The relatively small level of funding means we can support a large variety of projects and afford to 'gamble' a little in supporting novel lines of thought. Our only demand is scientific excellence. Diseases rarely respect national boundaries, making them ideal candidates for international research. And few medical problems demand more innovative thinking than cancer, one of the greatest unsolved killers in developed countries. Over the years, the ESF has contributed to advances in this field through a broad range of initiatives.
Oral cancer is the sixth most common cancer.
It's also a complex disease, frequently involving complex interactions between the environment and the human genome. The network is testing the hypothesis that both inductive and carcinogen-induced alterations in stromal cell behaviour occur during the process of field cancerisation, research that could improve preventative and remedial treatments. The researchers are investigating the interaction between indoor air pollution and genes in the development of asthma and other atopic diseases, conditions that affect a steadily rising proportion of the population, especially children. A further programme is trying to get to the root of Social Variations in Health Expectancy. It's not just medical difficulties that transcend national boundaries.