News&Events

STEPUPIORS members Dr Ana Đurić and Dr Milena Čavić participated at an inspiring regional Twinning project meeting “Twinning projects: Experiences and obstacles 2”, organized by Dr Goran Ristić and the ELICSIR Project from the University of Niš, Faculty of Electronic Engineering, on January 27, 2023. During the meeting, STEPUPIORS Project Coordinator Dr Milena Čavić presented the project scientific aims, mission, vision, communication, and management strategy and outlined current implementation challenges and obstacles. During round table discussions, Dr Ana Đurić discussed with other Twinning project participants from Serbia and Romania on possible strategies for further collaboration and overcoming main jointly identified implementation challenges – bureaucratic issues, lack of coordinated governmental project management support and lack of sufficient number of qualified national project managers.

On January 10-12, 2023 STEPUPIORS project management team members from the Institute of Oncology and Radiology of Serbia (IORS) Ana Đurić, Marko Radulović and Milena Čavić visited the European and International Projects Research Management Office of IDIBAPS. During intensive two-day sessions on pre-award and post-award grant management topics, and communication, knowledge exchange was performed between project participants, leading towards the establishment of a first research management office at IORS within WP5 of the project. The visit was hosted by IDIBAPS staff Juan Abolafia, Işıl Tekeli, Haritz Plazaola, Ruth Conesa, Núria Ferrer Forn, Arnau Llobet, Marta Pulido, Daniel Arbós, Xavi Dominguez and Sergi Castellví Bel. An additional visit to IDIBAPS research facilities was also organized.

IORS project management team members and Snežana Bjelogrlić, Aleksandra Stanojević, Mladen Marinković from IORS also visited the Biobanking facilities of IDIBAPS and acquired precious knowledge needed for the future establishment of an IORS rectal cancer biobank planned within WP1 of the project. Hosts from IDIBAPS Aina Rodríguez, Teresa Botta-Orfila, Èlia Alcañiz Boada, Ada Soler-Ventura, Gemma Aragonès Bargalló and Sergi Castellví Bel showed great hospitality.

Dr Ieronymos Zoidakis, from the Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens participated in two STEPUPIORS Horizon Europe Twinning Project-related outreach events, outlining the importance of colorectal cancer research. During the Standup Science event held on Dec 10, 2022, in Atraktos Theater in Athens, Greece, Dr Zoidakis performed a stand-up comedy piece about scientific issues including colorectal cancer and healthy eating habits. On Dec 15-16, 2022, Dr Zoidakis presented proteomics applications in the biomedical field including the prediction of response to chemoradiotherapy in rectal cancer patients to Greek high-school students who visited the Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens.

On December 05-07, 2022 the STEPUPIORS staff dr Mladen Marinković, Aleksandra Stanojević, dr Ana Đurić, dr Marko Radulović and dr Milena Čavić visited the partner institution Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens and acquired knowledge on Cytometry by time of flight application in proteomic research of rectal cancer and Project management. The visit included hands-on sessions provided by experienced researchers and management staff Dr Nikolaos Paschalidis Dr Ieronymos Zoidakis Dr Vassilis Stamatopoulos and Dimitris Raptis from Exelixis Research Management & Communication.

Ph.D. students Aleksandra Stanojević, MSc, and Mladen Marinkovic, MD, presented two abstracts obtained within the STEPUPIORS project, at the 72^nd Annual meeting of the Hellenic Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, held in Patras, Greece, in the period Dec 02-04, 2022. The presented results explored potential predictive markers of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy in locally advanced rectal cancer.

STEPUPIORS Horizon Europe Twinning Project Kickoff period lasted from November 28-30, 2022 in Belgrade, Serbia. Kickoff meeting was held at the Mercure Belgrade Excelsior hotel and online, on November 28^th , 2022, from 15:30 to 19:00 CET, and brought together 26 project participants from Spain, Greece, the Netherlands and Serbia dedicated to rectal cancer research. The Kickoff period was successfully coupled with WP3 activities: expert visits of BRFAA and IDIBAPS staff to IORS, and a Training event on grant proposal writing. The project activities were focused on scientific excellence during the next 3 years, while striving for responsible research, science promotion, social engagement, and creating the next generation of #paneuropean researchers. The consortium agreed upon fostering an open, collaborative, and critical research environment based on trust, transparency, fairness, and equal opportunity for all. It was a fantastic, beautiful, and sunny 3-day event!

During her presentation, Dr Stojanović-Rundić outlined the significance of molecular profiling of the response to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer. The STEPUPIORS project will focus on a more precise selection of patients who might be candidates for a less invasive surgical approach or for enrollment in a “watch and wait” approach, which would increase their quality of life.