Service Field Guidelines
The service guideline serves to assist applicants in filling out the application form for the Second Open Call and the Challenge Call “Reaching an Understanding of Cancer”, specifically answering in the application form part D, question 1.c.: `Please dedicate an individual paragraph describing the work you would like to conduct with each requested service`.
The applicant is kindly asked to consider the questions below and elaborate on the ones that are relevant to their research project. While the answers to the following questions are not mandatory, they are certainly beneficial to have in the application. Applications lacking sufficient information for the scientific review will be rejected during the Eligibility and Completeness check of the proposals.
If you selected services from
Field 1 – Disease Models
Field 2 – Advanced Technologies for Personalised Oncology
Field 3 – Biomarker Research, Development, and Validation
Field 4 – New Therapeutic Solutions
Field 7 – Access to human samples and data
Field 8 – Clinical trial design
Shortcut to field and service list https://www.canserv.eu/services
Data to be provided:
If you selected services from
Service Field 1 - Disease Model
| No. | Question | Comment |
| 1 | Number of mice sent for phenotyping | Refers to the mouse phenotyping services (1.25 and 1.26) |
| 2 | Number of mice requested for mouse model generation | Refers to the mouse model generation service (1.20) |
| 3 | Please, indicate the number of service unit you need | All services |
| 4 | Please, specify the sample origin and preparation, indicating the protocol you used | Refers to the iPSc and organoids generation services |
| 5 | Please, indicate if you need any support in sample preparation | Refers to the iPSc and organoids generation services |
| 6 | Please, indicate clearly why you are requesting the specific service by specifying the experimental design of your project | All services |
| 7 | Please, indicate the type of drugs to be included in the drug panel for the Personalized Functional Profiling | Refers to the service 1.39_PFP LIH |
| 8 | Please describe the disease and the cell model requested. Protocol you used. Bibliography. | Refers to in-vitro disease model generation services (2/3D cultures) (1.24d) |
| 9 | Aim of the project: what will you study in the model (drug effect, drug discovery, etc.) | Refers to in-vitro disease model generation services (2/3D cultures) (1.24d) |
| 10 | For the model validation: positive control and readout description | Refers to in-vitro disease model generation services (2/3D cultures) (1.24d) |
Service Field 2 - Advanced Technologies for Personalised Oncology
| No. | Question |
| 1 | For all services, please provide the number of units of service you need |
| 2 | If you are requesting image data analysis services, please specify type, estimated size and format of image data to be analyzed, and required analysis outputs (segmentation, alignment, derived markers etc.) |
| 3 | If you are requesting access to image data, please specify imaging modality, minimum number of datasets and details about the data that should be provided (e.g. subject/disease/treatment specifications, any preference on the format, any need for linked clinical data etc) |
| 4 | If you are requesting in vivo imaging services, please specify a) number of groups and subjects per group, b) any details about animal models (if needed, e.g. type of animal, preparation of the model, if you need support for the preparation as well etc.), c) imaging timepoints, d) protocols/sequences and/or probes/tracers to be used |
| 5 | If you are requesting biological imaging services, please specify a) the type and number of samples to be imaged, b) any special conditions the samples need for imaging, c) the timecourse of planned imaging, and d) if the samples have any biosafety requirements |
| 6 | If you are requesting biological imaging services, please also specify if support with sample preparation will be needed and if so, what sample preparation method you plan to use (cryo, chemical fixation, special stains or probes etc). Please also indicate if you will need any other imaging-associated services (cell culture or animal facilities etc) |
| 7 | If you are requesting sequencing services, please specify: a) DNA/ RNA sample quantity and quality available for the experiments, b) DNA/ RNA sample origin (FFPE, circulating cell free DNA, biopsy, blood, etc) and c) the experimental design of the project (affected/unaffected, trios, treated/non-treated, groups and time points, etc) |
| 8 | If you are requesting proteomics/lipidomics services, please specify sample origin and protocol of preparation |
| 9 | If you are requesting citometry services, please specify a) sample origin and protocol of preparation; b) how the samples will be prepared for the delivery; c) if the samples are already available, and if not an estimation of the timeline |
| 10 | For all Instruct services, please specify (or estimate) the number of samples to be prepared/analysed and state if your samples are immediately available for analysis. If not, what is the current status of the samples? If possible, please estimate the number of units (= days of access) required for the service selected. We also strongly advice to please provide a file with preliminary data/figures relevant to your service request (optional, but highly recommended, since this will facilitate our ability to judge the feasibility of your request). |
| 11 | If you are requesting Intravital microscopy on mouse models provided by INFRAFRONTIER, please specify the type of mouse model you need (experimental, e.g. PDX, or genetic model), and the number of mice requested in each cohort group |
