Vision and Research Areas
CCBIO aims to discover, validate, and translate cancer biomarkers to improve our understanding of tumor mechanisms, promote accurate diagnosis and stratification of cancer patients, and inform precise, cost-effective, and responsible treatment of cancer.
Tumor microenvironment
CCBIO is especially focusing on the tumor microenvironment (TME) in primary and metastatic cancers, and how tissue context can instruct aggressive tumor traits and predict cancer behavior and prognosis.
The center is studying how crosstalk between tumor cells and TME niches reflects functional cancer complexity and heterogeneity at various levels.
CCBIO concentrates on the following integrated and overlapping programs:
- Mechanisms of Tumor-Microenvironment Interactions (Basic Studies)
- Discovery and Validation of Cancer Biomarkers (Biomarker Mapping)
- Clinical Applications and Early Trials (Clinical Studies)
- Ethics, Economics and Priorities (Societal Studies)
Biomedical projects are integrated with ethics and economics research, focusing on how to fund and prioritize expensive cancer diagnostics and treatment in the era of expanding and costly personalized medicine. The International Faculty appointed during the Centre of Excellence period, as well as international and national collaboration partners, have been vital in expanding these programs and supporting CCBIO’s policy development.