Research Infrastructure

Uppsala hosts several research infrastructures and platforms closely linked to cancer. One example is Uppsala Biobank, which is part of the national Biobank Sweden, hosted by Uppsala University. Another significant national player in Uppsala is the Science for Life Laboratory (SciLifeLab). Genomic Medicine Sweden is a national infrastructure for the implementation of genetic diagnostics in clinical care, crucial for the adoption of precision medicine in Sweden. In line with this initiative, Region Uppsala and Uppsala University have established a Precision Medicine Centre (PMCU) to further promote and facilitate implementation. Other local infrastructures include Uppsala Clinical Research Centre (UCR), the Scandion Clinic and a preclinical cancer treatment centre with the capability to conduct research on image-guided radiation therapy in animals.

One of our greatest assets is the proximity between the hospital and the university, with their research facilities and state-of-the-art equipment within a 10-minute walk. This closeness fosters collaboration between clinical and basic researchers, facilitating the rapid implementation of new research in the clinical setting.

Below are examples of some of the research infrastructures mentioned above:

Rudbeck Laboratory and Biomedical Centre

The Rudbeck Laboratory and Biomedical Centre, located near Uppsala University Hospital, houses many research groups focused on translational and basic cancer research. These facilities offer well-equipped laboratories and animal units to study biological samples at tissue, cellular, and subcellular levels. Some examples include BioVis, which provides instruments and services for flow cytometry and microscopy, and the Centre for Preclinical Cancer Treatment, which offers services for evaluating new drugs in combination with standard treatments in vivo, or for controlled studies to refine current cancer treatments in vivo. This facility uses medical systems similar to those used in clinical settings to treat patients, including precision image-guided radiation, CT imaging, and standard chemotherapy treatments. The effects of radiation therapy or, for example, new targeted therapies can be further evaluated using bioluminescence imaging.

Uppsala Biobank

Uppsala Biobank is a research infrastructure and competence centre for biobank-related issues and the only biobank shared by Region Uppsala and Uppsala University. It is co-managed by Region Uppsala, represented by Uppsala University Hospital, and Uppsala University, represented by the Faculty of Medicine within the medical and pharmaceutical disciplines. Uppsala Biobank also includes Uppsala BioLab, and all biobank samples within either of these two institutions must be included in the sample collection in Uppsala Biobank.

U-CAN

U-CAN was established in 2010 in order to archive blood and tissue samples and collect data for cancer research. The overarching goal is to better equip Swedish researchers to answer key questions about the underlying mechanisms of tumour diseases and develop better strategies for personalised cancer treatment. Biological samples and clinical data from cancer patients are collected at several key points during the course of the disease. All collected samples and data are made available to researchers and companies seeking to expand knowledge of cancer and develop strategies for the diagnosis and treatment of tumour diseases.

The project is a collaboration between Swedish universities and healthcare, in which Uppsala University, Umeå University, Stockholm University, and the Royal Institute of Technology work together with Uppsala University Hospital, Norrland’s University Hospital in Umeå, and hospitals in Gävle, Västerås, Karlstad, and Falun. As of September 2023, the Uppsala part of U-CAN had registered a total of 17,078 participants. The largest number of patients belonged to the diagnostic areas of colorectal cancer (2,437), brain tumours (2,952), breast cancer (1,969), and gynecological cancer (2,460).

ATMP Centre

The ATMP Centre Uppsala is a virtual centre for Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMP) and is a collaboration between Uppsala University Hospital/Region Uppsala and Uppsala University. The centre plays a coordinating role within the healthcare system and aims to support researchers and healthcare personnel in the development and implementation of ATMP. The overarching goal of the ATMP Centre Uppsala is for all future patients requiring ATMP treatment to have access to it. Some activities the centre supports include standardised procedures, handling qualification processes for commercial ATMP (e.g., CAR T cells), feasibility inquiries for clinical trials, regulatory support, guidance on education, provision of expertise, and support for the GMP manufacturing project.