Cancer is a major cause of death and suffering, rendering it a huge concern to the general public. Consequently, it has been targeted by application of the molecular techniques developed during the last 20-25 years, thereby improving diagnosis and treatment. Nevertheless, although current biomarker and treatment concepts often are successful initially, they subsequently frequently fail to achieve durable drug response and long-term survival for cancer patients. The study of somatic evolution in cancer is a very promising approach to rectify this situation. Fortunately, single cell genomic sequencing has recently begun to provide opportunity to unprecedented detailed insights into tumour evolution and new techniques are emerging for assaying the spatial distribution of tumour heterogeneity. Analysing and developing methods for these emerging data sets are under-researched areas that lie at the intersection of medical, evolutionary biology, and computational research. In CONTRA, European researchers with complementary expertise have joined forces in order to collectively facilitate training of future European computational cancer researchers. We will by applying modern recruitment and selection methods in combination with offering excellent training and employments conditions, including social security, facilitate recruitment of 15 excellent ESRs, across genders and geographical areas. We will train these 15 ESRs in the mathematical, computational, and applied skills required to tackle the complex analysis problems posed by somatic evolution in cancer. We will also teach them entrepreneurship and the requirements of pharmaceutical and biotech industry. Using a novel scheme, this substantial academic cancer expertise will be complemented with industrial expertise in software development, especially for biotech and pharmaceutical industry, which will unleash key components of the innovative force of the European commercial sector in the struggle against cancer.

The TITAN project will demonstrate the latest transparency related solutions to help drive the formation of a demand-driven European economy predicted on the production and consumption of healthy, sustainable, and affordable food. Comprising 28 partners from 14 countries (10 MS and 2 associated countries), TITAN will provide an extensive platform for the development of a wide range of innovations that aid transparency and address key challenges identified in the European Green Deal (EGD). With a broad mix of cutting-edge technology providers SMEs and start-ups, linked to leading research centres and agri-food stakeholders, TITAN, through dedicated business support together with a €1.25M open call, will provide a fertile breeding ground of ideas and solutions for businesses to thrive within the new strategy of the EGD. Through a co-creation approach, 15 innovative solutions including exploiting Blockchain, AI and IoT will be demonstrated in a first wave of TITAN transparency related innovations. These will be supplemented by a further wave of innovations on themes selected by stakeholders in an open call that will be open at the end of Year 1 of this four-year project. The new innovations will deliver transparency solutions in the areas of food safety and authenticity, traceability, health and sustainability and improving information to the consumer. The innovations will be supported by cross cutting WPs dedicated to transparency, ICT solutions, policy, business support, management and communication and dissemination. The project is led by industry facing, not-for-profit organisations with extensive outreach capabilities within Europe and beyond that will enhance the transferability and upscaling and impact of TITAN solutions and provide the building blocks of a demand-driven economy that provides healthy, sustainable, and accessible food for its citizens.