Fostering a culture of openness and sharing, Oncode Institute enables researchers to engage in cross-disciplinary collaborations with different research groups, clinicians, patients, institutes, and public and private organizations. It encourages its researchers to establish new collaborations with partners beyond their own established networks – within as well as beyond Oncode Institute, nationally and internationally – to drive innovation.

Oncode Institute recognizes that a strong feeling of community is essential for productive collaboration. It forms the foundation of sharing knowledge and expertise to create new ideas and put them into practice. Collaboration enables constructive discussion and the exchange of new ideas and opinions, helping to forge new relationships and strengthen existing ones.

In 2023, Oncode Institute organized 9 meetings and events, together hosting 1454 participants. These meetings included the institute’s 2 recurring annual conferences, 2 technical masterclasses, 2 technical trainings under the former Technology Access pilot, an Oncode Investigator retreat, and an onboarding event for the newly recruited Junior Oncode Investigators. A festive event was also organized to thank everyone who contributed to the initiation, growth, and continuation of Oncode Institute, and celebrate successful conclusion of the first five-year term and securing of funding for the institute’s next term.

Oncode Institute values and supports widespread access to the results and knowledge generated by the Oncode Investigators’ research to enable others across the globe to use and build on their findings. Formalized in its Open Access Publishing policy, Oncode Institute is committed to Open Science and the sharing, storage, and use of data through the FAIR (Findability, Accessibility, Interoperability, and Reusability) data principles. As part of their Oncode Institute affiliation, all Oncode Investigators and their research groups are committed to open access publishing of all Oncode research.

According to an Oncode Institute commissioned assessment performed by CWTS, an increase in open access publication by the Oncode Institute research community can be observed since the launch of the institute in 2018. Of all scientific articles with an Oncode Institute affiliation, 82% were published with Open Access in 2018. By the end of 2022, this figure had grown to 94%*.

* Open Access figures for 2023 will become available in 2024.

To further stimulate innovation and novel approaches, Oncode Institute aims to extend its collaborative efforts across disciplines and institutes, as well as beyond the Oncode community and national borders. By proactively engaging in large-scale strategic initiatives, more new connections and meaningful synergies are created, forging stronger partnerships to combat cancer together. The potential of this approach is illustrated by the examples outlined below, and Oncode Institute continues its efforts to initiate and participate in large-scale strategic initiatives.

IMI PERSIST-Seq - Launched in 2021, the Oncode Institute-coordinated IMI project PERSIST-Seq aims to improve the understanding of therapeutic resistance in cancer and create effective strategies to improve cancer treatment and prevent drug resistance. To achieve this, it builds an innovative single-cell sequencing workflow to capture tumor persistence. Valorization for the entire PERSIST-Seq consortium is managed by Oncode Institute. As the number of sequencing projects within the PERSIST-Seq is increasing, the first results have been analyzed by Oncode Institute for commercial and clinical potential. The first research publications are now available.

Oncode Synergy Projects - In 2020, Oncode Institute initiated the Oncode Synergy Projects (previously Oncode Accelerator Projects), to encourage multidisciplinary teams of Oncode Investigators to design ambitious high-risk/high-gain approaches to address oncology as yet unresolved challenges. In 2021, the Synergy Project coordinated by Bas van Steensel (NKI), ‘Finding regulatory mutations in the non-coding cancer genome’, was launched. In 2022, a second Synergy Project coordinated by Sjoerd van der Burg (LUMC), ‘Curing tumors difficult to treat with immunotherapy by mobilizing innate leukocytes’ was started. Both projects are ongoing.

4.UNCAN.eu - In 2023, the European UNderstand CANcer (UNCAN.eu) 4.UNCAN.eu CSA project was successfully concluded. UNCAN.eu is an initiative of the EU’s Mission on Cancer program that unites 29 core and advisory partners from 20 different EU member states to deliver the blueprint for a strategic agenda and a European data hub. In its final report, UNCAN.eu emphasizes the importance of new breakthroughs in comprehending fundamental cancer mechanisms, foreseeing advancements in prevention, early diagnosis, and treatment. The recommendations of the report delivered a blueprint encompassing key scientific challenges that require a pan-European approach, and the framework of a European Federated Cancer Research Data Hub. It also identified mechanisms to reduce inequalities, including the importance of technology transfer resources and budgets, and enhanced inclusion of patient voices in cancer research.

