Cancer Research KI Collaborators

Cancer Research KI Collaborations

At Karolinska Institutet Cancer Research KI connects the activities of three Thematic Translational Centers and two Linné centers focused on cancer research. Cancer Research KI also closely interacts with the NatiOn research school. On the national level Cancer Research KI has an alliance with Stockholm County Council and the Regional Cancer Center (RCC) as well as close collaboration with the two other national strategic cancer research environments (U-CAN and BioCare). Internationally Cancer Research KI currently has collaboration agreements with MD Anderson Cancer Center and DKFZ in place and plans for further partnerships. Cancer Research KI also collaborates with industry and manages joint projects and efforts under the KI-Roche Master Collaboration Agreement.

Associated Centers

Cancer Research KI has established a research environment and meeting point for the most competitive cancer research at KI. Cancer Research KI brings together research groups and research centers (the three Translational Thematic Centers - ACT, BRECT, IMTAC - and the two Linné centers within cancer research - CRisP, STARGET) spread over many different departments and three geographical locations.

Translational Thematic Centers

The theme centers are set up jointly by the Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm County Council to promote the transfer of basic research to clinical application. Cancer Research KI has close collaboration with the three theme centers in cancer research (ACT, BRECT, IMTAC) and their directors are members of the Executive Board.

• Center for Advanced Cancer Therapies (ACT)
  The aim of ACT is to identify and characterize novel compounds that target critical pathways in cancer cells. A multidisciplinary approach that integrates clinical research with state-of-the-art HTP screening of chemical libraries and target identification/validation technologies, including cell and molecular biology, transcriptomics, proteomics, computational biology, and in vivo imaging techniques is used. Director: Galina Selivanova.
• Breast Cancer Theme Center (BRECT)
  The breast cancer theme center aims to increase our understanding of critical steps in breast cancer development and therapy. The research span from basic studies using cell lines, animal models, and patient biopsies, to prospective clinical studies and clinical trials, with the ultimate goal to improve breast cancer therapy and disease outcome. Director Jonas Bergh.
• Theme Center for Immune Modulatory Therapies (IMTAC)
  The main focus of IMTAC is developing innovative immune-based treatment approaches and accelerating the movement of effective immunotherapies into the clinic as part of the standard of care for patients. Director: Rolf Kiessling.

Linnaeus Centers

The Swedish Research Council provides support to a total of 40 research environments in different research areas through a 5-10-year Linnaeus grant allocated in 2006 and 2008. The aim of the Linnaeus grants is to enhance support for research of the highest quality that can compete internationally. It also aims to encourage universities and colleges to prioritize research fields and to allocate funding for them. StratCan has close collaboration with the Linnaeus Centers in Cancer Research at Karolinska Institutet, and their directors are members of the Executive Board.

• CRisP - The Cancer Risk Prediction Center
  The translational research environment CRisP covers the fields of cancer epidemiology, next-generation sequencing, biostatistics, systems biology, pathology, surgery, and quality-of-life research. CRisP was established in 2008 based on a shared vision of decreased breast and prostate cancer mortality through individualized risk prediction and prevention. Coordinated by Henrik Grönberg.
• STARGET - a Cancer Research Network
  STARGET is a cancer research network at Karolinska Institutet dedicated to a systematic characterization of the roles of pericytes and fibroblasts in normal and tumor tissue. It is the only Linné center dedicated to experimental cancer research. STARGET i supported by the Swedish Research Council since 2006. Coordinated by Arne Östman.

NatiOn research school

Cancer Research KI supports the National Research School in Clinical Cancer (NatiOn) with means to cover the costs of research time for 10 clinicians pursuing their Ph.D. This effort is in continuation of a previous announcement of two four-year grants for postgraduate education in cancer research for MDs or medical students. The ambition is to encourage participation and allow more clinicians time to engage in research to meet the future need for competitive clinical cancer researchers.

National Collaboration

SFO Cancer: BioCARE & U-CAN

The Strategic Research Programmes (SFO) in Cancer: U-CAN from Uppsala/Umeå, BioCARE from Lund/Göteborg, and Cancer Research KI from Karolinska Institutet, work together for national efforts in cancer research. On StratCans initiative the programmes meet yearly for The Swedish Cancer Research Meeting.

Regional Cancer Center (RCC)

Regional Cancer Center Stockholm - Gotland will lead and coordinate the region's efforts to streamline cancer care processes. Cancer Research KI has close collaboration with RCC, strengthened by the fact that Roger Henriksson, co-director of Cancer Research KI (StratCan), is head of RCC Stockholm - Gotland. A significant joint effort is the recruitment of Professor Per Ljungman as Research Coordinator at RCC.

Industry Collaboration

KI-Roche Master Collaborative Agreement

The Master Collaborative Agreement (MCA) for strategic collaboration in the Cancer Research field was signed by KI and Roche global research organization in December 2014. The aim is to develop new and better therapies and more specific methods for analyses, but also to identify novel signal pathways that can be targeted for future drugs.

Article regarding the MCA in LIFe-time.se (in Swedish)

Joint Steering Committee (JSC):

Members: Astrid Kiermaier (Roche), Pavel Pisa (Roche), Rune Toftgård (KI) and Klas Wiman (KI). Chair: Gabriele Beer (Roche).

Alliance Directors: Björn Arvidsson (Roche) and Sandra Falck (KI).

The Joint Steering Committee meets regularly (2-4 times yearly).

Please, do not hesitate to contact the alliance directors or any other member of the JSC should you have any questions or want more information regarding the collaboration agreement and possibilities for joint research projects.

KI-Roche Oncology workshop:

The first joint KI-Roche workshop in Oncology was held at Nobel Forum KI Solna October 19-20, 2015 with the ambition to allow interaction and discussion regarding possibilities for joint research projects.

KICancer Collaborations

KICancer catalyzes international networks and collaborations in line with KI’s international policy. An organized network with the major Cancer Centers in Europe, USA, and Israel is formed including

• Gustave Roussy in Paris
• NKI in the Netherlands
• DKFZ in Heidelberg
• the Mayo clinic, Rochester
• MD Anderson, Houston, Texas
• MIT, Cambridge (US)
• and Weizmann Institute, Israel

This is aiming to develop joint technology platforms and form exchange training programs for PhDs and postdocs.