Three prestigious research grants to Prof. Hussam Hayek from the Technion

Horizon Europe program grants promote international cooperation in order to develop a response to the major challenges of the time, including challenges in cancer medicine

Prof. Hossam Haik. Photo: Technion spokespeople
Prof. Hossam Haik. Photo: Technion spokespeople

Last week, Prof. Hussam Hayek of the Technion won three prestigious European research grants totaling 4.2 million euros for his research group, where, in one of the projects, he will serve as chairman and coordinator of a large project with 23 partners and a total funding of 14 million euros . This is an unprecedented achievement by Prof. Haik, a faculty member in the Wolfson Faculty of Chemical Engineering and the Russell Berry Nanotechnology Institute (RBNI), who currently also serves as the dean of certification studies at the Technion.

The said grants are given within the framework of the Horizon Europe program. The program supports associations (consortia) that produce cooperation between many bodies in different countries in the European Union, while focusing on practical solutions to the challenges of the time - solutions based on innovative technologies whose development requires extensive international cooperation.

As mentioned, Prof. Haik won three grants at the same time. In the largest grant, he serves as the head of the association (coordinator). This is an association named LUCIA, which includes 23 partners who will receive funding in the current round in a total amount of 14 million euros. The Association is developing new ways of understanding the risk factors for lung cancer - the deadliest cancer in terms of the number of victims today. The association examines the risk factors in three aspects: personal risk factors, including lifestyle and exposure to pollutants; external factors including urban and built environment, transportation, climate and social aspects; and biological responses to risk factors including aging and genetic, epigenetic and metabolic changes. The results of the association's activity will be translated into policy recommendations with the intention of incorporating the recommendations into the program for the early diagnosis of lung cancer. One of the partners in the LUCIA association is Prof. Yuval Shaked from the Rappaport Faculty of Medicine at the Technion, who will research ways to understand the risk mechanisms for early diagnosis of lung cancer.

in the second association, ONCOSCREEN, Prof. Haik serves as a co-founder. The association, which won a grant of 12.5 million euros, has 38 members. The association is working to create a European "shield" against bowel cancer and will focus on developing new imaging methods for this disease. Although bowel cancer is a dangerous and deadly disease, only about 14% of EU citizens access the relevant tests. The association works to develop innovative diagnostic methods that will be fast, accurate, cheap and non-invasive.

in the third association, MELCAYA, which won a grant of 8.4 million euros, members are 25 entities. The association will focus on the prevention of melanoma mainly in children and young people, a population where the current diagnostic programs are insufficient.

The promotion and assistance in submissions to European associations are the responsibility of the Technion Research Authority - Head of the Research Promotion Unit Dr. Asi Cohen-Dothan, Shirley Rakir, Mark Davison and Haley Binya-Wolman.
"This is an extraordinary achievement by Prof. Hussam Hayek," said Dr. Assi Cohen-Dotan, head of the research promotion unit at the Technion. "Professor Hayek continues to lead wins in very competitive tracks in the European research programs, while performing a significant organizational role. This year the Technion managed to increase both the number of grants it receives from this program and their financial scope, which makes it a significant player in the European activity in applied research."

Horizon Europe program grants promote international cooperation in order to develop a response to the major challenges of the time, including challenges in cancer medicine

Last week, Prof. Hussam Hayek of the Technion won three prestigious European research grants totaling 4.2 million euros for his research group, where, in one of the projects, he will serve as chairman and coordinator of a large project with 23 partners and a total funding of 14 million euros . This is an unprecedented achievement by Prof. Haik, a faculty member in the Wolfson Faculty of Chemical Engineering and the Russell Berry Nanotechnology Institute (RBNI), who currently also serves as the dean of certification studies at the Technion.

Prof. Hossam Haik

The said grants are given within the framework of the Horizon Europe program. The program supports associations (consortia) that produce cooperation between many bodies in different countries in the European Union, while focusing on practical solutions to the challenges of the time - solutions based on innovative technologies whose development requires extensive international cooperation.

As mentioned, Prof. Haik won three grants at the same time. In the largest grant, he serves as the head of the association (coordinator). This is an association named LUCIA, which includes 23 partners who will receive funding in the current round in a total amount of 14 million euros. The Association is developing new ways of understanding the risk factors for lung cancer - the deadliest cancer in terms of the number of victims today. The association examines the risk factors in three aspects: personal risk factors, including lifestyle and exposure to pollutants; external factors including urban and built environment, transportation, climate and social aspects; and biological responses to risk factors including aging and genetic, epigenetic and metabolic changes. The results of the association's activity will be translated into policy recommendations with the intention of incorporating the recommendations into the program for the early diagnosis of lung cancer. One of the partners in the LUCIA association is Prof. Yuval Shaked from the Rappaport Faculty of Medicine at the Technion, who will research ways to understand the risk mechanisms for early diagnosis of lung cancer.

in the second association, ONCOSCREEN, Prof. Haik serves as a co-founder. The association, which won a grant of 12.5 million euros, has 38 members. The association is working to create a European "shield" against bowel cancer and will focus on developing new imaging methods for this disease. Although bowel cancer is a dangerous and deadly disease, only about 14% of EU citizens access the relevant tests. The association works to develop innovative diagnostic methods that will be fast, accurate, cheap and non-invasive.

in the third association, MELCAYA, which won a grant of 8.4 million euros, members are 25 entities. The association will focus on the prevention of melanoma mainly in children and young people, a population where the current diagnostic programs are insufficient.

The promotion and assistance in submissions to European associations are the responsibility of the Technion Research Authority - Head of the Research Promotion Unit Dr. Asi Cohen-Dothan, Shirley Rakir, Mark Davison and Haley Binya-Wolman.
"This is an extraordinary achievement by Prof. Hussam Hayek," said Dr. Assi Cohen-Dotan, head of the research promotion unit at the Technion. "Professor Hayek continues to lead wins in very competitive tracks in the European research programs, while performing a significant organizational role. This year the Technion managed to increase both the number of grants it receives from this program and their financial scope, which makes it a significant player in the European activity in applied research."