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

Kom op tegen Kanker invests in promising cancer research projects and innovative care initiatives, which increase survival rates and improve the quality of life of (ex-)patients. Read more (in Dutch) on the website of Kom op tegen Kanker..

Congratulations to all cancer researchers in Ghent (CRIG) that were awarded in 2024, for more than 5.7 million EUR in total!
 

Biomedical - translational research projects

• Prof. Wim Ceelen - 'iGel: a sprayable immunomodulatory gel to prevent postoperative recurrence of colorectal peritoneal metastases' (535 000 EUR)
• Prof. Katleen De Preter - 'Development of the meCUP DNA-methylation test to improve the diagnosis of cancer of unknown primary using tissue and liquid biopsies' (770 750 EUR)
• Prof. Anja Geerts - 'PPAR and ERR as dual targets for combinational treatment of steatotic liver disease-associated cancer' (545 000 EUR) 
• Prof. Tessa Kerre - 'Automated detection of measurable residual disease in hematological malignancies' (454 000 EUR)
• Prof. Fritz Offner - 'Implementing cell-free RNA biomarkers for the minimally invasive diagnosis, risk stratification and follow-up of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma patients' (451 129 EUR)
   

Biomedical - clinical research projects

• Prof. Barbara De Moerloose - 'CHIP-AML22: An open label complex clinical trial in newly diagnosed pediatric AML patients – a study by the NOPHO-DB-SHIP consortium' (381 945 EUR)
• Prof. Bart Vandekerckhove - 'Safety and feasibility of galsome-NEO, a personalized neoantigen targeted mRNA vaccine, in patients with locally advanced unresectable PD-L1 negative non-small cell lung cancer' (684 738 EUR)

Prevention research projects

• Prof. Marthe De Boevre - 'Research into the cancer risk of hormone disrupting substances in drinking water' (307 169 EUR)
• Prof. Benedicte Deforche - 'Promoting non-alcoholic beverages during nightlife as a strategy to reduce alcohol consumption among higher education students: a co-creation approach' (629 475 EUR)
   

Psychosocial research projects

• Dr. Renée Bultijnck - 'PK-PEP: implementation and evaluation of an online home-based health promotion patient empowerment program for men with prostate cancer' (338 130 EUR)
• Dr. Renée Bultijnck - 'Development and pilot testing of interactive, educational and therapeutic group session series “intimacy and sexuality” for patients with prostate, breast and hematological cancer' (205 234 EUR)
• Prof. Melissa De Regge - 'Reducing scanxiety: Developing interventions in co-creation with patients, relatives and healthcare providers' (58 500 EUR)
• Dr. Elke Van Daele - 'COCOS study: COordination and continuity of inter-professional and supportive care in complex esophageal surgery in Flanders' (134 850 EUR)
   

Emmanuel Van der Schueren grants (starting & finishing grants for doctoral researchers)

• Eva Blondeel (promotor: Prof. Olivier De Wever) - 'Development and validation of an in vitro / ex vivo metastasis assay advancing drug screening, personalized oncology and biomarker discovery. ' (58 175 EUR) - finishing grant
• Sam Ernst (promotor Prof. Wim Ceelen) - 'Mapping clinical colorectal cancer peritoneal metastases and exploring immunotherapeutic approaches using mouse models and ex vivo patient-derived tumor material' (80 000 EUR) - finishing grant
• Maude Jans (promotor: Prof. Lars Vereecke) - 'Targeting genotoxic pks+ E.coli to prevent CRC development using innovative translational technologies ' (80 000 EUR) - finishing grant
• Thomas Michiels (promotor: Prof. Bart Vandekerckhove) - 'Combining genetic and transcriptional tumor heterogeneity for an optimized neoepitope vaccine design' (52 994 EUR) - starting grant