ASSIST

Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer worldwide with 60,000 new cases and 30,000 deaths each year in Europe alone, despite a significant progress in early diagnosis and treatment. Infection by the human papillomavirus (HPV) is accepted as the central risk factor for cervical cancer. However, it is unlikely to be the sole cause for developing cancer. Ongoing research investigates the role of specific genetic, environmental factors in determining HPV-persistence and subsequent progression of disease.

Association studies among genetic characteristics and environmental agents and virus characteristics can suggest pathogenetic mechanisms that will provide new markers of risk, diagnosis and prognosis, and possibly treatment.

The main objectives of ASSIST are to:

• Unify multiple patient records repositories
• Automate the process of evaluating medical hypotheses (association studies type)
• Allow researchers to combine phenotypic and genotypic data
• Offer expressive, graphical tools for medical researchers to post their queries.

For further information, please visit:
http://assist.iti.gr

Project co-ordinator:
Centre for Research and Technology Hellas - Informatics and Telematics Institute (CERTH-ITI)

Partners:

• Research in Advanced Medical Informatics & Telematics (BE)
• University Hospital Ghent - Custodix (BE)
• Charite Universitätsmedizin Berlin (DE)
• SWORD Technologies (LU)
• Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (GR)
• Birkbeck College, Univ. of London (UK)
• Benchmark Performance Ltd (UK)
• National Technical University of Athens (GR)
• EbioIntel (ES)
• Pouliadis Associates Corporation (GR)
• Centre for Research and Technology Hellas-Informatics and Telematics Institute (GR)

Timetable: 01/06 – 12/08

Total cost: € 4,190,946

EC funding: € 2,630,000

Instrument: STREP

Project Identifier: IST-2002-027510

Source: FP6 eHealth Portfolio of Projects