What is EATRIS?

The goal of EATRIS, European Advanced Translational Research InfraStructure in Medicine, is to provide a highly productive research infrastructure to enable a faster and more efficient translation of basic biomedical research discoveries into new innovative medicinal products.
To achieve this EATRIS engages leading translational research centres and hospitals to provide key preclinical and clinical facilities and translational expertise necessary to support the development of new preventive, diagnostic or therapeutic strategies. Unmet medical needs in the most important disease areas and fields of research as well as in rare diseases will drive EATRIS’ development policy. EATRIS was initiated by the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI) and is currently funded by the 7th Framework Programme (FP7) of the European Commission.
 

Why EATRIS?

Throughout Europe, there is an increasing incidence of cancer, cardiovascular and other diseases due to higher life expectancy and changes in life style. At the same time the pressure on health care budgets and medical services has risen significantly. Therefore, it is essential to develop new innovative, cost-effective technologies, products and treatment options for patients. In order to generate such new solutions, basic research results have to be “translated” into clinical applications. EATRIS has been created to speed up the process of translational research in Europe and to improve research performance. The European research community as well as public health and the health industry will benefit from this effort.

Why a pan-European effort?

Europe has traditionally been strong in both basic biomedical and clinical research but lags behind when it comes to bringing discoveries into clinical practice. A European action plan is needed to reinforce the momentum for innovation and to bring back investments in the LifeScience sector to Europe. The concept of EATRIS is to create a highly productive research environment throughout Europe and to use European synergies to set up state-of-the-art facilities. A concerted effort is needed to gain the necessary critical mass addressing the wide field of medical applications. The required infrastructure will be provided as jointly and as cost effectively as possible. In particular, EATRIS will allow for better use of existing research capacity and the avoidance of duplication across Europe through the bridging of complementary research facilities by the EATRIS network.

What are the goals of EATRIS?

EATRIS aims to improve performance and conditions for translational research by

• providing easier access to research & development facilities and translational know-how for all scientists and researchers in Europe
• overcoming fragmentation along the translational research path
• fostering knowledge exchange and standardisation
• providing training programmes for the next generation of translational researchers
• facilitating and encouraging cooperation between academia and industry

EATRIS aims to become a true motor of innovation. It will help to maximise Europe’s innovative and competitive position in the global health market by enabling the European biomedical research community to rapidly transform discoveries from basic science into new diagnostic, therapeutic and preventive applications. Unmet medical needs in the most important disease areas and fields of research as well as in rare diseases will drive EATRIS’ development policy. EATRIS will make contributions towards the improvement of the European (and World) population’s health.

What makes EATRIS unique compared to similar other initiatives?

EATRIS will use the unique approach of opening the doors of its comprehensive EATRIS Translation Centres to provide access for external users with promising discoveries. The best research facilities for translational research will be shared by the research community.
The central management, “EATRIS Coordination & Support”, will serve as an entrance portal for external scientists and industry (“one door”). It will take care of quality management and technology transfer. Although EATRIS consists of many institutes throughout Europe, it acts as one: The supply of research support by EATRIS is harmonised, facilities for research are largely complementary.

What is an EATRIS Translation Centre?

At the core of EATRIS are the different EATRIS Translation Centres. Each Centre consists of one or more excellent European biomedical research and development institution(s). These already existing translational institutions dedicate part of their capacities for the EATRIS Centre for external users. They make available  the research infrastructure required along the entire chain for development of preventives diagnostics and therapies for particular diseases. In the EATRIS Translation Centres, all necessary disciplines are integrated as a strong innovation core. They are complemented with state-of-the-art facilities and patient cohorts from hospitals. Connecting different disciplines will enhance cross-fertilization as well as the creation and exchange of new knowledge.

What will be the scope of EATRIS?

EATRIS will take up validated targets for which proof of principle is established and develop them to a stage where they can be commercialised by industry (up to clinical phase I/IIa). The EATRIS Translation Centres will specialise in products such as diagnostics, small molecule drugs, biologics, vaccines or advanced therapy medicinal products like cell therapies according to their core expertise. The initial disease fields envisaged are the most pressing ones: cancer, infection, cardiovascular, metabolic and neurological diseases. In addition, EATRIS will organise courses to train a new generation of scientists, nurses and technicians to increase the number of well-trained staff along the developmental chain.

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