The GLIOMATCH project kick-off meeting took place from 25-27 March 2024 and was hosted by KU Leuven, the project coordinator, at the Faculty Club in Leuven, Belgium. This marks the first in-person gathering of the project’s 14 partner institutions.
GLIOMATCH, a Horizon Europe project, aims to enhance brain cancer treatment through the application of immunotherapy. The project’s focus lies in establishing an MRI radio-multiomics digital hub to aid clinicians in matching treatments for patients. This requires collecting data from both past and new clinical trials.
European collaboration in cancer research
Our project officer was present at the meeting and briefed partners on the support available from the European Health and Digital Executive Agency, as well as the necessary project guidelines. Additionally, she outlined the EU Mission on Cancer, a collective effort involving approximately 50 European projects grouped into 8 clusters. GLIOMATCH is specifically aligned with the “Understanding (tumour-host interactions)” cluster. Within this cluster, we will collaborate with other EU-funded projects to identify synergies and share best practices across various areas of cooperation. Stay tuned for more information on our website regarding cluster initiatives!
Spotlight on clinical trials: a unified approach and addressing challenges
The talks on the first day centred around clinical trials. Clinicians from the eight participating clinical centres aligned on inclusion criteria for adult and paediatric immuno-oncology treated patients across retrospective patient cohorts. Workshops dedicated to both retrospective and prospective clinical trials provided a platform to develop a unified approach and address key challenges regarding protocols, inclusion criteria, and ethical considerations. Clinical trial discussions were complemented by talks on ethics and legal requirements, data management, and socioeconomic aspects, which are essential to ensuring that GLIOMATCH reaches its goals.
A promising path towards reducing the societal burden of brain cancer
The meeting also served to delineate the roles of each partner and highlight the interdependencies between various work packages, brainstorm about stakeholder and patient involvement, and plan the upcoming year to ensure that GLIOMATCH progresses optimally.
Given the complexity of this project, effective coordination is paramount. Meeting in person at the outset enabled comprehensive discussions covering clinical, data, legal, and social aspects simultaneously. We are optimistic that the collaborative efforts of our partners will enhance treatment for both adults and children afflicted by this aggressive form of cancer, while also advancing technology in multiomics and brain tumours in Europe and beyond.
