SEK 30 million for collaborative projects on cancer

The earlier a cancer is detected, the greater the chances that it can be cured. A promising strategy for early detection is using blood samples to find biomarkers (proteins or other factors) that indicate the presence of cancer somewhere in the body.

In the project “Development of an Atlas for Early Detection of Cancer”, which is led by Beatrice Melin together with Tobias Sjöblom at Uppsala University, researchers will identify the optimal proteins in blood plasma for diagnosing cancer. In the Umeå part of the project, researchers will analyze a broad protein panel in the PREDICT project. The long-term goal is to create biomarker panels that can be used for screening or early diagnosis of symptoms that could be caused by cancer.

“We have created a platform for precision health with the PREDICT study, and the funds will allow us now to fully get started with the analysis of the samples collected in the Västerbotten Intervention Project. If we find cancer early, the survival rate after cancer diagnosis will improve over time,” says Beatrice Melin.

The awarded grants are for use during the period 2025–2027. After an evaluation of the progress of the projects, an additional SEK 70 million for the following seven years can be approved. The projects will be conducted in collaboration with researchers at Uppsala University, Umeå University, Karolinska Institutet, SciLifeLab, University of Gothenburg, Royal Institute of Technology – KTH, Linköping University and Lund University, as well as Uppsala University Hospital, Umeå University Hospital, Karolinska University Hospital and Sahlgrenska University Hospital.

Contact
Beatrice Melin, Professor, Senior Physician
beatrice.melin@umu.se
+46 73 091 80 28