AstraZeneca proudly presents, Professor Nadia Harbeck, MD, PhD, is Director of the Breast Center, the Center for Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer, and holds the chair for Conservative Oncology at the Dept. of OB&GYN, LMU University Hospital, Munich, Germany. She obtained her specialist degree (OB&GYN) at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and her medical degree from the Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich (LMU).
Professor Harbeck is the current chair of the ESMO (European Society for Medical Oncology) Early Breast Cancer Faculty; she served as ESMO Director of Education and member of the ESMO Executive Board (2023-2025) as well as Subject Editor of the ESMO Breast Cancer Guidelines (2022-2025). She was member of the ASCO Annual Meeting Educational Committee (2022-2025). She is member of the expert panel issuing the German AGO recommendations for breast cancer therapy (www.ago-online.de). She is co-director of the West German Study Group (www.wsg-online.com). From 2009-2015, she served on the EORTC Executive Board as chair of the Translational Research Division. Professor Harbeck is principal investigator or steering committee member of numerous breast cancer trials, particularly with novel targeted compounds and individualized treatment strategies. She has a strong interest in eHealth and is co-developer of CANKADO, an international digital patient diary (www.cankado.com).
Professor Harbeck is one of the most frequently cited clinical researchers worldwide (Highly Cited Researcher 2021-2024). She has authored more than 780 papers in peer-reviewed journals (h-index 103) and is coordinating editor-in-chief of Breast Care (Karger Publishers). She co-directed the annual ESMO AACR EORTC Methods in Clinical Cancer Research Workshop (MCCR) from 20218-2019 and 2022-2024 and is a panel member of several international breast cancer consensus conferences.
In 2025, Prof. Harbeck received the Bavarian Order of Merit from the Governor of Bavaria, Germany. She is Adjunct Professor of the University of Vienna, Austria, and recipient of the 2023 German Cancer Award and the 2020 ESMO Lifetime Achievement Award. She received several additional recognitions of her clinical and translational research such as the 2021 UPO Award for Women in Academy and Research, the 2015 Bavarian Cancer Patient Award, the 2012 Claudia von Schilling Award, the 2008 EBCC Award, the 2002 AGO Schmidt-Matthiesen Award, a 2001 AACR Award, and the 2001 ASCO Fellowship Merit Award for the highest ranking abstract.
Professor Thorsten Kühn is one of Germany’s leading breast cancer specialists, with more than 30 years of experience in gynaecology, breast surgery, and breast cancer research.
Following senior clinical appointments at Hanau City Hospital and the University of Ulm, he was appointed Head Physician of the Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics at Gifhorn Hospital in 2001. From 2007 to 2022, he served as Head Physician of the Clinical Centre for Women’s Health and Head of the interdisciplinary Breast Centre at Hospital Esslingen, an academic teaching hospital affiliated with the University of Tübingen. Since 2023, he has been Head of the Breast Centre at Die Filderklinik in Filderstadt, Germany, and a Senior Consultant at the University of Ulm Breast Centre.
Professor Kühn has dedicated much of his career to advancing breast cancer treatment, surgical innovation, and clinical research. He has held leadership roles within several of Europe’s most influential breast cancer organisations, including the German Breast Group (GBG), the German Working Group for Gynecologic Oncology (AGO), and AGO-B, where he serves on the Executive Board. He is also a founding member and Chairman of the European Breast Cancer Research Association of Surgical Trialists (EUBREAST), an organisation dedicated to improving outcomes for breast cancer patients through collaborative international research.
An internationally recognised expert in breast cancer surgery and treatment, Professor Kühn has authored more than 200 peer-reviewed scientific publications and has contributed to the development of Germany’s national S3 Breast Cancer Guideline. His expertise has been consistently recognised through his inclusion among Germany’s top breast cancer specialists by FOCUS magazine from 2007 to 2025 and by stern magazine in 2024 and 2025.
His clinical interests include breast cancer surgery, breast-conserving treatment strategies, oncoplastic and reconstructive breast surgery, and the development of evidence-based approaches to breast cancer care.
This year, the Sceales Antrobus Cancer Research Trust is proud to welcome Professor Philip Poortmans to BIGOSA 2026. Internationally recognised as one of the leading voices in radiation oncology, Professor Poortmans has dedicated his career to advancing breast cancer treatment, multidisciplinary cancer care, and clinical research. A former President of the European Society for Radiotherapy & Oncology (ESTRO) and the European Cancer Organisation (ECCO), he is widely respected for his contributions to global oncology education, research, and innovation.
With a career spanning more than three decades across Belgium, the Netherlands, and France, he currently serves as Radiation Oncologist at Iridium Netwerk and Associate Professor at the University of Antwerp. He previously held senior leadership roles at Radboud University Medical Centre and Institut Curie, where he was also appointed Marie Curie Professor at Paris Science & Lettres University.
Widely recognised for his expertise in breast cancer, clinical trial quality assurance, and multidisciplinary cancer care, Professor Poortmans has authored hundreds of scientific publications and contributed extensively to international guidelines, education, and research initiatives. He has served as President of the European SocieTy for Radiotherapy & Oncology (ESTRO) and the European Cancer Organisation (ECCO), and continues to play an active role in advancing global oncology collaboration and mentorship.
Professor JJ Tabane is a Professor of Communications at the University of South Africa (UNISA) School of Business Leadership and Adjunct Professor of Media Studies at the University of Botswana.
He is a sessional lecturer at Wits University and Wits School of Governance. He is the Editor of Leadership and BBQ Magazines and former anchor of the award-winning show, Power to Truth with Professor JJ Tabane at eNCA.
Prof Tabane started crafting his skills in strategic communications in 1989 when at the age of only 25 he became a ministerial spokesperson of the then Department of Constitutional Development under former Minister Mohammed Valli Moosa. In 2002, he was selected as the inaugural joint winner of the Government Communicator of the year.
Since then, he has held roles as Communications Advisor for the then Chamber of Mines, Communications Advisor of the African Development Bank for the APRM (AU’s governance advisory body) representing 40 countries, Vice President of Communications for the South African Airways in 2006, consultant to Brand South Africa and Water Research Commission, convenor of the National Communications Task Team, First Chief Information Officer of the Congress of the People (COPE), CEO of an investor relations company Graphicor Pty Ltd, a subsidy of a JSE listed ADCORP, and as Group Executive Corporate Affairs with a mandate to drive a 5-year transformation strategy.
He has served or serves on the boards of the multibillion JSE listed company Altron, Powertech and UWC Foundation, Former Chairperson of the UWC Media Society, Chair of finance at UWC and Transformation at North- West University, and as council member of the North-West University and the UWC.
He holds a BA degree from the University of Limpopo, a BProc degree from University of the Western Cape (UWC), a master’s degree in political economy from the Nelson Mandela University (NMMU) and PhD in Media Studies from Wits University, and completed leadership programmes at Wits University Wits Business School and UCT Business School.