The Center for Oncological Research (CORE) is a joint oncology research platform of the University of Antwerp, with multiple expertises in the field of fundamental, translational and clinical cancer research. The cancer research activities of the research groups Oncology (formerly the Laboratory of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology), Pathology (formerly the Laboratory of Pathology) and Oncology Sint Augustinus general hospital Antwerp (formerly the Translational Cancer Research Unit) are integrated in this platform. CORE is dedicated to cancer research with an obvious impact on diagnosis and treatment of cancer. The group focuses on relevant translational cancer research (collaboration UA – UZA and affiliated hospitals).

Our mission is to advance cancer treatment and to improve patient quality of life through development of more efficient detection methods and new revolutionary therapies.

Over the years, CORE has built up an extensive track record of translational cancer research including the study of targeted (combination) therapies under normoxic and hypoxic conditions, biomarker assessment in CRC and head and neck tumours, the study of tumour- host interactions (angiogenesis, lymphangiogenesis, hypoxia, inflammation, coagulation, migration and invasion), inflammatory breast cancer, oncogenetics, immunotherapy and the study of minimal disease in blood and bone marrow.

There is an excellent collaborative spirit between subgroups demonstrated by synergetic expertise (cell biology, molecular biology, pathology, oncogenetics, immunotherapy, …).