ALKATRAS — ALK Activation as a target of TRAanslational Science (ALKATRAS): Break free from cancer

Results in brief

ALK Activation as a target of TRAanslational Science (ALKATRAS): Break free from cancer

The objectives of ERIA (The European Research Initiative for ALK-Related Malignancies) as a network of scientists across Europe, is to coordinate and conduct multidisciplinary research efforts into Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase (ALK)-driven cancers predominantly Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (ALCL) and neuroblastoma – both being largely paediatric malignancies. Embedded into this established international research network, the ALK as a target of translational science (ALKATRAS) programme was developed to: 1- nurture and provide an excellent training environment to a cohort of 15 Early Stage Researchers (ESRs) to become confident, competent, independent and well-connected European scientists 2- facilitate research into ALK-related malignancies with the aim of informing more efficient, less toxic therapies 3- encourage networking across Europe of all parties with an interest in paediatric ALK-related cancers and to widen the net of our public outreach. 4- provide a focused platform for data presentation and discussion of latest advances, research findings related to ALK-induced cancers, specifically neuroblastoma and lymphoma In achieving these aims, we have conducted research that has highlighted the mechanisms of tumour development as they relate to aberrant expression of the ALK protein resulting in multiple research papers published in open access journals as well as review articles which are of great benefit to the academic and clinical research communities to assist in teaching, training and improving general understanding of tumorigenic processes. We have also successfully trained 15 early stage researchers who will be able to move on in their careers to disseminate their research findings and contribute to society by continuing to work in this or a related field. The early stage researchers were recruited from all over the world and conducted research in a lab in a different country to their own facilitating cross-cultural interactions. All of the researchers also spent time in industry as well as another academic lab developing networks of peers and colleagues. The network will continue to work together into the future to address the clinical problem that is improving the survival and treatment outcome of patients with ALK-expressing malignancies.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union

Project objective

This ETN is embedded into an established international research programme; The European Research Initiative on Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase (ALK)-related malignancies (ERIA; www.erialcl.net) is an existing and functional network of 13 partners, which will cosset and nurture a cohort of early stage researchers to become confident, competent, independent and well-connected European scientists with excellent career perspectives. ERIA was instigated to coordinate research into ALK-related malignancies to facilitate the development of less-toxic and more efficacious therapies. ALK is increasingly recognised as a prevalent oncogene in a number of human malignancies and therefore poses a prominent clinical problem, which requires coordinated research into its oncogenic mechanisms. ERIA now conducts a collaborative multidisciplinary research programme at the interface of biomedical and bio-mechanistic approaches, which will be an excellent environment to train the next generation of European scientists. The 15 recruited fellows will be incorporated into international academic study groups (all partners of the ERIA network) to perform high calibre research and also will be exposed to environments from other sectors to broaden their experience. Secondments will include technical training within individual laboratories and SMEs (TissueGnostics, Galkem, Cambridge Life Sciences, Sofigen and Varionostics) as well as large Pharma (Roche). Training through research will be complemented with a balanced programme of transferable skills and access to local courses. The training of each fellow will be guided by a personal career development plan and supervised by a PhD committee panel. The primary goal of the network is to train the recruited fellows by participation in an internationally competitive research programme and integrating them into an international network. Thereby providing competence in state-of-the-art research and development at the forefront of translational science.

Original text from CORDIS.

Participants

THE CHANCELLOR MASTERS AND SCHOLARS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE · CAMBRIDGECoordinatorUnited Kingdom
BIOLUTION GMBH · WienAustria
CESAR CENTRAL EUROPEAN SOCIETY FOR ANTICANCER DRUG RESEARCH EWIV · WIENAustria
CHARITE - UNIVERSITAETSMEDIZIN BERLIN · BerlinGermany
Cambridge Life sciences · CambridgeUnited Kingdom
EBERHARD KARLS UNIVERSITAET TUEBINGEN · TuebingenGermany
GALKEM SRL · MonzaItaly
GOETEBORGS UNIVERSITET · GoeteborgSweden
INSTITUT GUSTAVE ROUSSY · VillejuifFrance
INSTITUT NATIONAL DE LA SANTE ET DE LA RECHERCHE MEDICALE · ParisFrance
JUSTUS-LIEBIG-UNIVERSITAET GIESSEN · GIESSENGermany
LUDWIG BOLTZMANN GESELLSCHAFT GMBH · WienAustria
MEDIZINISCHE UNIVERSITAET WIEN · WienAustria
MEDIZINISCHE UNIVERSITAT GRAZ · GrazAustria
Masarykova univerzita · BrnoCzechia
Naked Science Ltd · CambridgeUnited Kingdom
Roche Austria GmbH · ViennaAustria
Sofigen · BrnoCzechia
TISSUEGNOSTICS GMBH · WienAustria
UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI TORINO · TorinoItaly
UNIVERSITA' DEGLI STUDI DI MILANO-BICOCCA · MilanoItaly
UNIVERSITAETSKLINIKUM FREIBURG · FreiburgGermany
VARIONOSTIC GMBH · ULMGermany

ALKATRAS · ALK Activation as a target of TRAanslational Science (ALKATRAS): Break free from cancer

Results in brief

ALK Activation as a target of TRAanslational Science (ALKATRAS): Break free from cancer

Project objective

Participants

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