Cholangiocarcinomas (CCAs) are an heterogeneous group of cancers of the biliary tree. CCA is considered one of the deadliest cancers and its incidence is increasing constantly and dramatically in Europe. Notably, CCA is the most frequent cause of cancer metastases of unknow origin, suggesting underestimation of the CCA problem. CCA heterogeneity has limited the discovery of biomarkers and novel therapeutic options, hampering the development of tools for early diagnosis and effective treatment. CCA constitutes a major challenge for researchers, clinicians, national health systems and society. Still, coordinated multidisciplinary pan-European studies are lacking. As such, the EURO-CHOLANGIO-NET (European Cholangiocarcinoma Network) aims to set up a pan-European-wide interdisciplinary co-operative network of stakeholders, including scientists, clinicians, regulatory authorities, small/medium enterprises (SMEs) and industry partners, to address the CCA problem. Through the creation of shared data registries that inherent main relevant basic or clinic-epidemiologic aspects, conference calls, meetings, workshops, Short-Term Scientific Missions as well as training schools, this Action will coordinate efforts aiming at advancing the understanding of CCA to translate basic research and preclinical findings into clinical practice. For this purpose, this Action is organized into 7 Working Groups (WGs) dealing with interrelated aspects of CCA: Preclinical, In-Depth Histomorphological Phenotyping, Molecular Profiling, Epidemiology, Clinical Characterization and Trials, Early Diagnostic Biomarkers, Development of Novel Therapeutic Targets and Tools, Legislation and Ethics. These WGs are working to construct efficient connections, exchanges and promote capacity-building objectives (i.e. data registries, young researchers’ mobility, meetings, seminars, consensus guidelines and more).
Action Leadership Positions
Dr. Vincenzo Cardinale
ACTION CHAIR
Sapienza Università di Roma
Italy
Dr. Jesús Bañales
ACTION VICE CHAIR
Biodonostia Health Research Institute
Spain
Dr. Luke Boulter
LEADER WG1
University of Edinburgh
United Kingdom
Prof. Diego Calvisi
VICE-LEADER WG1
University of Regensburg
Germany
Dr. Laura Fouassier
VICE-LEADER WG1
INSERM
France
Prof. Guido Carpino
LEADER WG2
Sapienza University of Rome
Italy
Dr. Benjamin Goeppert
VICE-LEADER WG2
Heidelberg University Hospital
Germany
Dr. Jesper Andersen
LEADER WG3
University of Copenhagen
Denmark
Dr. Trine Folseraas
VICE-LEADER WG3
Oslo University Hospital
Norway
Prof. Juan Valle
LEADER WG4
University of Manchester
United Kingdom
Dr. Bas Groot Koerkamp
VICE-LEADER WG4
Erasmus MC
Netherlands
Dr. Heinz-Josef Klumpen
VICE-LEADER WG4
Amsterdam UMC
Netherlands
Prof. Rocío Macias
LEADER WG5
University of Salamanca
Spain
Dr. Marcin Krawczyk
VICE-LEADER WG5
Medical University of Warsaw
Poland
Dr. Chiara Braconi
LEADER WG6
University of Glasgow
United Kingdom
Prof. Fernando Cossio
VICE-LEADER WG6
University of the Basque Country
Spain
Dr. Alejandro Forner
LEADER WG7
Hospital Clinic Barcelona
Spain
Dr. Tadeja Rezen
VICE-LEADER WG7
University of Ljubljana
Slovenia
Dr. Laura Izquierdo Sánchez
VICE-LEADER WG7
Biodonostia Health Research Institute
Spain
Dr. Rui Castro
SCIENCE COMMUNICATION COORDINATOR
University of Lisboa
Portugal
Prof. Domenico Alvaro
GRANT HOLDER SCIENTIFIC REPRESENTATIVE
Sapienza University of Rome
Italy
