<p>The latest webinar in the Instruct-ERIC Structure Meets Function series this month includes speakers who have accessed cutting-edge structural biology services through Instruct. The webinar series…

On 10 February, the webinar will feature speakers who have utilised several aspects of Instruct's service offering through the canSERV project. Robert Konrat of the University of Vienna will outline…

European cancer research thrives on collaboration. The EU-backed canSERV platform connects scientists with shared data, samples, and advanced infrastructure. This effort speeds up discoveries and improves patient care. Dr. Pavla Bouchalová leads cancer research at Masaryk University's biochemistry department in Brno, Czechia. She tackles complex questions about colorectal tumors. However, her lab lacks sufficient data, samples, and tools. Through canSERV, her team accessed colorectal cancer tissues and testing services.

Across Europe, cancer researchers are collaborating more closely than ever, thanks to the EU-backed canSERV platform, which links scientists with research services and infrastructures to speed up discoveries and improve care for patients. By Helen Massy-Beresford For Dr Pavla Bouchalová, a cancer researcher in the department of biochemistry at Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, answering complex questions about how colorectal tumours behave requires access to data, samples and analytical tools that go far beyond a single laboratory. Through an EU-backed initiative called canSERV, Bouchalová’s team gained access to colorectal cancer tissue samples and additional testing services that advanced their research. “Without canSERV, we wouldn’t have been able to do the DNA sequencing, RNA sequencing, or the AI-assisted analysis that we have been working on with the Netherlands,” Bouchalová said. Her group is now evaluating the data before preparing their publications. Her experience reflects a wider challenge – and opportunity – facing cancer research in Europe. A growing need for collaboration Around 2.7 million people in Europe are diagnosed with cancer each year, and the figure is expected to rise above 3.2 million by 2040. As the population ages and lifestyle-related risks persist, the need for better prevention, treatment and care...