ERA-NET on Translational Cancer Research - TRANSCAN - Joint Call
About TRANSCAN
The objective of the TRANSCAN project (ERA-NET on Translational Cancer Research) is to promote translational cancer research in Europe. In other words, research aimed at the rapid transfer of scientific discoveries into new drugs and clinical applications for prevention, early diagnosis, and treatment of cancer. Likewise, the project aims at the effective integration of basic, clinical and epidemiological cancer research through the coordination of activities of national and regional translational cancer research funding organisations in Europe.
TRANSCAN is a four-year initiative funded by the Seventh EU Framework Programme, under the European Research Area Network scheme (ERA-NET). The ERA-NET scheme represents an approach aiming at enhancing coordination of national or regional research programmes in the Member States and Associated States. In line with the ERA-NET scheme, TRANSCAN is a collaborative network of ministries, funding organisations and research councils with programmes in translational cancer research. The network is composed of 25 partners from 19 European and Associated countries. Its ultimate goal is to contribute to the building of the European Research Area through the coordination of activities of national and regional translational cancer research funding organisations that aim at the integration of basic, clinical and epidemiological cancer research by means of an efficient transnational cancer funding in Europe. The project began on January 1st, 2011 and will run for 48 months (1 January 2011-31 December 2014).
Coordination and Management of TRANSCAN
The project is coordinated by the Italian Ministry of Health (Directorate-General for Health and Biomedical Research and Surveillance of Health Public Entities) with the collaboration of the Istituto Superiore di Sanità (National Institute of Health, ISS) as responsible for the technical-scientific management of the project.
Structure of the project
The TRANSCAN project foresees the implementation of well interconnected activities:
- Survey and analysis of national funding dedicated to translational cancer research;
- Design and implementation of three calls for proposals on translational cancer research (Joint Transnational Calls, JTCs);
- Promotion of training activities aimed at creating multi-disciplinary and multi-professional groups dedicated to translational cancer research;
- Impact assessment of the project outcomes to ensure the effective coordination of funding dedicated to translational cancer research in Europe;
- Definition of a sustainability plan for future cooperation between the institutions involved in the TRANSCAN network.
The first Joint Transnational Call for Proposals (JTC 2011) will be published in December 2011. The topic of the call will be: "Validation of biomarkers for personalised cancer medicine". For more details about this call, please see the preliminary announcement published on the TRANSCAN website.
There will be a two-stage submission procedure for joint applications: pre-proposals and full proposals. In order to facilitate the eligibility check process, the Italian Ministry of Health will grant eligibility clearance to the Italian applicants participating in the multinational research consortia, prior to the submission of the preliminary proposals. To this end, applicants must complete a pre-submission eligibility check form.