Several Utrecht-based researchers have been awarded prestigious Cancer Grand Challenges grants, each worth up to $25 million over five years. These grants are awarded by the Cancer Grand Challenges intiative, founded by Cancer Research UK and the National Cancer Instute, which identifies the most complex problems in cancer research and empower global, interdisciplinary teams to tackle these challenges.
UBC member Sebastiaan van Heesch (Prinses Máxima Center) is part of Team ILLUMINE, which investigates previously unknown microproteins in cancer cells also deemed the cancer ‘dark proteome’. By comprehensively mapping and characterising the function of the dark proteome, the team hopes to uncover potentially universal tumour antigens for the development of immunotherapies.
Meanwhile, Hubrecht Institute researchers Puck Knipscheer and Juan Garagycoecha contribute to Team CAUSE, aiming to uncover how chemical DNA damage leads to mutational signatures that drive cancer. The team will combine adductomics, (bio)chemistry, cell biology, sequencing methods and AI, across 6 institutions and 3 countries, and will work in close collaboration with patient advocates.
At the UMC, Madelon Maurice joins Team REWIRE-CAN to develop a new approach to colorectal cancer focused on amplifying, as opposed to inhibiting, signaling pathways in a controlled way.
Read more about these and other awarded Cancer Grand Challenges grants.
