EU Missions are a novelty of the Horizon Europe Research and Innovation programme which focus on bringing concrete solutions to some of Europe’s greatest challenges.
The Cancer Mission supports the European Commission’s priority on Beating Cancer and is an element of the Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan.
In Europe, each year 2,7 million people are diagnosed with cancer and 1,3 million lost their lives due to this disease. The cancer mission intends to accelerate the development of concrete solutions for cancer by providing a better understanding of cancer, allow for earlier diagnosis and optimisation of treatment and improve cancer patient’s quality of life during and beyond their cancer treatment by joining efforts across Europe with citizens, stakeholders and Member States. Here is the Cancer Mission Implementation Plan.
Main Cancer Mission objectives include:
- Understanding cancer
- Prevention and early detection
- Diagnosis and treatment
- Quality of life for patients and their families
Funding calls can be found in the Cancer Mission Work Programme 2023-2024, which is available to download.
Download the General Annexes to the Cancer Mission Work Programme here.
There are six new calls in 2024 with a total budget €119 million. Calls will close in September 2024. Topics include: use cases for a research data platform for cancer (UNCAN.eu), risk predictor test to advance early detection of heritable cancers, support for a pragmatic clinical trial programme by cancer charities, improving the understanding and management of late-effects in adolescents and young adults with cancer and an information portal for the European Cancer Patient Digital Centre.
Events
The information session on the Cancer Mission 2024 took place on the 26 April 2024.
Find the link to the recording here.
A conference on palliative care for cancer patients will take place on the 8 October 2024 in Brussels. Registration information will come soon.
All upcoming events are shared on the HRB X/Twitter and LinkedIn accounts.
National Contact Points
Applicants to the Cancer Mission are supported by the Health Research Board (HRB) National Contact Point, Dr Irene Castellano, who can be contacted at icastellano@hrb.ie. A second Cancer Mission NCP based at Enterprise Ireland, Dr Martha Cahill, can be contacted at martha.cahill@enterprise-ireland.com.