions are for an initial three-year term, commencing in June following this year’s AGM being held at the annual conference in London.

• The purpose of the Honorary Secretary role is to support the Executive Team and wider Council to ensure the smooth, efficient and effective running of the Society.
• The purpose of the Meetings Secretary role is to provide guidance, knowledge and support with organising the annual scientific meeting in conjunction with the local organising committee (LOC), Executive Team and the contracted Professional Conference Organiser (PCO) with administration and communications support provided by the BNOS Administrators.

The roles of Honorary Secretary and Meetings Secretary form part of the BNOS Council Executive Team alongside the President, Vice President and Honorary Treasurer.

This is an exciting opportunity to take a leading role in developing and delivering BNOS’s charitable objectives and inputting into policy.

Full details of the role and how to apply can be found by following the links below.

The closing date for expressions of interest is midnight on Sunday 1st June 2025.

Cancer Research Wales is delighted to invite applications for the second grant call of their Brain Tumour Research Initiative.

This includes a fellowship opportunity for any candidates wishing to set up a research group in Wales. The fellowship is funded with up to £500,000.

The call is a 2-stage process with expressions of interest due May 12th.

BNOS and Brain Tumour Research are pleased to once again invite applications for the Young Investigator Award. Applicants should be young researchers who have made an outstanding contribution to the field of neuro-oncology in the UK.

The recipient of the award will be invited to speak during a dedicated session at the BNOS Annual Conference in London 18-20 June 2025, for which their conference fees will be waived or refunded. In addition, the recipient will receive an award of £2,000* to attend one (or more) other neuro-oncology conference in the year of the award.

The deadline for applications is midnight on Monday 14th April.

Full details of eligibility and how to apply can be found by following the link below.

We are seeking to appoint a new President from 2027. The appointment is for five years commencing summer 2025 as Vice President. The appointee will serve two years as Vice President, two years as President (from summer 2027) and one year as Immediate Past President.

Professor Susan Short’s term as BNOS President ends in June and she will serve a further year as Immediate Past President. The current BNOS Vice President Andrew Brodbelt will assume the President role following this year’s AGM to be held at our Annual Scientific Meeting in London.

The role of Vice President forms part of the BNOS Council Executive team alongside the President, Honorary Treasurer, Honorary Secretary and Meetings Secretary.

This is an exciting opportunity to take a leading role in developing and delivering BNOS’s charitable objectives and inputting into policy.

Key responsibilities of President/Vice President:

• Actively represent and promote the aims and ideals of BNOS by attending Council meetings which are held three times a year (a mixture of in person and virtual), plus any other meetings as required
• The President will chair Council meetings; the Vice President will act as Deputy Chair and chair meetings in the absence of the President
• Both the President and Vice President will liaise and work with the other members of the Executive team and Administration team on a range of BNOS matters
• Input into discussions with Council and Trustees regarding the key workings of BNOS and plans for development
• The above duties are not exhaustive, and the role extends to all areas of BNOS activity

To apply:

You are invited to submit a CV (max. 3 pages) and 1-page expression of interest outlining how you meet the requirements of the role and what your aims are for developing BNOS and helping us to fulfil our mission to promote high-quality multi-disciplinary neuro-oncology research, education and patient-centred care.

Please send your application to administrator@bnos.org.uk by midnight on Monday 31 March 2025

We are seeking to complement the existing skills and knowledge and grow our Board by appointing a new trustee with knowledge and experience in financial management to become the designated Finance Trustee for BNOS.

You will support BNOS’s Board of Trustees and Treasurer by assisting with budgeting and other near- and long-term financial planning and provide oversight of financial reporting. You will work closely with the other trustees to oversee our financial governance and compliance with our legal and regulatory obligations. You will provide the Board with the confidence and knowledge to better make strategic decisions.

Key responsibilities:

• Financial oversight
• Monitor the charity’s financial health and ensure financial stability
• Budgeting and planning
• Develop and implement financial policies and procedures
• Ensure that the charity has robust and effective financial controls in place
• Ensure compliance with all relevant financial regulations and laws
• Work with the Treasurer to prepare and present financial reports to the Board of Trustees, and membership at the AGM

Trustee terms are initially for three years.

