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.

Research

Research at UCCC is coordinated by the Research Committee, composed of experts from both the hospital and the university. The research is continuously evaluated by an external Scientific Advisory Board.

Research Committee

The Research Committee is responsible for preparing and advising on research-related matters. Its duties include planning and monitoring research development, revising the Centre’s research strategy and action plan, and compiling an annual report of the Centre’s research activities.

Chair

Eva Tiensuu Janson, Professor of Medicine, Vice-Rector of the Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences Domain at Uppsala University

Members

• Arja Harila, Professor of Paediatrics
• Marika Nestor, Professor of Biomedical Radiation Sciences
• Patrick Micke, Professor of Pathology
• Gunilla Enblad, Professor of Oncology
• Sören Lehmann, Professor of Haematology
• Gustav Ullenhag, Professor of Cancer Immunotherapy
• Jakob Hedberg, Associate Professor of Surgery
• Peter Stålberg, Professor of Surgery, Chair of the Doctoral Education Committee
• Tobias Sjöblom, Professor of Experimental Cancer Research
• Masood Kamali Moghaddam, Professor of Molecular Tools
• Lena Wettergren, Professor of Nursing with a focus on Cancer Care
• Ingrid Glimelius, Director of the Centre, Professor of Oncology and Epidemiology
• Christina Kawati Stenberg, Head of Clinical Research and Development Unit
• Alex Molasiotis, Professor of Nursing, Derby

Scientific Advisory Board (SAB)

The SAB is an external body tasked with evaluating and advising the Centre. The board focuses on clinical and basic cancer research, with an emphasis on the quality of scientific output, clinical relevance, societal impact, and research conditions. SAB consists of 5-6 members with expertise in clinical research, cancer care, and nursing.

Members of UCCC's SAB:

• Carl-Henrik Heldin, Senior Professor of Molecular Cell Biology, Uppsala
• Kjetil Söreide, Professor of Surgery, Stavanger
• Per Eystein Lönning, Professor of Oncology, Bergen
• Anne Couvelard, Professor of Pathology, Paris
• Sirpa Leppä, Professor of Oncology, Helsinki

Research Strategy

The overarching goal of UCCC’s cancer research is to conduct internationally recognised research at the highest level to improve understanding of cancer biology, develop new treatments, and enhance cancer care. Several goals have been established to advance research at UCCC. These goals help prioritise activities and direct available funding. While we receive significant research funding from national foundations such as the Swedish Cancer Society, we aim to increase applications for international funding, particularly from the EU.

In summary, the goals aim to:

• Increase the number of peer-reviewed publications in high-ranking journals, with continued focus on publishing clinically relevant studies.
• Increase the number of clinical trials.
• Increase the proportion of patients participating in clinical trials, with outreach activities directed primarily towards Healthcare region Mid Sweden, but also towards other parts of Sweden and internationally.
• Maintain a large number of PhD graduates in the field of cancer.
• Maintain a large number of researchers in the field of cancer.
• Increase national and international (EU) research funding in the cancer field.
• Increase and simplify the use of samples from our biobank.
• Ensure research is conducted in all areas of cancer.
• Improve reporting in national quality registers.
• Utilise national quality registers in combination with other national registers for research and development.
• Implement Clinical Academic Groups as a tool to deepen collaboration between basic researchers and clinical researchers.