Within UNCAN.eu, Oncode Institute led efforts to identify regional gaps and inequalities in technology transfer and find ways to bridge these gaps and accelerate valorization for UNCAN.eu project outcomes at pan-European level. Existing sources and reports were consulted, along with 14 semi-structured interviews with directors of Technology Transfer Offices (TTOs) across Europe, to gain comprehensive and in-depth insights. The overarching aim was to facilitate the professional transfer of knowledge, innovations, and solutions from academic laboratories to industry, ultimately improving treatment options for cancer patients. The report advises on a strategic approach to improve technology transfer in cancer research within the European context, with a specific focus on UNCAN.eu outcomes. It addresses regional disparities, proposes key focus areas, and advocates for comprehensive processes and policies to maximize societal impact and foster fruitful industry collaborations. Oncode Institute and the UNCAN.eu partners will build on the foundations laid in this partnership. Discussions are ongoing to expand these collaborative efforts in future consortium initiatives.

Find the full UNCAN.eu report here.

Cancer patients and oncology researchers are inherently linked, but rarely meet. Both patients and researchers are deeply affected by cancer but in very different ways. Bringing patients and researchers together provides an opportunity for researchers to access first-hand knowledge of patient perspectives and improve their research through novel ideas, new inspirations and discussions. At the same time, patients enjoy the opportunity to gain insights into the science underlying their disease, have their questions answered, and provide valuable input to advance cancer research.

Oncode Institute facilitates the active engagement of patients and patient representatives throughout its organization, ranging from patient representation in its governance structure and inclusion of the patient perspective in its communications, to its dedicated Patient Engagement (PE) Program, which includes support structures that enable researchers and (ex-)patients to connect, interact, and collaborate.

To ensure that the patient perspective is well represented in the institute’s strategy and activities, Oncode Institute’s Supervisory Board includes a patient representative. Oncode Institute is deeply saddened that Erica van Wuijtswinkel, a greatly valued patient representative on the Supervisory Board since the start of the institute, passed away in 2023 due to the consequences of her disease. Erica was a most dedicated and highly respected member of the Supervisory Board and remained committed until the very end. Oncode Institute greatly appreciated Erica’s insights and dedication. A search for a patient representative expert member to strengthen the Supervisory Board was initiated in 2023, with Dianda Veldman being appointed in 2024.

Oncode Institute’s Clinical Advisory Board includes 2 patient representatives, who are actively involved in reviewing proposals for the Clinical Proof-of-Concept program and advising Oncode Institute’s Management Board on decisions and direction of the program.

Through its Patient Engagement program, Oncode Institute connects with national and international organizations and institutes to raise awareness of patient engagement and stimulate effective collaboration between researchers and patients.

An important aspect of the Patient Engagement program is the Patient Perspective program, which provides a platform for (ex-)cancer patients and researchers to connect and discuss experiences and perspectives. In 2023, the program grew to include 23 (ex-)patients and representatives and to 13 Oncode Institute research groups. Under the program, these (ex-)patient partners are individually paired with an Oncode Investigator/Researcher (research groups) actively collaborating with one another. Monthly optional walk-in meetings are organized to facilitate interaction. In 2023, two large meetings were also organized: the formal kick-off meeting of the Patient Perspective program for newly starting groups, and the program’s Annual Meeting which was hosted at our partner Princess Máxima Center for pediatric oncology. In collaboration with Oncode Investigator Peter ten Dijke (LUMC), a themed meeting ‘early detection and monitoring of cancer’ was organized, hosted at the Boerhaave museum in Leiden. Patients, scientists, and anyone else interested were invited to discuss the value of the patient perspective and learn about results in research where it is applied.

The program’s (ex-)patients also actively represent the patient perspective through Oncode Institute partnerships, such as the multi-advisory board of the IMI project PERSIST-seq, and the NWO Perspective project UNRANU that was formally launched in 2023. In close collaboration with Oncode Investigators, they also support and participate in research grant applications.

Furthermore, Program Manager Colette ten Hove was invited to give several lectures, indicating increased awareness of the value of the patient perspective in (cancer) research. She provided insights into the added value of patient engagement and learnings from the program, including giving a lecture at the Federation of Innovative Drug Research Netherlands (FIGON) Dutch Medicine Days, and a seminar as part of the curriculum of the Bachelor Biomedical Sciences degree at Utrecht University.

Collaboration with industry is critical to addressing cancer care’s most complex challenges and advancing the uptake of scientific findings for further development toward clinical application. Promoting interdisciplinary public-private partnerships with industrial partners is therefore an integral part of Oncode Institute’s strategy. With its Industry Engagement approach, Oncode Institute aims to foster existing and establish new long-lasting partnerships and identify new opportunities for collaboration and exchange with industry. It is committed to a proactive approach, in which the Valorization Team’s Business Developers (BDs) actively engage with players in the Dutch and the global life sciences industry to establish strong bonds and drive public-private partnerships throughout the research & development cycle, from fundamental research to validation and translation to the clinic. 

