canSERV 3rd Challenge Call is CLOSED

canSERV 3rd Challenge Call is CLOSED

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Call for Service Provision on “Revolutionising Cancer Patient Care”

​The canSERV Consortium is pleased to announce the launch of its 3rd Challenge-Driven Call on “Revolutionising Cancer Patient Care: Innovative Approaches to Research and Clinical Trials for Improved Treatment Outcomes”. Cancer Researchers world-wide are invited to apply for free access to cutting-edge transnational services with an indicative overall budget for this call of EUR 600,000. The primary objective of this call is to improving treatment and patients’ outcome through innovative ways to address clinical trials and research.

Projects submitted in response to this call should focus on one of the two topics:
1. Tailoring research to address the different age groups, paediatric patients, and elderly patients, to ensure optimal treatment outcomes across diverse populations.
2. Designing and developing improved clinical trials to address diverse populations and expanding the scope to incorporate broader representation of patients from EU, including efforts to match control groups, thus advancing trial efficiency and equity in treatment access.
Please note that canSERV does not provide the actual funding for conducting clinical trials, users can apply for expert advice and support for planning and designing complex clinical trials

Projects supported through this call will play a significant role in furthering the overarching objectives of the Cancer Mission [1]

Your research project
  • Should address one of the two topics of the Challenge-driven call.
  • Should include at minimum 2 services from the canSERV catalogue. Training is considered as separate, additional service.
  • Your requested services timeline should fall within the canSERV project’s duration FAQ Section “Time frames for the service provision”
If granted, you will benefit from:
  • Free of charge access to canSERV service(s) (equipment, expertise, resources) offered by the canSERV consortium.
  • Transnational services comprising the following fields: disease models; advanced cutting-edge imaging and structural biology technologies; biomarkers research and development; novel therapeutics developments; complex clinical trial design and support; personalised oncology implementation pipelines, recommendations and regulatory support; open digital research services; access to human samples and data; ethical, legal and socio-economic (ELSI) dimensions and training. A detailed service list is available in the canSERV Service Catalogue.
For this Call, you should:
  • Select at minimum 2 services you would like to use from the Catalogue.
  • Choose only services that are provided in a different country where you, or the majority of your research group, are based. See “Transnational Access” for exceptions.
  • Agree that data generated from the chosen services will comply with FAIR principles (findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable) making it available to other researchers while allowing for IP protection (in line with the EU’s open science policy). This will enable rapid execution of cross-European federated analyses of cancer-related data.

The indicative overall budget for this call is EUR 600.000.

The Call is planned to remain open until 28 August 2024, 2pm CEST.

Please note that applications will be evaluated after the end of the submission period. The evaluation process takes up to 14 weeks. The evaluation criteria are based on excellence, impact and quality of the submitted proposal.

How do you gain access to your service?

All communications are conducted through our easy-to-use platform: the canSERV Common Access Management System.

1. Selection: Enter CAMS, and select the services you are interested in.

2. Submission: After the selection step, you will be asked to fill in and submit our application form describing your research proposal.

If you select services from Service Field 1 “Disease Models”, Service Field 2 “Advanced Technologies for Personalised Oncology”, Service Field 3 “Biomarker Research, Development, and Validation”,Service Field 4 “New Therapeutic Solutions”, Service Field7 “Access to Human Samples and Data”, Service Field 8 “Clinical trials and design”, please check the additional service field guidelines and consider these guidelines when submitting your application

3. Evaluation: An independent review panel (IRP) will evaluate submitted applications. The final decision will be taken by the canSERV Scientific and Management Board for approval or rejection based on the IRP evaluation outcome and available budget.

4. Service provision: If approved, the service provision may start either immediately or as agreed with the service provider/TNA manager. Enquiries related to your application and the offered services can be addressed any time using calls@canserv.eu (please add subject: “Challenge-driven Call 3″).

For a video tutorial, please check our Educational Webinar on “How to apply” for the First Open Call.

Transnational Access

What is Transnational Access (TNA)?

Transnational Access allows researchers (users, applicants) free of charge to specific research services (equipment, expertise, resources) offered by the canSERV consortium members` research infrastructure facilities.