| 12 | If you are requesting Digital pathology and ML-based image analysis provided by INFRAFRONTIER, please specify the number of slides to be created and analysed |
| 13 | If you are requesting Monochrome Multiplex Real-Time qPCR Assay for telomere measurement and/or comet assay provided by EATRIS, please specify the DNA/RNA quantity and quality |
| 14 | If you are requesting assays for in vitro discovery research from EATRIS, please indicate your cohort size and the assay type you need |
| 15 | Referring to consultation and support in the development of disease-relevant biochemical, pathway-based and cell-based 2D or 3D assays for compound screening or hit validation (2.29b): Please describe the disease and the cell model requested. Protocol you used. Bibliography. Aim of the project: what will you study in the model (drug effect, drug discovery, etc.) |
| 16 | Referring to High-content image-based profiling of compounds (2.32c): Please include a description of the cell model and the measurements that you need: acquisition of images: dyes, magnification; analysis: segmentation of the whole cell or different parts, and measurements. |
| 17 | Referring to the validation of binding affinity and kinetics of compounds by biophysical methods such as Thermal Shift Assays (Thermofluor, Differential Scanning Fluorimetry) (2.35): Please include a description of the drug target and its physical characteristics. Elaborate on the availability of purified target protein to be used in the assay. |
| 18 | Referring to Advanced profiling services including in-vitro efficacy, toxicological, ADME, stability, PK and PD investigations (2.31b): Please include information regarding molecular weight, solubility and solvent, any preliminary activity and cytotoxicity data (IC50, LC50, MIC, …) |
| 19 | Referring to the PK and PD services (2.31b): Please elaborate on the number of mice used for PK, drug concentration and route of administration. What is the drug delivery vehicle? |
| 20 | Referring to the ADME services (2.31b): Please describe drug concentration and required species. |
Service Field 3 - Biomarker Research, Development, and Validation
| No. | Question |
| 1 | Please, indicate the number of unit service you need |
| 2 | Please, specify the sample origin and preparation, indicating the protocol you used |
| 3 | Please, indicate if you need any support in sample preparation |
| 4 | Please, indicate the type of animal model required by your experiment and the cohort size |
| 5 | Please, indicate the sample quantity and how many samples you would like to analyse |
| 6 | Please, indicate clearly why you are requesting the specific service by specifying the experimental design of your project |
| 7 | Please, indicate the features of the clinical cohort (for the biomarkers clinical validation service) |
| 8 | Please, specify the quantity and quality of DNA/RNA available for the analysis |
| 9 | Please, indicate the preferred type of method for the liquid biopsies’ characterisation |
| 10 | Is the formal power calculation done? |
| 11 | Do you need help with analysis of data type generated? |
| 12 | For all Instruct services, please specify (or estimate) the number of samples to be analysed? Is your sample immediately available for analysis? If not, what is the current status of the sample? If possible, please estimate the number of units (= days of access) required for the service selected. Please provide a file with preliminary data/figures relevant to your service request (optional, but highly recommended, since this will facilitate our ability to judge the feasibility of your request) |
| 13 | If you are requesting image data analysis services, please specify type, estimated size and format of image data to be analyzed, and required analysis outputs (segmentation, alignment, derived markers etc.) |
| 14 | If you are requesting in vivo imaging services, please specify a) number of groups and subjects per group, b) any details about animal models (if needed, e.g. type of animal, preparation of the model, if you need support for the preparation as well etc.), c) imaging timepoints, d) protocols/sequences and/or probes/tracers to be used
|
| 15 | If you are requesting biological imaging services, please specify a) the type and number of samples to be imaged, b) any special conditions the samples need for imaging, c) the timecourse of planned imaging, and d) if the samples have any biosafety requirements. Please also specify if support with sample preparation will be needed and if so, what sample preparation method you plan to use (cryo, chemical fixation, special stains or probes etc). Please also indicate if you will need any other imaging-associated services (cell culture or animal facilities etc) |
| 16 | Referring to the metabolomics profiling of cancer stem cell-derived exosomes (3.7): Please specify the number of replicates and testing conditions. |
| 17 | Referring to the untargeted LC-HRMS metabolomics (3.8): Analysis is available in different biological matrices (plasma, urine, faeces, extracellular vesicles, lymph). Please select your required matrix. |
Service Field 4 - New Therapeutic Solutions
| No. | Question |
| In general: Screening services from EU-OPENSCREEN are only available in combination with a request to screen the European Chemical Biology Library (ECBL) as an additional service. Service number: 4.4_CCMF | |
| 1 | For screening services, please indicate the assay of interest:* please select one option from the following options. ☐ Biochemical/ biophysical assays, ☐ Cell-based assays using cellular systems, ☐ Cell-based assays using complex cellular systems (e.g. human iPS cells, primary human cells, 3D cultures, etc.) |
