International Conference on Mediterranean Countries and EU opportunities Amman, Jordan, 22-23 October 2012
KHCCBIO Supporting the Establishment of a Cancer Biobank for Jordan and its Neighboring Countries Through Knowledge Transfer & Training Maher A. Sughayer M.D; FCAP Full Member and Chairman Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine King Hussein Cancer Center Amman, Jordan
Issues to be debated Meaning and possible results of the new strategy of coownership and co-responsibility of EU initiatives; Finding together concrete solution to existing barriers for cooperation; Promoting networking and synergies among the projects co-financed by European Commission in order to create further opportunities of cooperation; Spurring MPC coordination to projects co-financed by EU; Bringing research and innovation closer together in cooperation projects; Exploring fields where the common interest, including innovation outcomes and co-ownership, could results in short and medium term benefits.
ERA-WIDE TOOL for strategy design (pilot action) EXPERIMENTAL, TAILORED-MADE, INNOVATIVE and VISIBLE APPROACH Outcomes -> New projects (leverage effects) For your research center For the national research & innovation community For your society and the Euro- Mediterranean one For the Euro- Mediterraean research & innovation community
KHCCBIO Supporting the Establishment of a Cancer Biobank for Jordan and its Neighboring Countries Through Knowledge Transfer & Training To develop a biobank at KHCC for the purpose of collecting, processing, storing and distributing highquality, clinically annotated biospecimens from consented patients that is compliant with international standards. THEME [INCO.2011-6.2] Start date: November 15 th, 2012 A 24 month project extended to 30 (prefinance received only late March 2012).
King Hussein Cancer Center
King Hussein Cancer Center (KHCC) Founded under the name of Al-Amal (Hope) Cancer Center in 1997. A non-governmental, not-for-profit Center dedicated entirely to cancer care. In 2002 : Cooperative Agreement with NCI (USA) signed. New name, new era.
JCIA- First Institution in Jordan (Feb 22, 2006). Reaccredited (4th Mar, 2009 through Mar 2012). Reaccredited (Feb. 2012). JCI Clinical Care Program Certification (CCPC) First Cancer Center outside the US (Dec 27, 2007). Reaccredited (Mar, 2011 through Mar,2014) College of American Pathologists (CAP) (Jul, 2009) Reaccredited (Jul, 2011 through Jul,2013)
Healthcare Accreditation Council Award- (30thJul, 2009). Reaccredited (Oct, 2011 through Oct,2014). Healthcare Accreditation Council Safety Award (17thJan, 2011). National Quality and Hazardous Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) (3rd Apr, 2008) Food preparation and serving Reaccredited March 2011
King Hussein Cancer Center Agreements & Scientific Collaborations
King Hussein Cancer Center International Contributions
Consortium Biostór-Ireland Trinity College, Ireland Accelopment AG; Management company, Switzerland
www.biostor.eu
Cryostore Licensed Tissue Establishment ISO 13485:2003. Compliant Inspected & Approved by Major US Multinational Pharmaceuticals for FDA Compliance Affordable, cost effective, sample storage & cold-chain distribution solutions
Trinity College Dublin (TCD) Professor Kenneth O Byrne Consultant & Clinical Lecturer in Medical Oncology Dr Martin Barr Clinical Scientist & Adjunct Assistant Professor
Thoracic Oncology Research Group Lung Cancer Biobank Under the Direction of Professor Ken O Byrne, St. James's Hospital and Federated Dublin Voluntary Hospitals Joint Research Ethics Committee gave approval for the establishment of a lung cancer Biobank in 2004. All patients who may have, or are undergoing investigation or treatment for lung cancer, are invited to enter the study. Following patient consent, tumour tissue and matched normal lung tissue is collected from this group of patients at the time of diagnostic biopsy or resection of the primary tumour. Blood samples are also collected, from which serum, plasma and white cells are extracted.
KHCC Team Maher A. Sughayer, M.D. Lina Souan, PhD Maxim Al-Ashhab M.D., PhD Khitam Hamza MSc. Moh d Mustafa BSc. Eman Sallam BSc.
