Working Groups

Working Groups

Target Group Recruitment Committees (TGRCs)

Target Group Recruitment Committees (TGRCs) will i) manage and supervise the recruitment of new members, as well as ensure equal representation and opportunities of all Target Groups in Action activities; ii) develop group-specific activities, such as ECI and female researcher leadership workshops; iii) promote balanced selection of speakers in terms of gender and country of origin, as well as the participation of ECIs in IMMUNO-model meetings and conferences.

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Gianmarco Contino
TGRC1 Leader, MC Member
University of Birmingham
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
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Denis Collins
TGRC2 Leader, MC Member
Dublin City University
Ireland
Ireland
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Hanne Haslene-Hox
TGRC3 Leader, MC Member
SINTEF
Norway
Norway

WG1

In vitro and ex vivo cancer immunotherapy models

The main goals of WG1 will be to foster the development and optimization of in vitro and ex vivo models for immuno-oncology research, and to promote know-how sharing, protocol standardization, and the creation of user guidelines on these models.

Research objectives

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Devrim Pesen Okvur
WG1 Leader, MC Member
Izmir Institute of Technology
Turkey
Turkey
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Cristiana Tanase
WG1 coLeader, MC Member
Victor Babes National Institute of Pathology
Romania
Romania

WG2

In vivo cancer immunotherapy models

Experimental animals are the most widely used preclinical models to assess immunotherapy response. However, some critical issues on their generation and use remain to be addressed. The main goal of WG2 will be to foster the collaboration and knowledge exchange between researchers in the field to promote the design of new in vivo models in immunotherapy and establish standard protocols and approaches for their use.

Research objectives

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Emmet Mc Cormack
WG2 Leader, MC Member
Dept. of Clinical Science 2
Norway
Norway
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Johannes Haybaeck
WG2 coLeader
Medical University
Austria
Austria

WG3

Solid tumors

Solid and hematologic tumours differ importantly not only in their biological and molecular features, but also in the way they respond to immunotherapy. While ICIs have been proven efficient for the treatment of solid tumours, their use in hematologic malignancies is lagging behind. Cellbased immunotherapies instead have shown more promising results in blood cancers than in solid tumors. These differences speak to the need of creating WGs that specifically focus on immunotherapy research in solid or hematologic tumors and address the most relevant questions within those to fields.

Research objectives

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Marleen Ansems
WG3 Leader, MC Member
Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Science
Netherlands
Netherlands
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Maurizio Callari
WG3 coLeader
Fondazione Michelangelo
Italy
Italy

WG4

Hematologic tumors

Hematologic malignancies have always been at the forefront in the application of immunotherapy against cancer. Current research in the field is mostly focused on developing novel CAR-T-based strategies, improving the therapeutic effects of ICIs and identifying new immunotherapy targets for the treatment of blood cancers.

Research objectives

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Laura Belver
WG4 Leader, MC Member
Josep Carreras Leukemia Research Institute
Spain
Spain
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Rui Bergantim
WG4 coLeader, MC Member
Centro Hospitalar e Universitário São João
Portugal
Portugal

WG5

Communication, events and partnering with industry

This WG will have the mission of promoting the internal communication within the Network (among WGs, between WGs and TGRCs, and between the TGRCs and the MC), and beyond the Network (general public, patients associations, potential industrial participants , policymakers, clinicians, ECIs, etc).

Research objectives

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Barbara Breznik
Science Communication Coordinator, WG5 Leader, MC Member
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF BIOLOGY
Slovenia
Slovenia
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Rosalinda Sorrentino
WG5 coLeader
UNISA
Italy
Italy

Join us

How to Participate

The COST Action IMMUNO-model welcomes research-active scientists working in the field.

How to Get Involved

  • Read the Project Description MoU;
  •  Inform the Main Proposer/Chair of your interest (email);
  • Apply to join your Working Groups of interest;
  • You will be informed by the working group leaders as soon as your application has been reviewed;
  • Please note, Management Committee nominations are carried out through the COST National Contact Points.

COST Rules

If you would like to join this COST Action please ensure that you read the guidance notes published on the COST website. You can find full documentation regarding general rules and guidelines for COST Actions at www.cost.eu/participate.

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