| 2 | For screening services, please indicate the screening technology(ies) of interest:* Please select one or multiple options . In case of other, please specify. ☐ Absorbance, ☐ AlphaLISA, ☐ Alphascreen, ☐ Automatic X-Ray radiation, ☐ Bioluminescence Resonance Energy Transfer (BRET), ☐ Cellular Reporter Assay, ☐ ELISA, ☐ FLIPR-Tetra, ☐ Flow Cytometry, ☐ Fluorescence, ☐ Fluorescence Energy Transfer (FRET), ☐ Fluorescence polarisation, ☐ High Content Screening (HCS), ☐ High-throughput mass spectrometry, ☐ Ion redistribution, ☐ Label free dynamic mass redistribution (DMR), ☐ Luminescence, ☐ Mobility Shift Assay, ☐ NMR, ☐ Radioactivity, ☐ Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR), ☐ Thermal Shift Assay, ☐ xCELLigence, ☐ xMAP Technology Luminex, ☐ other (please specify). |
| 3 | Please provide information about collaborators (other than the PI and her/ his research team) on this proposal: * please include name, surname, position, affiliation and reason for collaboration within this proposal and the expertise each collaborator will contribute. |
| 4 |
For screening and medicinal chemistry services: Please specify the screening target:* Please specify (if possible) the target using the identifiers derived from the following databases: Target TYPE Where to find ‘IDENTIFIER’ Protein http://www.uniprot.org |
| 5 | If your research requires a specific lab safety level, please indicate the biosafety level for the biological material. |
| 6 | For screening services, please indicate already known molecules reported in the literature that are active against the proposed target (including CAS-Number (if available)) if known/any: * please indicate only few of those that might be useful for validating the assay. The CAS-Number can be derived from a structural search on www.chemspider.com, while known biological activities can be derived from a target name search e.g. at www.ebi.ac.uk/chembl/, https://www.probes-drugs.org/compounds, https://probeminer.icr.ac.uk |
| 7 | For screening services, please specify the requested type of active compound (agonist/activator, antagonist/inhibitor (or both), allosteric modulator, or other).* |
| 8 | For screening services: Do you confirm that an established bioassay and associated key bespoke reagents developed at lab scale are available for a primary screen? * ☐ Yes ☐ No (If not, please justify your answer in the comment section below) |
| 9 | For screening services: Is the assay format compatible with the performance in microtiter plates, allowing the quantitative determination of an optical parameter (e.g. absorbance, fluorescence, luminescence) or high content imaging?* ☐ Yes (if yes, please give details) ☐ No (if not, please comment in the comment section below) |
| 10 | For screening services: Do you need assay development support? ☐ Yes, ☐ No (if not, please elaborate your answer in the next question) |
| 11 | For screening services: Please provide a detailed description of the screening assay including existing experimental data to prove assay reliability. For more detailed information on HTS requirements please consult the HTS QC General Guidelines at https://drive.eu-openscreen.eu/fileadmin/user_upload/210203_EU-OS_HTS_QC_General_Guidelines_v2.1.pdf * please note that the assay should be described in detail by including as much information as available on features such as assay format, readout technology, signal/background ratio, DMSO tolerance, cell lines, signal and background CV, protein, incubation times, reagent and readout stability and Z’-factor. Partner sites can assist in advising on how to obtain assay parameters. Please include raw data for verification (files can be uploaded in the attachments section below) A file upload field is needed also |
| 12 | For screening services: Please describe the positive and negative controls which are available and, if applicable, how the positive/negative plate controls are used for calculating the Z’-factor:* please comment. |
| 13 | For hit characterization included in screening services, please provide potential orthogonal assay(s) including as much details as possible (e.g. protocols, literature references or other assay details) |
| 14 | For screening and medicinal chemistry services: If possible, please provide suggestions to test the selectivity profile of the compounds, and other secondary assays by including as much detail as possible (e.g. protocols, literature references or other assay details, if available) |
| 15 | For screening services: In case of a successful screening campaign, do you have a follow-up strategy in place (e.g. access to medicinal chemistry expertise, resources etc). Or do you wish support? Please elaborate. |
| 16 | For medicinal chemistry services: Please select the medicinal chemistry support required: please select one or multiple options from the drop-down menu (multiple choices are possible): ☐ Hit-to-lead development following HTS of small molecules ☐ Fragment-to-lead development following fragment screening ☐ Optimization of potency, selectivity and in vitro ADMET properties of small molecule drug candidates ☐ other (please specify) |
| 17 | Related to all services: Are there any known technical challenges related to the implementation of the project?* If yes, please comment. |
| 18 | For medicinal chemistry services: Please provide a detailed description of your screening campaign including experimental data.* Please include screening technology, description of the primary assay, and primary screening data. |
| 19 | For medicinal chemistry services: Please report on results of the screening campaign providing the list of validated hits*: please include chemical structures of hits, if possible (in the attachments field below), counter-screen, IC50s/ EC50s established (if applicable), confirmation of compounds purity and identity etc.
