Research projects from CRIG teams funded by 'Stichting tegen Kanker' (2024 grants)

CRIG

Every two year, 'Stichting tegen Kanker' launches a call for both fundamental as translational/clinical cancer research projects. In 2024, almost 35 million euro was divided over 68 innovative and promising research projects at universities and university hospitals throughout Belgium (42 projects fundamental research; 26 projects translational & clinical research)). The 2024 results are published on the website of 'Stichting tegen Kanker' via this link.

No less than 15 CRIG teams were awarded, for projects in the categories 'fundamental research' and 'translational & clinical research'. In addition, 1 Social grant and 1 Levensloop grant were awarded to projects coordinated by Kankercentrum UZ Gent.
 

Fundamental research:
 

  • Prof. Geert Berx - 'Plasticity controlled colon cancer initiation and progression' (477 309 EUR)
  • Prof. Katleen De Preter - 'Tracking cfDNA origin during therapy in barcoded cancer models' (430 368 EUR)
  • Prof. Olivier De Wever - 'Impact of MEK targeted therapy on cancer-associated fibroblast state and consequential effects for cancer progression' (480 000 EUR)
  • Prof. Martin Guilliams (UGent) & Prof. Peter Vermeulen (GZA Ziekenhuizen Sint Augustinus) - 'MeTAMorphosis' (project on liver cancer) (600 000 EUR)
  • Prof. An Hendrix - 'Targeting Rab27b-mediated release of extracellular vesicles to suppress cancer progression and elicit cGAS-mediated anti-cancer immunity' (480 000 EUR)
  • Prof. Sophie Janssens - 'Immunogenic cell death from a dendritic cell perspective, some old concepts revisited' (480 000 EUR)
  • Prof. Bart Lambrecht - 'Type 2 inflammation in lung cancer' (475 696 EUR)
  • Prof. Panagiotis Ntziachristos - 'RNA methylation controls oncogenic transcription and metabolism in T-cell leukemia' (600 000 EUR)
  • Prof. Tom Taghon - 'Using spatial transcriptomics to identify the molecular drivers of human γδ subset development for tailored cancer immunotherapy' (478 233 EUR)
  • Prof. Jo Vandesompele - 'Study of acquired resistance and recurrence through multi-omics spatial analysis of neuroblastoma' (480 000 EUR)
  • Prof. Lars Vereecke - 'Microbial drivers of colorectal cancer development and therapy' (580 000 EUR)

 

Translational & Clinical research:
 

  • Prof. Tessa Kerre (in close collaboration with Prof. Steven Goossens) - 'Drug response profiling of adult T-ALL to optimize salvage therapeutic strategies for refractory/relapsed patients' (592 000 EUR)
  • Prof. Diether Lambrechts (KULeuven) & Dr. Ine Lentacker (UGent) - 'Development and clinical validation of a personalized mRNA-based cancer vaccine for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma' (465 600 EUR for KULeuven + 254 400 EUR for UGent))
  • Prof. Fritz Offner - 'Finetuning a CD70 targeted nanoCAR Therapy for late stage Cutaneous T Cell Lymphoma' (289 724 EUR)
  • Prof. Bart Vandekerckhove - 'Safety and feasibility study of GALSOME-NEO, a personalized neoantigen targeted mRNA vaccine, in patients with locally advanced unresectable PD-L1 negative non-small cell lung cancer' (600 000 EUR)

 

Social & Levensloop Grants:
 

  • Social grant- study project: UZ Gent (project leader: Dr. Desiree Dorleijn) - 'Coping with the suspected presence of rare sarcoma cancer: a qualitative study of patients and their relatives.' (27 250 EUR)
  • Levensloop grant: UZ Gent (Kankercentrum) - 'Cancer patient education via podcasts. Focus on multidisciplinary psychosocial support.' (10 000 EUR)