Transnational access can be:

  • In person (physical access), with users visiting the research infrastructure facility/installation and receiving the service “hands-on”, including the advantage of direct collaboration.
  • Remotely (remote access), with research infrastructure resources and services offered online/remotely. This can span from just sending requested sample materials, to more comprehensive research tasks done by the research infrastructure staff on your behalf.

canSERV services are free of charge only when you (or most of your research group) are based in a country other than where the services are rendered. As an exception from this transnationality requirement, international organizations, the Joint Research Centre (JRC) or EU level multinational research infrastructures (ERICs or similar legal entities with international membership) are considered transnational actors and hence their service providing installation may be in the same country where the applicant researcher is based but not the same institution as the applicant. If you are not sure if the services you are requesting are included in the exception [2], please check the FAQ section “Transnational Access” or contact us at calls@canserv.eu.

Eligibility

Application

Applications can be submitted by those individuals or organisations, who meet ALL the following criteria:

Who can apply?

Researchers based in European and non-European countries, including junior and senior individual researchers, academic institutes, biotech/pharmaceutical SMEs, groups of scientists, networks and consortia from public and private entities.

Affiliation

Applicants must be affiliated with an organisation in or outside the European Union.

Transnationality

This grant only supports TNA as described above in point one.

Dissemination

Results and/or data obtained from using the services provided under the canSERV Open Call must comply with the FAIR principles and might be shared initially with other ongoing initiatives within the EU Cancer Mission, EOSC4Cancer and, when established, UNCAN.eu, for the development and improvement of further services. Furthermore, the results and/or data will be reused within the canSERV project or other EU Cancer Mission initiatives at a certain time after service provision according to the canSERV user agreement. The data generated will then be included in the canSERV service list to support the canSERV Catalogue of Open Digital Research Services. If the results and/or data are published, canSERV must be acknowledged in publications. Only user groups that are allowed to disseminate the results they have generated may be eligible for access (unless the users are working for SMEs).

 

Evaluation

Evaluation criteria

Scientific evaluation will take into consideration the following three criteria:

  • Scientific merit and/or clinical impact of the research proposal
  • Justification to the solicited service
  • Feasibility of the proposal

Based on the evaluation outcome, the final decision will be taken by the Scientific Management Board of canSERV. Applicants will be informed within a maximum of 14 weeks after the submission deadline if their submitted proposal has been accepted or rejected.

Catalogue of Services

Disease Models

Field 1 - Disease Models

These models range from state-of-the-art in vitro models like 3D cultures, organoids and organs-on-a-chip towards in vivo, patient-proximate models and advanced precision cancer models generated using CRISPR-Cas9.

 
Advanced technologies for Personalised Oncology

Field 2 - Advanced technologies for Personalised Oncology

These services provide the cancer research community with access to cutting-edge services and technologies, as well as the associated expertise in their use, to address cancer research questions at a molecular, cellular and whole organism level.

Biomarker

Field 3 - Biomarker research, development, and validation

These services will provide access to cutting-edge and high-quality services (e.g., liquid biopsies, imaging biomarkers including radiomics, microbiomics, omics signatures, etc.) that will support the optimization of existing screening programmes, the advancement of novel approaches for screening and early detection, identification of new biomarker sets, as well as will contribute to the development of novel therapeutics based on molecular predictors.

New Therapeutics

Field 4 - New Therapeutic solutions

These services will provide access to a wide range of state-of-the-art services aiming to facilitate the development of novel therapeutic solutions for innovative personalised cancer research, as well as facilitate both clinical and translational research studies with focus mainly on: a) incorporate Small Molecules and Screening and b) Advanced Therapies and Biologicals Development Services.

Translation into Personalised Oncology Clinical Practice

Field 5 - Accelerated Translation into Personalised Oncology Clinical Practice

These services are specifically aimed at providing expert advice even to a single complex patient case or to a related finding or new discovery, so that patients can benefit from the results of cancer research possibly before the lengthy process of prospective clinical trials is completed.

Digital Research Services

Field 6 - Open Digital Research Services

These services aim to combine the complex landscape of reusable biomedical data and analytic tools in the context of tumour biology complexity, in order to provide unprecedented opportunities for the cancer community for the development of novel techniques and understanding of the impact of cancer diagnostics and treatment from a molecular to a population level.

Public health measures

Field 7 - Access to human samples and data

These services facilitate access to human biological samples and data. This will include provision of a) retrospective and on demand collections of high-quality biological material; b) high-quality associated data (i.e., OMICS, and clinical image data); and c) scientific advice on setting up state-of-the art related translational cancer research projects.