Phase of Work; Achievements Still at the beginning; project ends May 2014 Key achievements to date Kickoff meeting. Consortium Agreement Project management handbook Training on FP7 management and financial issues Training of 2 technologists and one pathologist on tissue procurement, processing, preservation, DNA and RNA extraction and preservation at TCD/St. James Hospital, Ireland
Objectives Status Workplan Resources Re-covery Key Achievements cont. Exploitation and dissemination Plan. Numerous dissemination activities: Media, scientific conferences, press releases, flyers KHCCBIO website: http://khccbio.khcc.jo Newsletter/fact sheet Templates for URS, IQ OQ and validation reports KHCCBIO quality policy manual (draft) and validation plan KHCCBIO training plan for WP7 Communication platforms: SFTP, emails, Telcon. 21
most important and useful achievements and results with respect to the final objective: increasing the research and cooperation capacities in your field of action 1. Training of young scientists on biobanking (an important asset for basic biomedical research) 2. Training of young scientist on research methods. 3. Training young scientists on Ethical issues related to research 4. Collaboration with EU partners to conduct joint research using biobank and other resources 5. Building capacities in Jordan and the Region in regards to Biobanking
Lessons learnt (1) with respect to the expected impacts: Have you contributed to RTD capacity building and management in your country. How? Limits? Solutions? Yes, trained pathologists, techs and contributed to capacity building in biobanking and basic research Limitation: still early phase, but high turn over of employees, salaries of employees are similar to the country s average; some partners are too busy to devote required time to trainees. Solutions: different salary structure, EU to conduct surveys to assure compliance of partners
Lessons learnt (2) with respect to the expected impact: Have you enhanced your participation and the participation of your country in the FP7 or other EU programmes? Yes, we received many offers to participate in future proposals for other EU projects And my and other institutions in Jordan were stimulated to apply for participation in FP7 and other programs.
Lessons learnt (3) with respect to the expected impact: Have you increased the visibility and scope (regional coverage, subjects, activities) of your institution? How? Limits? Solutions? The visibility and scope of KHCC has remarkably increased: A press release and numerous newspaper, magazine, scientific journals, radio and TV interviews held by the consortium members to explain the concepts of biobanking and the mission of KHCCBIO to the public Website running as of Sept. 2012 Flyers distributed in international conferences: BTOG meeting in Dublin, Jan 2012; Euro-Mediterranean conference on research and innovation, Barcelona Apr, 2012; and fact sheet filled:3rd ERA-WIDE week, Brussels, July 2012
Lessons learnt (3) with respect to the expected impact: Promotion of KHCCBIO project at the EU-Jordan networking conference: podium presentation. 2011 Participation and presentation at the Joint EC-EIB- CMI training workshop for Mediterranean Research Centers, Marseille, Oct. 2011 Membership in the ESBB (KHCCBIO appears on their website) Factsheets/News letter: first issue ready Limits: Still in beginning of the project. Solutions: more time is needed
Lessons learnt (4) with respect to the expected impact: Have you increase the linkage with economic and social environment? How? Limits? Solutions? Yes to social environment : KHCCBIO depends on the society for it s success. The awareness campaign that started will continue with the aim to increase the impact of the project to mobilize the society. Limits: no direct interaction with the economic environment
Lessons learnt (5) with respect to the expected impact: What is the community of partners you have been able to mobilize and consolidate around the project? Who? How and what for? International advisory board: of experts in the field to help in critical decision related to the project, were contacted through personal networking. Plan for celebrities and community figures to help promote the ideas
Lessons learnt (6) with respect to the expected impact: Have you contributed to develop job opportunities? For whom? How? Limits? Solutions? Yes: one junior pathologist, 2 laboratory technologists and one document controller to help realize the project and get training and build capacities for the project. Limits: salaries are around country s average which is lower than neighboring countries leading to brain drain or skill drain Solution: becoming more competitive
Lessons learnt (7) with respect to the clustering of projects: Advantages Networking New collaboration and Project opportunities In depth understanding of project realities and problems Disadvantages Numerous meetings Recommendations: Continue the same
Lessons learnt (8): Are you an opportunity for others? Strengths Health sector experience Quality management experience FP7 management experience Weaknesses Still at the beginning Lack of adequate time Opportunities To collaborate with new partners New projects Threats Institutional policy preventing monetary compensation On the basis of you experience of networking and clustering with other projects: What do you offer? To Coordinate new projects in the health sector, genomics.. What do you get? To be a partner on new projects,
Conclusions What is(are) the Euro-Mediterranean challenge(s) you are addressing and/or would like to address? How and why?: brain drain; need expert opinion on solving this. Also European partners devote more time, more understanding Have you liked the ERA-WIDE experience? Yes/No Why? Yes; new opportunities, new ideas, In your opinion, what are or have been the most useful activities and collaborative methods supported by the ERA-WIDE scheme so far? Why? Meetings, improved networking, new ideas, understanding each other s problems and challenges What should come next? Strategy and plan of action: further collaboration In your opinion, which type and size of instruments (activities and modalities) should be launched in the future to support the Euro-Mediterranean cooperation in research and innovation? Workshops bringing European partners and MPC together to start and encourage networking.