For the next three years, TRACE (Translational Research in Action for Cancer in regional Ecosystems) will work to ensure evidence-based cancer awareness and prevention programs reach and benefit underserved populations across Portugal, Poland, and Serbia. Our mission is to improve the quality of life for patients and survivors by analysing evidence and driving effective cancer prevention initiatives.

Our project officially began with a remote kick-off meeting in October 2025. During this initial gathering, partners met to discuss the upcoming strategic steps and engaged in team-building activities to ensure a close, collaborative working relationship from the start.

A central pillar of our project is the TRACE Open Call. This initiative focuses on prevention, early detection, diagnosis, treatment, and care by seeking innovative solutions to regional and national challenges in translational cancer care. We are looking for projects that align with the goals of the EU Mission on Cancer, sustainability, and ethical AI deployment.

The project brings together a Quadruple-Helix of partners: Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, SHINE 2Europe, Gdański Uniwersytet Medyczny (Medical University of Gdańsk), Minds Europe Institute, F6S Innovation, Faculty of Technical Sciences, University of Novi Sad and OMEALife.

Through the power of citizen science and living labs, TRACE is moving beyond traditional research to put real-world solutions directly into the hands of those who need them most. By co-creating these tools with the communities they serve, we aim not just improving cancer care, but to build a more equitable and resilient future for public health across Europe.