The beginning of the UNICA4EU project was marked by the publication of its first joint press release, which encompasses a summary of all key steps that the consortium must follow in order to reach the ambitious project’s objectives.
Of course, the noble purpose of this project is impossible to ignore. Childhood Cancer represents the leading cause of death from disease for children and teenagers in Europe, with 35,000 children diagnosed every year and over 100 different cancer types to account for. However, the reality remains that our current healthcare systems cannot provide an effective response to these staggering numbers. Unfortunately, for pediatric cancer -a rare disease by definition- these limitations are only magnified: apart from data scarcity and fragmentation (both inherent to rare diseases), we must also ponder the dilemma of data privacy and protection.
Here’s where UNICA4EU comes into play. We advocate for a unique approach for Artificial Intelligence (AI) and data-driven solutions to fight Childhood Cancer in Europe. Our project aims to set the basis of an EU-wide ecosystem that can facilitate the upscaling of AI applications for pediatric cancer in the next ten years and innovate for the better across the EU. This is the driving motivation of our consortium, who thanks to their strong multidisciplinarity, commitment and vast network, has now begun working to turn this vision into reality.
Want to join us in the fight against Childhood Cancer? Read our press release and help us shape the improved European Union Cancer response we desire for our youth.