InstandNGS4P General Assembly

(Vienna, 30.03.2023) St. Anna CCRI was recognized in the January edition of the Organization of European Cancer Institute’s Newsletter. This newsletter featured St. Anna CCRI as the exclusive childhood oncology partner in the Instand-NGS4P project. Leveraging this early recognition, the team, led by the Scientific Director Kaan Boztug and Ruth Ladenstein, actively participated in this year’s General Assembly Meeting in Vienna.

Instand-NGS4P, an EU co-funded project, aims to enhance cancer patients’ benefits from Next Generation Sequencing and support therapy decisions. As part of the General Assembly Meeting a public session highlighted innovative solutions from participating companies, addressing critical needs for clinicians, diagnostic teams, and patients. This encompasses automating sample preparation, refining data analysis, and ensuring clear reporting for expedited therapeutic decisions at the bedside.

Prototype Development and Future Integration

The project partners also presented their institutions, expertise, and current diagnostic workflows. With 11 contractors currently working on prototypes for various diagnostic workflow components, the project aims to integrate different parts by 2024. The integrated workflow, combining genetic information, cancer predisposition factors, and drug-genome interactions, is anticipated to enhance diagnostic efficiency for pediatric cancer patients across European centers.

St. Anna CCRI’s Role and Project Timeline

As a crucial part of the EU co-funded Instand-NGS4P project, St. Anna CCRI represents the interests of pediatric cancer researchers, clinicians, parents, and patients. The envisioned diagnostic workflow, under development since April 2022, aims to facilitate standardized and efficient diagnostic decisions and will be used by many European centers. The research and development activities are scheduled to continue until mid-2025.