CRIG stimulates and accelerates cancer research that can benefit the patient

Different research groups all have their own expertise and are scattered across different faculties and campuses at Ghent University, Ghent University Hospital and VIB-UGent. This poses challenges in terms of efficient communication, collaboration and shared use of equipment and resources. CRIG aims to respond to these challenges. 

Together, we can achieve more. More than ever, this applies to temporary and future cancer research. Different research areas - from fundamental over pre-clinical and clinical research - are often interconnected and can act synergistically for scientists to better understand and treat cancer. Therefore, CRIG aims to stimulate researchers from different disciplines to exchange information about ongoing research and to collaborate, for example through the organization of symposia and seminars. CRIG uses different communication channels (such as newsletters) to actively announce exciting research results, novel technologies, and opportunities to collaborate. By sharing expertise, platforms and technologies across disciplines and institutions, innovative research can be performed, with efficient use of valuable resources and time. Furthermore, we want to make sure that - amongst others via close collaboration with the Cancer Center (Kankercentrum) of Ghent University Hospital - that scientific progress is translated into innovative and improved care for the patients.

By sharing platforms, technologies and expertise across teams, innovative research can be performed, with efficient use of valuable resources and time. Technologies are rapidly evolving, and state-of-the-art research infrastructure is often very expensive. Therefore, CRIG wants to stimulate research teams to join forces to obtain funding for novel platforms and technologies, and to share the available infrastructure as much as possible. Also at the institutional level, many efforts are ongoing to financially support and install core facilities that can be used by all researchers and even external partners (e.g. companies). CRIG co-invests in some of these core facilities that are of crucial importance and provide leverage for many cancer research teams (such as the PDX core facility). Visit our Network and Platforms & Expertise overview pages to get an overview of facilities, platforms, technologies and expertises that are shared between CRIG teams.   

In the future, cancer will become an even more challenging threat for our society, amongst others because of the increasing life expectancy of the population. Consequently, there is a great need for novel treatments. Hence, top research should be persued, with a major focus on the development of less toxic and more effective therapies. The interaction between fundamental research, (pre-)clinical research and the patient is crucial. Direct involvement of clinician-researchers is imperative to address the most urgent and relevant needs that patients, physicians and health professionals are confronted with. 

Besides directly involving and stimulating the collaboration between fundamental, preclinical and clinical researchers, CRIG also collaborates with the Cancer Center' (het 'Kankercentrum') and other internal partners (read more) to strengthen the interaction between the lab and the clinic. Ghent University Hospital has broad experience and built a strong reputation in the treatment of cancer patients, and is (inter)nationally renowned for innovative treatment methods (such as cancer immunotherapy) based on pioneering research. At the Cancer Center (Kankercentrum) of Ghent University Hospital, patients and families can count on excellent care and tailored support by a multidisciplinary team of medical doctors, nurses, nurse assistants and specialists, dieticians, psychologists and social workers. In collaboration with the Cancer Center, CRIG aims to further maximize the translation of cancer research into clinical practice.

CRIG directly stimulates the collaboration between the 500+ researchers from diverse research domains at Ghent University, Ghent University Hospital and VIB-UGent. However, CRIG also also connects to a broad network partners and stakeholders to join forces in cancer research. These partners and collaborators can be internal (CRIG subnetworks, Kankercentrum and clinical departments at UZ Gent, core facilities at UGent/VIB, ...) as well as external (international research institutes, foundations, industrial partners, ...). Discover our partners via this link.    

Next, CRIG interacts with the broad audience (patients and families, organizations, donors, students, and the society in general). Amongst others, CRIG organizes symposia and events for the broad public, and participates to events from our partners (e.g. educational events, fundraisers, ...). We communicate about the importance of cancer research and breakthroughs via this website, press releases, newsletters, educational videos, and social media (X, LinkedIn, Facebook). 

Education is crucial to produce top researchers. Ghent University offers a wide variety of specialized educational programs, which already delivered numerous top researchers in the past. In October 2016, a new program called 'Major in Cancer' became available within the Master Biomedical Sciences at Ghent University. The close interaction between Ghent University and Ghent University Hospital ensures the direct application of education (and research) in practice.

CRIG further supports the advanced education of young cancer researchers and specialists by organizing training sessions, workshops and symposia. For example, CRIG organizes a Doctoral Schools specialist course on cancer to educate doctoral researchers at Ghent University on several aspects of cancer research. In addition, interaction and exchange of students and researchers with other (cancer) research centers (or companies) in Belgium and abroad is encouraged. For example, CRIG provides mobility grants for short research stays via CRIG's International Thematic Network 'PrIOMiC'. Finally, CRIG also organizes test defenses for cancer researchers that want to obtain mandates and personal grants. 

Apart from education, CRIG also provides many opportunities for (young as well as established) researchers to network and connect with colleagues. Amongst others, CRIG organizes (and/or stimulates participation to) invited speaker seminars, symposia, connecting expertise events, welcome events for starting PhD students at CRIG, ...

Cancer research often leads to novel insights and knowledge that can be translated to the development of novel drugs, technologies or treatments, that are essential to diagnose, treat or even prevent cancer. CRIG facilitates this so-called valorization of cancer research. Within CRIG, valorization initiatives in several cancer research disciplines are supported by a dedicated CRIG business unit and different valorization experts at Ghent University, Ghent University Hospital and VIB.

In addition, CRIG stimulates collaboration with companies and industrial partners. Such industrial collaborations and valorization initatives - for example via licenses/contracts, spin-offs, joint projects, ... - drive the eventual translation of research in the development of novel drugs, diagnostics and innovative technologies that benefit the patient.