About you:

We welcome applicants from all backgrounds. We believe that having a Board of Trustees with a range of skills and backgrounds can help us to develop as an organisation.

As a trustee you will play a vital role in our work as we navigate an exciting phase of development as a relatively newly registered charity. You may have previous trustee experience or be considering such a role for the first time.

The skills and experience we need:

• Professional accounting qualification
• Experience with budgeting
• Experience in financial reporting to ensure transparency and informed decision-making
• An ability to communicate and explain financial information to fellow trustees and other stakeholders (e.g. BNOS Council)
• The capacity to grasp issues outside personal experience and communicate opinions and contribute to discussions around such issues
• Strong interpersonal skills and a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace
• The energy, time and commitment to fulfil the role
• The willingness to act in the best interests of the charity and comply with the Nolan Principles of Public Life (Selflessness, Integrity, Objectivity, Accountability, Openness, Honest and Leadership)
• Desirable: Experience with charity finance, especially at the level of a small charity

To apply:

You are invited to submit a CV (max. 3 pages) and covering letter (no more than 1 page of A4) outlining your relevant experience and why you would like to join BNOS as a trustee.

Send you application to laura@bnos.org.uk by 19^th February 2025. Please use this email if you have any questions about the role.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Following the success of our first year of offering a Global Neuro-Oncology Bursary, we are excited to share the details for 2025.

We are inviting applications from health care professionals working in low/middle income countries for bursaries up to £2000 to attend the BNOS Annual Scientific Meeting in London from 18-20 June 2025. An additional £1000 is available to support successful applicants to spend time with clinical teams in the UK before or after the conference. BNOS can help to facilitate connecting with potential host institutions. There are two bursaries available.

Key information:
• The bursary is designed for health care professionals whose focus is neuro-oncology, from low /middle income countries
• The bursary can be used towards the costs of visas, travel to the UK to attend the 2025 BNOS conference, conference registration fees and accommodation
• Letters of support can be provided for visa purposes
• Depending on specialty and need, a link with a UK department can be facilitated to allow a visit before or after the conference
• A short presentation slot at the BNOS conference on the challenges and possible solutions for the applicant may be available
• Successful applicants would be expected to complete a report after the conference on the impact of their bursary to their practice
• The closing dates for applications is midnight on Friday 31st January 2025

At an event in Manchester sponsored by The Brain Tumour Charity, researchers and clinicians from across the UK came together to discuss innovative ways to improve brain tumour diagnosis nationally.

They discussed how new technologies work, presented their research data and considered how they could apply this knowledge to work with healthcare systems in the UK.

Joined by companies who develop tools to make this research possible, discussions around how this technology could be rolled out to help achieve equity of access and the best care nationally were an important part of the day.

We are inviting expressions of interest from oncology departments to host the annual BNOS conferences in 2027 and 2028.

We encourage applications from a team based around a neuro-oncology MDT and comprised of relevant stakeholders including clinicians and allied health professionals.

We anticipate that each conference will take place between mid-June and early July and will run for three days from Wednesday to Friday, typically ending after lunch on the Friday. Attendance numbers are likely to fluctuate across the three days but are generally expected to be between 200-260 delegates on each day.

The successful teams will be supported by a Professional Conference Organiser (PCO) engaged by BNOS to help identify a suitable venue and organise logistics such as registration, abstract submission and review, catering, accommodation and liaising with sponsors.

Applications should be emailed to administrator@bnos.org.uk by 23:59 on Monday 30th September 2024

We are very much looking forward to our next annual scientific meeting being held in Cambridge from 17-19 July and would like to thank all our sponsors for their support in helping make this event possible.

Platinum sponsors

Gold sponsors

Additional sponsors:
Braun Medical, Brain Tumour Research, brainstrust, Chimerix, Codman Integra, Inomed, Lemonchase, medac Pharma, Macromed, Proton International, Servier, Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission, Zap Surgical