A file upload field is needed also |
| 20 | For medicinal chemistry services: Please provide information about selectivity profile of the compounds and other secondary assays. Please describe assays available/ used to test selectivity, and comment on which in vivo models are available. Please include protocol details or literature references for mentioned assays. |
| 21 | For medicinal chemistry services: Do you have the capacity for testing/validating the activity of the newly synthesized compounds? Please justify your answer in the comment section below. |
| 22 | For medicinal chemistry services: Who else needs to be considered when looking at the IP of the project? |
| 23 | For ATMP services: Please list the type of ATMP that your study involves.
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| 24 | If your service requires access to animal models for an in vivo study for ATMP validation please specify the model type including model acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) induction, orthotropic colon cancer induction, cerebral metastases, subcutaneous cancer / tumour induction, mammary fat pad tumour induction, B16 melanoma model, different models for breast and pancreatic cancers or other if available. |
| 25 | For Immune monitoring studies of tumour infiltrate, please specify the immune markers that you wish to have screened including Th1, Th2, Th17 and Treg cells, and their plasticity, cytotoxic T cells, γδ T cells, and double negative αβ T cells, M1 and M2 macrophages or other depending upon availability. |
| 26 | For preclinical assessment of efficacy and specificity of ATMPs in clinically neuroblastoma models please select from the following options such as orthotopic (well-established tumour in the adrenal gland), metastatic (circulating tumour cells and metastases), resected (surgical resection of the primary tumour mass for minimal residual disease), and PDX (Patient-Derived Xenografts) models. |
| 27 | For studies involving the evaluation and characterization of chimeric antigen receptors (CARs), please specify the cell type e.g CAR-T, CAR-NK etc. |
Service Field 7 - Access to human samples and data
| No. | Question |
| 1 | How many samples or datasets? |
| 2 | If datasets, please clearly specify what type of data (e.g., imaging, genomics, proteomics, genotypes, metabolomics etc.) and what associated clinical information is to be included? |
| 3 |
If possible, please indicate the collections/biobanks from the list of biobanks/collections which is attached to the service: https://directory.canserv.eu/#/collection/canserv:ID:AT_BBMRI-ERIC:service:10.5_BBMRI |
| 4 | If you are requesting access to image data, please indicate which imaging modality, data format and if there are any specific requirements about subjects (e.g. age, sex, disease stage, tumor type, anathomical region, treatment etc.). |
| 5 | If you are requesting storage of image data, please indicate number, type and size of datasets, data format and if data curation and /or anonymization is needed. |
| 6 | If you are requesting image data analysis, please indicate the characteristics of the input images and related data that you want to have analyzed (e.g. imaging modality, format etc), the required analysis output (segmentation, derived markers), and – if any – specifications about the envisioned methodology and software tools to do the analysis. |
Service Field 8 - Clinical trial design
| No. | Question |
| 1 | Please indicate if you have previous experience in conducting such clinical trials? |
| 2 | What is the proposed sample size, and how was it calculated? Any other characteristics of the study population (size, age group, sex distribution, inclusion and exclusion criteria) |
| 3 | Preparedness status: what is the stage of development of the clinical study protocol? |
| 4 | Who will be the legal sponsor of the study if already known? |
| 5 | Indicate expected timelines of the project if known: Protocol finalisation, study initiation. |
In case of any further question please contact us