TRANSCAN-4 JTC 2026 : Translational Research on Cancer Metabolism: Multidisciplinary Approaches for Diagnosis and Treatment

AIMS OF THE CALL

The JTC-2026 of TRANSCAN-4 will focus on:

"Translational Research on Cancer Metabolism:
Multidisciplinary Approaches for Diagnosis and Treatment"

The overarching objective of this funding opportunity is to foster new collaborations between researchers and clinicians and to support original, high-quality projects with strong translational potential. Funded projects are expected to significantly advance the understanding and exploitation of cancer metabolism in clinically relevant settings.

The anticipated outcome of the call is the development of innovative, personalised approaches for cancer diagnosis, patient stratification, and treatment, grounded in a deeper mechanistic understanding of metabolic alterations in cancer.

Proposals must address at least one of the aims or sub-aims described below.

Aim 1: Enabling better cancer diagnostics and monitoring through metabolic biomarkers

Novel metabolic biomarkers and technologies offer major opportunities for earlier cancer detection, improved patient stratification and more accurate monitoring of treatment response and disease progression.

Eligible sub-aims include:

•           Advancing metabolic imaging approaches to improve sensitivity and specificity in tumour detection and longitudinal monitoring.

•           Identifying and/or validating novel biomarkers or biomarker signatures based on tumour-associated metabolic alterations, to enhance cancer diagnosis, patient stratification or disease monitoring. Proposals may include hypothesis-driven studies on a broad range of biomarkers, including structural, functional, molecular, and genetic biomarkers. Digital biomarkers are eligible only when integrated with biological or molecular signatures. In all cases, proposal must demonstrate a clear pathophysiological rationale and include studies on human participants and/or human-derived tissues.

Aim 2: Intercepting metabolic vulnerabilities to improve precision medicine

Metabolic reprogramming in cancer creates unique dependencies that can be exploited therapeutically. Tumours often develop distinct metabolic signatures, shaped by oncogenic mutations, which drive tumour initiation, progression, therapy resistance, and metastasis. These metabolic adaptations open the door to precision medicine approaches that target defined metabolic vulnerabilities with tailored interventions.

Eligible sub-aims include:

•           Identifying key druggable metabolic regulators and signalling networks to personalise therapy and improve clinical outcomes.

•           Designing and evaluating innovative interventions, including novel or repurposed therapeutics, that target metabolic vulnerabilities and synergise with existing treatments.

•           Implementing advanced and clinically relevant preclinical models that enable rigorous assessment of novel or repurposed therapeutic strategies targeting specific metabolic vulnerabilities.

Novel targets and interventions should be evaluated in translational studies with regard to their impact on treatment efficacy and potential patient benefit. Any model systems employed must closely reflect human disease and demonstrate clear translational relevance.

The following types of research projects is excluded from the call:

•           Studies based exclusively on preclinical models limited to established cell lines;

•           Phase III and IV clinical trials;

•           Studies not compliant with applicable European Union regulations on State aid and services of general economic interest, in particular Commission Regulation (EC) No 800/2008 and Commission Regulation (EU) No 651/2014, as well as related communications and guidance documents.

Applicants will have the opportunity to add an additional section for capacity building activities (with an associated separate budget, in compliance with the rules of their respective national/regional funding organisations). These activities have to be coherent with the objectives of the research project, and aimed to strengthening the ability of participating team(s) to perform the work detailed in the project plan as well as to improve, in the long term, the quality and potential of the translational research performed by the team(s).