The 2013 Gordon Research Conference on Cancer Nanotechnology will provide a forum to discuss cutting edge research to accelerate implementation of nanotechnology innovations into cancer research and clinical practice. This will involve a broad based, multi-disciplinary research community representing the entire range of disciplines underlying nanotechnology including biology, chemistry, physics, engineering, medicine, and regulatory affairs. The conference will feature a wide range of topics and hope to define the most promising material science approaches, discuss the means to analyze and define these materials and therapeutics and define optimal pathways to test these therapeutics both in vitro and in vivo. The conference will serve as forum for scientists and clinicians working in cancer nanotechnology will be highly beneficial to the advancement and translation of cancer therapeutics. This unique setting will provide opportunities for junior scientists and graduate students to present their work in poster format and exchange ideas with leaders in the field. Some poster presenters will be selected for short talks. Sessions will focus on materials synthesis, characterization and biocompatibility. Presentations on toxicological aspects of these materials and diagnostic applications also will be encouraged. The collegial atmosphere, with a mix of social events, presentations and poster sessions will encourage personal interactions. It is hoped that the conference will help to initiate collaborations between scientists of diverse disciplines that can facilitate the development of teams to work on new cancer therapies.