Dr. Pedro Rodrigues
GRANT AWARDING COORDINATOR
Biodonostia Health Research Institute
Spain
Ms. Melissa Kerr
GRANT HOLDER MANAGER
Sapienza University of Rome
Italy
Dr. Diletta Overi
SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER
Sapienza University of Rome
Italy
Support Committees
Early Career Investigator and Gender-Balance Advisory Committee
Dr. Timothy Kendall
COORDINATOR
University of Edinburgh
United Kingdom
Patient Association, Scientific Society, and Foundation Advisory Committee
Ms. Helen Morement
COORDINATOR
AMMF – The Cholangiocarcinoma Charity
United Kingdom
Prof. Marco Marzioni
COORDINATOR
Università Politecnica delle Marche
Italy
Industrial Advisory Committee
Dr. Cedric Coulouarn
COORDINATOR
CR1 Inserm
France
Management Committee
Austria
Prof. Michael Trauner
Medical University of Vienna
Dr. Jan Philipp Jonas
Medical University of Vienna
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Dr. Aner Mešić
University of Sarajevo
Dr. Jasminka Prguda-Mujic
Eurofarm Laboratory UNITIC
Croatia
Dr. Mirjana Stanić Benić
Klinički Bolnički Centar Rijeka (KBCR)
Czech Republic
Dr. Michael Gargulák
University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno
Prof. Rene Kizek
University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno
Denmark
Dr. Jesper Andersen
University of Copenhagen
Dr. Patricia Munoz-Garrido
Biotech Research and Innovation Center
France
Dr. Laura Fouassier
INSERM
Dr. Cedric Coulouarn
INSERM
Germany
Prof. Diego Calvisi
University of Regensburg
Dr. Benjamin Goeppert
Heidelberg University Hospital
Greece
Prof. Constantinos Athanassopoulos
University of patras
Hungary
Dr. Attila Hunyadi
Institute of Pharmacognosy
Ireland
Dr. Petra Martin
University Hospital Waterford
Italy
Prof. Domenico Alvaro
University of Rome Sapienza
Prof. Guido Carpino
University of Rome “Foro Italico”
Latvia
Prof. Raivis Zalubovskis
Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis
Lithuania
Prof. Juozas Kupčinskas
Lithuanian University of Health Sciences
Malta
Dr. Pierre Schembri Wismayer
University of Malta
Netherlands
Dr. Bas Groot Koerkamp
Erasmus MC
Dr. Heinz-Josef Klümpen
University of Amsterdam
Norway
Dr. Trine Folseraas
Oslo University Hospital
Poland
Dr. Marcin Krawczyk
Medical University of Warsaw
Prof. Krzysztof Gutkowski
Medical University of Silesia
Portugal
Dr. Rui Castro
University of Lisboa
Prof. Cecília Rodrigues
University of Lisboa
Romania
Prof. Marcel Tantau
University of Medicine and Pharmacy
Prof. Vasile Drug
University of Medicine and Pharmacy
Serbia
Dr. Nevena Veljkovic
Institute of Nuclear Sciences Vinca
Slovenia
Dr. Tadeja Rezen
University of Ljubljana
Spain
Dr. Jesús Bañales
Biodonostia Health Research Institute
Prof Rocio Macias
University of Salamanca
Sweden
Dr. Niklas Björkström
Karolinska Institutet
Dr. Martin Cornillet Jeannin
Karolinska Institutet
Switzerland
Prof. Massimo Giuseppe Colombo
EASL International Liver Foundation
Dr. Joachim Mertens
University of Zürich
Turkey
Prof. Engin Ulukaya
The University of Istinye
Dr. Kursat Serin
Istanbul University
United Kingdom
Dr. Chiara Braconi
University of Glasgow
Dr. Timothy Kendall
University of Edinburgh
Partners
Small/Medium Enterprise Representatives
Cristina Alonso (OWL Metabolomics, Spain) and Rubén Rosales Rodríguez (Cytognos SL, Spain)
The Central COST Office in Belgium
Science Officer: Lucia Forzi
Administrative Officer: Nathalie Warenghien