INtegrating the emerging research Potential of the University of Athens Cancer Research Group in the European research area (INSPIRE)

Framework: FP7 — Capacities
Programme: Research Potential
Destination: Unlocking and developing the Research Potential of research entities established in the EU�s Convergence regions and Outermost Regions
Action type: Coordination and support actions
Countries involved: Greece
Call:  (FP7-REGPOT-2011-1, 2011)
Start date: 2011-09-01
End date: 2014-08-31
Duration (months): 36.0
Total project cost (EUR): 2796000.0
EU funding (EUR): 2495050.0
Participants: 1
Project status: CLOSED

The main concept of INsPiRE is the scientific and technological reinforcement of the National & Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA) basic and translational Cancer Research Group (NKUA-CRG) towards its integration into the more advanced core of the European cancer research area. Thus, a central objective of the proposal is to gain a full convergence of NKUA-CRG to the European research area of excellence, by facilitating the transformation of an existing multidisciplinary high-quality research, technological and education unit to a research entity unique in Greece and Southern-Eastern Europe that would be comparable to other outstanding research and/or educational units in Europe. This objective will be achieved via a number of concerted actions and a carefully designed work plan. Among the main axes of INsPiRE is the mobilisation, increase of visibility and exposure of the NKUA-CRG human resources to an international scientific environment via two-way secondments, conferences, invited lectures and recruitment of experienced researchers. Also, the strengthening of existing links and the transfer of know-how from ten strategic partners located in some of the most eminent European research entities, namely, the Universities of Geneva, Oslo and Tuebingen, the Technical University of Munich, the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, the Center National de la Recherche Scientifique, the Danish Institute of Cancer Biology and the Imperial College London, is foreseen. The acquisition of new state-of-the-art instrumentation for laser tissue microdissection/capture; confocal laser scanning microscopy live cell imaging; tissue cryo-sectioning/freeze substitution for advanced immuno-electron microscopy; nucleic acid sequencing; advanced flow cytometry and high throughput isolation and characterization of novel bioactive compounds will (among others) be part of a drug screening platform. This platform will enable NKUA-CRG to offer various cost-effective solutions to biotechnological and/or pharmaceutical companies and to facilitate lead-compound identification. Finally, the popularization, promotion and dissemination of the research activities to the scientific community and the stakeholders will be part of this project. The anticipated scientific and technological reinforcement of NKUA-CRG will enhance its existing scientific, educational and technological strengths, leading to the establishment of a research entity unique in Greece and South-Eastern Europe, fully integrated to the current European research system.

Keywords: scientific & technological reinforcement,basic & translational cancer research,high-throughput screening,drug discovery