From the creation of the European research area in 2000 to a Mission on cancer in Europe in 2021-lessons learned and implications

Abstract

In the year 2000, cancer research in Europe had the potential to make a difference as it had several unique strengths, such as a strong foundation in biomedical science, good patient registries, infrastructures that spanned from biological repositories to bioinformatic hubs as well as thriving Comprehensive Cancer Centers (CCCs) and basic/preclinical cancer research institutions of high international standing. Research, however, was fragmented and lacked coordination. As a result, Europe could not harness its potential for translating basic research discoveries into a clinical setting for the patients' benefit. What was needed was a paradigm shift in cancer research that addressed the translational research continuum. Along these lines, in 2000, European Union (EU) Commissioner Philippe Busquin established the European Research Area (ERA) and in 2002 the European Cancer Research Area (ECRA), and their political approval was a powerful catalyst for the increased involvement of scientists in science policy in the EU. In this report, we briefly describe the actions embraced by the cancer community and cancer organizations in response to Busquin's proposals that led to the creation of the EU Mission on Cancer (MoC) in Horizon 2020 in 2021.

Keywords: ECRA; ERA; building communities; cancer; cancer mission; science policy; speaking with a single voice.

Fig. 1

ERA stakeholders.

Fig. 2

The late Jose Mariano Gago, former Portuguese Minister of Science, Technology, and Higher Education.

Fig. 3

Gaps in the therapeutics and prevention cancer research continuum. Cancer research needs to be integrated, hopefully through the establishment of infrastructures for early translational research, clinical and prevention trials, and outcomes research.

Fig. 4

Carlos Moedas and Julio Celis at the Porto Meeting in 2018.