In spite of the impressive pace of cancer research, translating basic discoveries into new and more effective prevention tools, treatments and diagnostics remains complex and difficult to manage. Knowledge breakthroughs take years, if not decades, to be translated into improved outcomes for patients and this requires organization, communication and cooperation among scientists, clinicians, healthcare professionals, science policy makers, industry, patients and society at large.

Today, priorities and funding for cancer research are frequently set at the national or local level in the European Union’s 27 Member States and as a result there is tremendous heterogeneity between approaches and financial resources. Moreover, organisations that provide funding for research, including national medical research councils, charities, European institutions, and private sources, add to this confusion with their differing requirements, goals, and restrictions. Lack of coordination translates into duplication of research efforts, which leads to waste of time and resources, and severely limits Europe overall progress in the fight against cancer.

Thus, it is urgent to improve collaboration in cancer research across Europe and to identify gaps within the cancer research continuum where coordination is essential. Previous work conducted by the Eurocan+Plus project recommended that Europe should aim at building bridges between research domains to achieve significant impact and encourage innovation. Following these recommendations, this WP will addresses existing limitations by bringing together MS/AC, NGOs including patient organisations and healthcare professionals, industry and other stakeholders in the cancer research continuum, with the aim of developing a concerted approach to achieve coordination of one third of research from all funding sources by 2013 within selected areas of cancer research.

Work Package Leader on Cooperation and Coordination in Cancer Reserach:

Julio Celis

European Cancer Organisation

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