Clinical Trials

Field 8 - Clinical trials and design

Blindtext speaks the language of what it is designed for A Building must be sustainable to be beautiful (39)

Trainings

Field 9 - ELSI services

Blindtext speaks the language of what it is designed for A Building must be sustainable to be beautiful (39)

Trainings

Training

Blindtext speaks the language of what it is designed for A Building must be sustainable to be beautiful (39)

Release of canSERV project flyer

Release of canSERV project flyer

canSERV Media Center

canSERV Snapshots

Prof. Christine Chomienne, vice-chair of the EUCancerMission and member of the SEAB

In this exclusive interview, Prof. Christine Chomienne, vice-chair of the #EUCancerMission and a key member of the canSERV Scientific and Ethical Advisory Board, shares her vision for the future of the canSERV project. Prof. Chomienne discusses how canSERV can strengthen its impact on both the research community and patient care.

 

Prof. Jens Habermann, Director-General of BBMRI-ERIC and coordinator of the canSERV project

In this insightful interview, Prof. Jens Habermann, Director-General of BBMRI-ERIC and coordinator of the canSERV project, shares his vision for the future of the initiative. He discusses how the infrastructure developed by canSERV could play a pivotal role in future EU funding calls, offering top-tier research services to successful applicants and reshaping the landscape of EU research. Prof. Habermann also highlights how the data generated through canSERV will contribute to the UNCAN platform, ensuring that this valuable information continues to drive progress in cancer research.

 

Richard Stephens, Patient Representative and member of the canSERV SEAB

In this enlightening interview, Richard Stephens, Patient Representative and member of the canSERV Scientific and Ethical Advisory Board, shares his perspective on the crucial role of patient engagement in the canSERV project. Richard explores how patients could be more closely involved in the development of new treatments and the discovery science process. By actively contributing to these areas, patients can help shape research directions and ensure that the efforts of the canSERV initiative align with their needs and experiences.

 

Prof. Lillian Siu, Senior Medical Oncologist at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and Professor of Medicine at the University of Toronto

In this compelling interview, Prof. Lillian Siu, Senior Medical Oncologist at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and Professor of Medicine at the University of Toronto, reflects on the unique strengths of the canSERV initiative. As a member of the canSERV Scientific and Ethical Advisory Board, Prof. Siu discusses the potential for canSERV to expand globally, bringing together infrastructure, knowledge, and resources to deliver the best science to patients worldwide.

 

Prof. Enzo Medico, Leader of canSERV EMTBN and coordinator of EurOPDX

In this insightful interview, Prof. Enzo Medico, Leader of canSERV European Network of Personalised Oncology and the European Molecular Tumour Board Network initiative, and coordinator of EurOPDX, discusses the vital role of Molecular Tumour Boards in advancing cancer care.

 

canSERV Webinars

canSERV Webinar for Early Career Researchers Call.

Topics are:

  • canSERV introduction 
  • Training sessions in canSERV
  • Cancer Path Builder (CPB) Service
  • “How can I apply”

 

Do you want to listen to the Webinar? Check here the Audiofile of the Webinar.

canSERV Education Open Call Webinar.

Topics are:

  • access to 400+ cancer research tools and services
  • Open Call for Transnational Service Provision
  • Application procedure
  • expert panel Q&A

 

Do you want to listen to the Webinar? Check here the Audiofile of the Webinar.
canSERV project material
canSERV
canSERV MediaKit

The canSERV MediaKit contains:

  • canSERV Logo
  • canSERV Flyer
  • canSERV project presentation
  • EU-Logo

canSERV project flyer – Facts and Figures, it’s mission and more concised information can be found on our canSERV project flyer.

Please download the online version: 2024_canSERV-Flyer_VERTICAL

canSERV Open Call Education Webinar

canSERV Open Call Education Webinar

Want to be informed about canSERV news and updates?

Events

canSERV Open Call Education Webinar

Friday, 01. December 2023, 14:15 CET

We introduce the project and its

  • access to 400+ cancer research tools and services
  • Open Call for Transnational Service Provision
  • Application procedure

In the end there is scheduled an expert panel Q&A.

canSERV Second Open Call launches soon

canSERV Second Open Call launches soon

COMING SOON: Secon Open Call for Transnational Service Provision
Don’t miss the launch of the first canSERV Open Call and register to recieve regular updates about canSERV News & Announcements!