Innovative European Project CARES kicks off to revolutionize cancer research

The kick-off meeting for the European project CARES took place on Friday, November 10th, hosted at CIC bioGUNE – member of BRTA. This initiative, known as HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-SE, leverages the power of MSCA Staff Exchanges to foster international collaboration, spanning sectors and disciplines, driving advancements in research and innovation.

This project, coordinated by Dr. Maria dM Vivanco, Principal Investigator of the "Cancer Heterogeneity Lab" at CIC bioGUNE, brings together a diverse and accomplished multidisciplinary team. Partners hailing from Austria, Germany, France, Finland, Italy, Greece, Spain, and Argentina contribute their expertise to this collaborative effort.

Cancer remains a formidable challenge, with 2 million cancer-related deaths annually and a staggering cost of €100 billion. While strides have been made in cancer treatments, the success rate of new anti-cancer drugs in clinical trials remains disappointingly low, hindering the rapid development of targeted therapies.

The CARES project envisions a bold and innovative technology that faithfully replicates the active role played by the human tumor microenvironment. This microenvironment plays a crucial role in regulating tumor initiation, propagation, and progression through dynamic communication between tumor cells and the extracellular matrix.

The project's ambitious scientific objectives will serve as the foundation for intensive trans-sectoral and interdisciplinary training for young scientists. This training will equip them with an exceptional translational research portfolio, positioning them for success in both academic and industrial settings.

By addressing the challenges head-on, CARES aims to accelerate the development of innovative targeted cancer therapies, offering new hope in the fight against this pervasive disease. The project underscores the commitment of the international consortium to advance scientific knowledge, foster collaboration, and pave the way for transformative breakthroughs in cancer research.

About CIC bioGUNE

The Centre for Cooperative Research in Biosciences (CIC bioGUNE), located in the Bizkaia Technology Park, is a biomedical research organization conducting cutting-edge research at the interface between structural, molecular and cell biology, with a particular focus on the study of the molecular bases of disease, for use in the development of new diagnostic methods and advanced therapies.

About BRTA

The BRTA is an alliance made up of 4 collaborative research centres (CIC bioGUNE, CIC nanoGUNE, CIC biomaGUNE and CIC energiGUNE) and 12 technology centres (Azterlan, Azti, Ceit, Cidetec, Gaiker, Ideko, Ikerlan, Lortek, Neiker, Tecnalia, Tekniker and Vicometch), with the aim of developing advanced technological solutions for Basque companies.

With the support of the Basque Government, the SPRI Group and the Provincial Councils of the three regional provinces, the alliance seeks to promote collaboration among its centers, to strengthen the conditions to generate and transfer knowledge to companies, contributing to their competitiveness, and to spread Basque scientific and technological capacity outside of the Basque Country.

BRTA has a staff of 3,500 professionals, accounts for 22% of the Basque Country’s R&D investment, generates an annual turnover of over EUR 300 million and files 100 European and international patents per year.