Under the Microscope: canSERV Concludes Four Years of Supporting European Cancer Research

CanSERV is reaching the final stage. It is a European Union-funded project under the Horizon Europe programme that provides cutting-edge, interdisciplinary, and customised oncology services across the entire cancer continuum. Its mission is to offer a comprehensive portfolio of oncology-related research services to scientists from EU Member States, associated countries, and beyond, thereby accelerating cancer research and innovation.

The project brings together a multidisciplinary consortium of 18 European partners and is coordinated by Jens K. Habermann from BBMRI-ERIC. CanSERV integrates 13 European Research Infrastructures, including MIRRI-ERIC, represented by the University of Minho through MUM (Micoteca da Universidade do Minho), with the active participation of the Portuguese microbial collections ACOI - Coimbra Culture Collection of Algae and LEGE-CC - Blue Biotechnology and Ecotoxicology Culture Collection. Together with a broad network of connected service providers across Europe, the project is supported by a total EU contribution of €14.8 million.

The project commenced on 1 September 2022 and is scheduled to conclude on 31 August 2026, with a six-month extension currently envisaged.

Since its launch, canSERV has provided more than 400 oncology-related services to the research community, significantly contributing to the advancement of cancer research across Europe. By facilitating access to high-quality expertise, technologies, and research infrastructures, the project has strengthened collaborative research efforts and accelerated the development of innovative approaches for cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship, thereby reinforcing the European cancer research landscape.

This text was prepared with the collaboration of Nelson Lima (MUM-UMinho).