FRRB is pleased to announce the release of the new TRANSCAN 4 Joint Transnational Call (JTC 2026) “Translational Research on Cancer Metabolism: Multidisciplinary Approaches for Diagnosis and Treatment” dedicated to foster new collaborations between researchers and clinicians as well as to support original, high-quality projects with strong translational potential.
The anticipated outcome of the call is the development of innovative, personalised approaches for cancer diagnosis, patient stratification, and treatment, grounded in a deeper mechanistic understanding of metabolic alterations in cancer.
Proposals must address at least one of the aims or sub-aims described below.
Aim 1: Enabling better cancer diagnostics and monitoring through metabolic biomarkers
Novel metabolic biomarkers and technologies offer major opportunities for earlier cancer detection, improved patient stratification and more accurate monitoring of treatment response and disease progression. Eligible sub-aims include:
- Advancing metabolic imaging approaches to improve sensitivity and specificity in tumour detection and longitudinal monitoring.
- Identifying and/or validating novel biomarkers or biomarker signatures based on tumour-associated metabolic alterations, to enhance cancer diagnosis, patient stratification or disease monitoring. Proposals may include hypothesis-driven studies on a broad range of biomarkers, including structural, functional, molecular, and genetic biomarkers. Digital biomarkers are eligible only when integrated with biological or molecular signatures. In all cases, proposal must demonstrate a clear pathophysiological rationale and include studies on human participants and/or human derived tissues.
Aim 2: Intercepting metabolic vulnerabilities to improve precision medicine
Metabolic reprogramming in cancer creates unique dependencies that can be exploited therapeutically. Tumours often develop distinct metabolic signatures, shaped by oncogenic mutations, which drive tumour initiation, progression, therapy resistance, and metastasis.
These metabolic adaptations open the door to precision medicine approaches that target defined metabolic vulnerabilities with tailored interventions. Eligible sub-aims include:
- Identifying key druggable metabolic regulators and signalling networks to personalise therapy and improve clinical outcomes.
- Designing and evaluating innovative interventions, including novel or repurposed therapeutics, that target metabolic vulnerabilities and synergise with existing treatments.
- Implementing advanced and clinically relevant preclinical models that enable rigorous assessment of novel or repurposed therapeutic strategies targeting specific metabolic vulnerabilities.
The following type of research projects are excluded from the call:
- Studies based exclusively on preclinical models limited to established cell lines;
- Phase III and IV clinical trials;
- Studies not compliant with applicable European Union regulations on State aid and services of general economic interest, in particular Commission Regulation (EC) No 800/2008 and Commission Regulation (EU) No 651/2014, as well as related communications and guidance documents.
Applicants will have the opportunity to add an additional section for capacity building activities (please note that no additional budget will be granted for these activities ). These activities have to be coherent with the objectives of the research project, and aimed to strengthening the ability of participating team(s) to perform the work detailed in the project plan as well as to improve, in the long term, the quality and potential of the translational research performed by the team(s).
Regarding the definitions and topics of the Call, the original English text of the Call is available on the official project page.
FRRB, as Funding agency and partner of the project, will encourage Public or Private IRCCS (Scientific Institutes for Research, Hospitalization and Health Care), Public Health Care Providers (ASST), Aziende di Tutela della Salute (ATS), Agenzia Regionale Emergenza Urgenza (AREU), Universities and Research Institutes located on the Lombardy territory to present a project proposal.
Only translational and clinical research projects will be funded; fundamental research is not eligible. For definitions of basic, translational, and clinical research, please refer to the document published on the FRRB webpage dedicated to the TRANSCAN4 JTC 2026 call for proposals.
For this Call FRRB has allocated a total budget of Euro 2.000.000,00.
More information on the official project page: https://transcan.eu/funding/calls/joint-call-jtc-2024-.kl
Pre-eligibility
According to internal procedures, Regional Foundation for Biomedical Research (FRRB) will grant an eligibility clearance to the potential applicants prior to the submission of the pre-proposals.
Pre-eligibility forms must be submitted via the new FRRB Call for Proposals Platform (https://bandi.frrb.it/login), available from 4th June 2026.
Pre-eligibility documents can be downloaded from this page, in the “Download documents” section.
FRRB provides an excel sheet to help applicants abide by FRRB funding rules. This form is meant to support the PIs in the elaboration of the budget, but it does not need to be sent to FRRB.