ONCODIR

Marking a significant milestone in the domain of cancer prevention, the ONCODIR project has officially commenced. This transformative initiative is funded by the European Commission through the Horizon Europe programme. Over 42 months, starting in June 2023, ONCODIR is poised to revolutionise cancer prevention, seeking to deliver evidence-based cancer prevention strategies and AI-driven personalised prevention through multidisciplinary research.

In a significant step towards advancing cancer prevention, the project ONCODIR – Evidence-based Participatory Decision Making for Cancer Prevention through implementation research has officially launched. This transformative endeavour is funded by the European Commission through the Horizon Europe programme, specifically the call Research and Innovation actions supporting the implementation of the Mission on Cancer (HORIZON-MISS-2022-CANCER-01). Over 42 months, starting in June 2023, ONCODIR will leverage on multidisciplinary research methods to promote innovative approaches to cancer prevention, spanning from health policy analytics and social and behavioural sciences to AI-powered multi-omics, retrospective data analytics, and decision support theories. Ultimately, the project aims to provide evidence-based cancer prevention strategies and AI-powered personalised prevention.

These are ONCODIR’s specific objectives:

• Identify and remove barriers to equal access to cancer prevention for all in the EU.
• Create a flexible framework for improving existing colorectal cancer prevention programs, focusing on both structural and behavioural interventions.
• Engage healthcare professionals, patients, policymakers, and stakeholders in co-designing and co-creating colorectal cancer prevention interventions, prioritizing gender considerations and ethics.
• Offer reliable recommendations to citizens, clinicians, and regional-national policymakers for colorectal cancer prevention, with a focus on behaviour change among different risk groups.
• Foster the adoption of ONCODIR’s results and solutions in cancer prevention by developing sustainable pathways for integrating cost-effective interventions into healthcare strategies across the EU.
• Involve citizens in designing colorectal cancer prevention strategies and solutions through a participatory approach to boost awareness, acceptance, and innovation from the grassroots.

These ambitious objectives will be pursued through a joint effort of a consortium of 27 partners from multiple European countries, with the Information Technologies Institute at the Centre for Research and Technology Hellas (Greece) serving as the project coordinator. The consortium include these other partners: INCLIVA Biomedical Research Institute (Spain), European Cancer Patient Coalition (Belgium), European Society of Digestive Oncology (Austria), Youth Cancer Europe (Romania), European Regional and Local Health Authorities (Belgium), Ministry of Health (Greece), Ministry of Health of the Republic of Lithuania, European Forum for Primary Care (Netherlands), Regional Development Fund of Central Macedonia (Greece), Strategic Regional Agency for Health and Social Care (Italy), Institute of Communication and Computer Systems (Greece), Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Institutul Oncologic Prof. Dr. Alexandru Trestioreanu Bucuresti (Romania), EXUS Software (Greece), Universidad de La Rioja (Spain), Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Greece), Innovation Sprint (Belgium), Catalink (Cyprus), Unisystems (Luxembourg), Nutrinomics (Belgium), EY Advisory (Italy), Beia Consult International (Romania), DBC Europe (Greece), Institut Catala D’Oncologia (Spain), Lithuanian Cancer Patient Coalition, and SYNYO (Austria).

Overall, ONCODIR has allocated 1052 person-months among all partners for its implementation, divided into seven work packages. The project’s structure comprises three distinct phases: 1) the development of ONCODIR architecture, including technical work package development and proof-of-concept prototypes; 2) the development of innovative technologies following specific data collection methods; and 3) cloud-based platform validation through its development cycles and feedback.

SYNYO’s primary role in this project is to lead the dissemination, exploitation, and communication strategy and implementation. This entails two key aspects of the project: one focuses on spreading awareness and engaging stakeholders, while the other concentrates on preparing for the market adaptation of project outcomes. The first aspect encompasses activities like branding, maintaining an online presence, analysing stakeholder interests, and crafting tailored messages. It also includes participating in external events and continuous monitoring. In the second aspect, efforts will be directed towards identifying exploitable assets, managing intellectual property rights, and creating a joint strategy for exploiting project results. Both aspects are vital components of the project and involve the active participation of all partners to ensure successful project outcomes.

As ONCODIR takes its initial steps into the world of cancer prevention, it aspires to be a game-changer. The project’s commitment to evidence-based decision-making and its multifaceted approach is set to transform the landscape of cancer prevention across Europe. Stay updated on ONCODIR’s progress through the project’s dedicated website.

Links

https://www.oncodir.eu/

Keywords

Cancer, personalised prevention, risk factors, artificial intelligence