In 2023, the BDs attended 10 national and international cancer and business-oriented life science events, including Bio Europe and Bio Europe Spring, ESMO, and BioFit. Industry representatives attended several of the technical workshops, and the 2023 Oncode Institute annual scientific conference had 2 industry sponsors. Throughout the year, the BDs had almost 700 online and onsite meetings with 165 different companies based across 21 countries worldwide. This proactive approach resulted in 127 new agreements with industry parties. These included 20 new public-private collaborative research projects, with a total contract value of €10,6M. 

Oncode Institute is a proud partner of Oncode Accelerator, a public-private partnership funded by the Dutch National Growth Fund (NGF), which was officially launched in 2023. Oncode Accelerator aims to build a preclinical development infrastructure to de-risk and accelerate the drug development process, with the ultimate aim to address unmet medical needs. To do this, the NGF allocated €325 million to the initiative, and the Oncode Accelerator partners together committed another €337 million. The established infrastructure will become available to all researchers and companies in the Netherlands and beyond to accelerate the pre-clinical development of small molecules, biologics, cell & gene therapies, and therapeutic vaccines.

As 1 of 30 public and private partners from the (Dutch) oncology space, Oncode Institute participates in the Demonstrator Workstream, through which so-called demonstrator projects are conducted. Demonstrator projects are aimed at assessing the added value of innovative infrastructures developed in the Oncode Accelerator, generating proof-of-principle for the platform by supporting development of promising candidate therapeutics. Academic and Industry parties can apply for a Demonstrator project, which if granted are co-funded and supported with project management, to deliver pre-clinical data and early clinical validation. As such, Demonstrator projects aim to arrive at valuable clinical candidates with a higher chance of success for specific patient populations. They also showcase the infrastructures’ ability to drive successful and tangible change in the fight against cancer. The first Demonstrator projects are anticipated to be awarded and started in 2024.

An illustrative example of the Industry Engagement approach and the value of public-private partnerships is the research collaboration between the laboratory of René Bernards at the Netherlands Cancer Institute and the Nasdaq-listed company Lixte Biotechnology. The Bernards laboratory uses functional genetic screens to identify powerful new drug combinations that could result in more effective treatment strategies that overcome the problem of therapy resistance. Lixte is a clinical-stage biotech company developing a novel class of PP2A inhibitors for the treatment of cancer and other indications.

The Bernards laboratory identified a potential but also counter-intuitive drug combination involving Lixte’s lead compound LB-100. Using Oncode Base Funding to pursue this high-risk research line, Bernards’ group was able to conduct initial experiments to test the hypothesis. Based on their preliminary but promising data, Bernards and Lixte entered into a research collaboration in 2021. The collaboration is of major mutual benefit, enabling Bernards to further investigate the drug combination and further investigate the biology of therapy resistance, while it provides Lixte benefits from access to the unique expertise and technologies of the Bernards lab and gains insights into the molecular mechanism of action of their drug.

As a result of the success of the collaboration, the parties extended their partnership for another 2 years. The first findings resulting from the collaboration have now been published and form the basis for a Clinical Proof-of-Concept project application that was approved at the end of 2023, as a first step in bringing these promising findings to the clinic.

In close collaboration with KWF, Oncode Institute initiated the Major Donor program, aimed at engaging those interested in Oncode Institute’s vision and providing opportunities to contribute to its mission. Ultimately the program aims to raise additional funding to allow the institute to expand its activities and execute its ambitious strategy in full. Through the Major Donor program, small-scale events are organized, in which attendees engage in discussion with the Oncode Institute team about the need for innovative cancer therapies and diagnostics, and the unique approach of Oncode Institute to drive such developments. They discuss with Oncode Investigators the value of fundamental science and collaboration to drive discovery and innovation, and get exposure to the research environment. The Major Donor program aims to raise €20M in the next 5-year term. All funds raised through the program are allocated to Oncode Institute’s programs and activities in full.

Events organized in 2023 included 2 ‘Oncode Opent de Deuren’ (Oncode Opens its Doors) events thanks to the hospitality of the Hubrecht Institute. Attendees were provided with a glimpse into the life of fundamental scientists. Thanks to the hospitality and contribution of The Entertainment Factory, 2023 also saw a second roundtable discussion hosted by Dionne Stax, organized after the success of the first roundtable in June 2022, where Oncode Institute’s Director Jan Paul Medema, Oncode Investigators, and entrepreneurs discussed the value of fundamental science, collaboration, and valorization and how these three pillars come together in Oncode Institute’s strategy.

In 2023, the Major Donor team secured 8 donations with a total value of €3,6M, bringing the total value of secured funds under the program to €5,7M. As a result of the Major Donor program, Oncode Institute was able to recruit the 10 new Junior Oncode Investigators selected in the 2023 recruitment call. All 10 positions were made possible with Major Donor funding. Further allocation of the raised funding includes Oncode Base Funding and the Clinical Proof-of-Concept fund.