The NETCARE Project is One of the ENLIGHT 2025 Call Winners!

We are excited to announce that the NETCARE Project, with a team from the UG in participation, has been selected as one of the 2025 ENLIGHT Call winners! This project aims to address the multifaceted challenges of cancer, including fundamental science, translational research, and clinical aspects. Find out more about NETCARE and the people behind it below!

What is the main goal of the project? Who are your collaborative partners?

The Netcare Cancer Network brings together all 10 ENLIGHT universities encompassing over 150 cancer research teams, through the active commitment of 50 researchers, professors and institutional representatives. The NETCARE network is primarily composed of 10 university representatives each bringing an initial group of collaborators (see section 6):

• Frédéric Saltel (UBx) - Network coordinator

• Amélie Guitard / Majid Khatib (UBx)

• Günter Schneider (UGOE)

• JJ Schuringa (UG)

• Mario Tschan / Sofia Karkampouna (UniBern)

• Eva Szegezdi (Gal)

• Michal Mego (CU)

• Andor Pivarsci (UU)

• Ana Zubiaga (EHU)

• Pieter Rondou / Ans Baeyens (UGent)

• Jana Jaal (UT)

Our immediate priorities are to enhance educational standards, increase research impact and foster the joint development of competitive project applications. In the long term, this initiative seeks to establish a robust ENLIGHT Cancer Cluster, enhancing the alliance's international recognition. Due to its size, NETCARE will provide access to comprehensive and complementary expertise in cancer research, offering a competitive advantage for attracting external stakeholders and funding.

A strong focus will be placed on joint educational initiatives, with the creation of training modules and expansion of internship opportunities for Master's students. The network will facilitate joint activities such as workshops, seminars, and mobility opportunities for PhD and master students and Early Career Researchers (ECR). The network will also foster the dissemination of research results across the alliance, enhancing knowledge sharing and cross-institutional learning.

A major milestone of this ETN will be the organisation of a top-tier international seminar on cancer in 2026, bringing together clinical and private stakeholders, academic experts, postdoctoral researchers, PhD candidates, and Master's students. An important aim of this network is to create several internal consortia within the network to establish robust thematic collaborations. At the end of the ETN funding, this will enable the partners to collaboratively apply for further funding opportunities, particularly under Horizon Europe and the EU Cancer Mission.

What inspired this project idea?

Bringing together scientists working in the field of cancer biology.

Why is this international collaboration essential to your work?

Cancer research is a critical public health issue in the EU and worldwide. Substantial research efforts are still required to elucidate the mechanisms underlying cancer development and treatment resistance. Additionally, the identification of novel therapeutic targets, innovative treatments, and diagnostic tools is essential to improve patient care. Collaboration is a crucial element of this research and educational effort aligning with the objectives of the Horizon Europe EU Cancer Mission, namely: (1) advancing our understanding of cancer, (2) developing effective prevention and early detection strategies, (3) improving diagnosis and treatment, and (4) enhancing the quality of life for patients and their families. The ENLIGHT alliance is expected to strengthen its commitment to addressing this mission, aligning with the objectives of the European Cancer Beating Plan. Cancer is thus a transversal priority to all the key themes covered by the flagship Health and well-being (urban health, aging population, brain and mental health, environmental exposures, inequalities in healthcare access, precision medicine and digital public health).

How did the collaboration come together?

In 2023, four ENLIGHT universities organized a very first international seminar (“Cancer days”), which brought together over 150 participants. Building on this success, we decided to expand this initiative to include all ten universities, all of which responded positively to this call to establish a dedicated ENLIGHT network. Our aim is therefore to provide new opportunities for collaboration and training among researchers, teachers and students across all partner institutions. The goal is for every site to benefit from this network, to foster mutual development and growth. Another objective will obviously be to leverage this network as a platform for obtaining in the long run top-tier European funding (Horizon Europe, TRANSCAN, MSCA, ITN, CanServ, …). Ultimately, our ambition is to create a cancer network that is unprecedented in Europe, a powerful driver of innovation and excellence within the complementary fields of research and teaching, and facilitate outreach and collaboration with our local partners and health institutions.

What impact do you expect this project will have for the University of Groningen and the ENLIGHT network?

The ENLIGHT Cancer Network aims to achieve several key objectives across five strategic axes: Axis 1 aims to enhance research capabilities in oncology by facilitating the exchange of personnel, including PhD candidates (R1), early career researchers (R2) and senior researchers (R3, R4). It also focuses on fostering cross-institutional access to cutting-edge methodologies, resources, and training. Axis 2 aims to improve the training of Master's students ensuring they receive comprehensive education in oncology. Axis 3 seeks to expand the visibility of the network to increase its recognition and impact in the field of cancer research and education. Axis 4 is dedicated to organising international seminars to further enhance the network's international visibility, secure sponsorship from major companies, and attract and promote talent within the network. Finally, Axis 5 focuses on sustaining the network's operations and implementing its ambitious goals through a strategic approach, to ensure long-term viability and impact.

The team at the UG/UMCG:

• Jan Jacob Schuringa, Head of Experimental Hematology, Professor of Experimental Hematology
• Lara Barazzuol, Head of Molecular Radiation Biology
• Rob Coppes
• Marcel van Vugt, Head of Van Vugt lab, Professor Molecular Oncology, Director Cancer Research Center Groningen
• Wijnand Helfrich, Professor of Translational Surgical Oncology
• Steven de Jong, Molecular Oncology
• Marco de Bruyn, Associate Professor, Faculty of Medical Sciences
• Charalampos Tsoumpas, Professor in Quantification in Molecular Diagnostics & Radionuclide Therapy
• Cor Calkhoven, Group leader of the Laboratory of Gene regulation in ageing and age-related diseases
• Helder Almeida Santos, Full Professor in Biomedical Engineering
• Truuske de Bock, Head of Oncological Epidemiology, Professor in Oncological Epidemiology
• Frank Kruyt, Professor Experimental Oncology
• Shafak Al-Uwini, Personalized Cancer Treatment, Innovative Clinical Studies and Long-term Treatment Consequences in Cancer (InClinS), Faculty of Medical Sciences/UMCG
• Federica Sarno
• Frederik Hoogwater
• Anouk van der Hoorn, Radiologist

We are happy for the NETCARE team and are excited for the outcomes of this project!