DevelopMed · Developing the Next Generation of Research Leaders in Precision Oncology
Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
- Duration
- 2021-01-01 → 2027-06-30
- EU contribution
- €1,324,080
- Participants
- 1
- Scheme
- MSCA-COFUND
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Results in brief
Developing the Next Generation of Research Leaders in Precision Oncology
Cancer is a major and fast-growing societal challenge with 2.7Mi people in the EU diagnosed and 1.3M people dying from cancer each year (1). This contributes to Europe bearing 25% of the global cancer burden despite only having 9% of the world population (2). Cancer healthcare expenditure and concomitant economic impacts are currently unsustainable, particularly in light of Europe’s ageing population. New innovative precision approaches can provide more effective diagnostics and cancer therapeutics to improve health resource allocation. For instance, using precision approaches to develop more targeted therapeutics can enhance treatment efficacy and can spare patients from unnecessary long-term side effects. Recent technological advances in genomics, imaging, computational modelling and artificial intelligence have provided a new arsenal of powerful weapons in the fight against cancer. However, there is an acute shortage of skilled scientists and clinicians able to deploy this arsenal of precision oncology approaches. As such, there’s an increasing need to develop a new generation of researchers who are educated and trained to work confidently at the interdisciplinary boundaries between biology, computing and clinical studies. DevelopMed aims to produce the next-generation of research leaders in precision oncology. The programme offers 12 prestigious Precision Oncology Fellowships to experienced researchers at the early stage of their career. DevelopMed seeks to ensure its fellows gain hands-on experience developing cross-disciplinary and entrepreneurial skills through individual research projects with a mandatory 3-6 month secondment at an accredited research organisation (academic, industrial, clinical and/or charity sectors). Fellows are based in one of three universities which have all received the “HR Excellence in Research” designation for their high standard working environments for researchers: University College Dublin (UCD), the University of Galway (UoG) and University College Cork (UCC). The general programme precision oncology research themes include Diagnostics, Drug Development and the Tumour Microenvironment. 1. Europe's Beating Cancer Plan 2021. 2. Ferlay J et al. Cancer incidence and mortality patterns in Europe: Estimates for 40 countries and 25 major cancers in 2018. Eur. J. of cancer 2018;103:356-87.
Data: CORDIS, © European Union
Project objective
With cancer expected to soon become the leading cause of mortality within the European Union, there is an urgent need for a new generation of scientists and clinicians with interdisciplinary training and intersectoral experience to drive future scientific development and make an impact on the lives and health of EU citizens. While recent advances in genomics, artificial intelligence and computational modelling have provided a new arsenal of powerful weapons in the fight against cancer, there is an acute shortage of skilled scientists and clinicians capable of deploying them, as the scientific progress driving these innovations is compartmentalised into traditional academic disciplines.“Developing the Next Generation of Research Leaders in Precision Oncology” (DevelopMed) is an innovative fellowship programme that provides interdisciplinary training and intersectoral mobility within a learning environment that supports career development, scientific innovation and practical application equally. The programme will fund 12 three-year incoming fellowships to Ireland in the area of precision oncology, with fellows recruited during 2 calls for proposals over the 60-month duration of the project. The aim of DevelopMed is to develop the next generation of skilled researchers who will gain hands-on experience developing cross-disciplinary and entrepreneurial skills through individual research projects with a mandatory 3 month secondment at an accredited research organisation (academic, industrial, philanthropic) or a clinical research centre during their fellowship. DevelopMed thus will generate a diverse, mobile, skilled workforce and will contribute to European research and innovation. DevelopMed will also contribute to sustainable economic growth through supporting evidence-based research to drive innovation and new product development. DevelopMed will provide the international mobility, intersectoral exposure and interdisciplinary research opportunities that are essential to develop the scientific leaders of tomorrow.
Original text from CORDIS.
Participants
- UNIVERSITY COLLEGE DUBLIN, NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF IRELAND, DUBLIN · DublinCoordinatorIreland
Links
Data: CORDIS, © European Union