29th of October 2024. Speech of the Chief Scientist for Research, Innovation and Technology of the Republic of Cyprus
“International Conference on Tumor Microenvironment and Cellular Stress”
Speech of the Chief Scientist for Research, Innovation and Technology of the Republic of Cyprus
“International Conference on Tumor Microenvironment and Cellular Stress”
29th of October 2024 | Coral Beach Hotel & Resort Paphos
(Suggested time of arrival at the Hotel, by Organisers is around 08:30 am)
Distinguished participants, professors, and students
Esteemed guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is an immense pleasure to be here with you on this remarkable occasion, which brings together some of the brightest minds in the crucial field of health and medicine. The 10th International Conference on Tumor Microenvironment and Cellular Stress was successfully held in several Greek cities in the past, and we are proud that Cyprus is hosting this prestigious event for the very first time.
Therefore, I would like to extend a warm welcome to all and congratulate the organizers for gathering such brilliant scientists from across the globe, here in Paphos. I sincerely hope you enjoy your stay on our beautiful island.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Cancer remains a profound challenge for Cyprus, with approximately 4,000 new cases and around 1,500 deaths every year, making it the second most common cause of death, after cardiovascular diseases. These numbers, taken from the February 2024 statistics, are a stark reminder of the importance of conferences like this, where we can exchange knowledge and explore solutions to tackle this disease.
Cyprus’ government is committed to improving the quality of life and health of its citizens. At the forefront of this commitment is our government’s long-term strategy, which places health and medicine at the core of its policy agenda. Central to this strategy is the General Health System, known as GeSY; An initiative designed to provide quality, affordable healthcare for all. Its resilience and capacity, along with the ongoing digital transition of our healthcare sector, remain a top priority of the State.
In this effort, research, innovation and advanced technologies, such as AI, robotics and Big Data, play a pivotal role, as their contribution is multidimensional, enabling us to better understand diseases, find solutions on emerging challenges and revolutionize healthcare worldwide, leading to quicker and more accurate diagnoses, and more effective treatments.
Here in Cyprus, we are proud of the dynamic R&I ecosystem that is driving this transformation. Allow me to highlight two esteemed oncology centers – The Bank of Cyprus Oncology Centre in Nicosia and the German Oncology Centre in Limassol – both of which offer exceptional services and conduct cutting-edge research. Representatives from these institutions are here today, and we are grateful and honored by their presence.
In addition, Cyprus is home to Mammocheck Ltd, a pioneer in breast cancer detection and AJMmed-i-caps, a startup developing innovative methods for early cancer detection. Two bright examples of the incredible innovation emerging from our small yet vibrant island.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The Government’s vision is to make Cyprus a regional powerhouse for research, innovation, entrepreneurship and high technology. To this end, the National Research & Innovation Strategy for the period between 2024 and 2026, is designed to propel us towards this goal and to a future where innovation thrives, and opportunities abound for our scientists and especially the younger generation.
Over the past decade, the implementation of strategically designed policies and measures resulted in a robust, integrated and well interlinked Research and Innovation System, with over 3,500 researchers, 12 private and public Universities and a remarkable number of Research Institutions and Centers of Excellence, many of which focus on health-related research.
Cyprus is also highly active on the European stage, participating in over 1,500 collaborative projects with researchers from 126 countries.
In numbers, by 2020, Cyprus managed to secure €93 million from the 7th European Framework Program and €320 million from the Horizon 2020 Program. As for the Horizon Europe Program, which is still ongoing, Cyprus managed to secure €262.6 million in funding.
Additionally, through the Research and Innovation Foundation, the national authority in charge of supporting and promoting research, technological development, and innovation, more than €194 million have been allocated to 1,081 Research Projects since 2016. Of this amount, €41 were allocated to 194 healthcare projects.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Strong international collaborations allow science to unite and build a common language that creates value and shapes a better common future through the transformation of theoretical knowledge into practical solutions leading to idea creation, development, validation and commercialization.
The international engagement is critical for the extroversion and internationalization of the national research and innovation ecosystem, as well as for our country. To this end, we are committed to forging even deeper connections through bilateral agreements with countries like France and the UK.
Moreover, last September, we had the opportunity, along with the Deputy Minister of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy, to travel to India to develop synergies in the fields of science and technology. Furthermore, I also had the opportunity to represent Cyprus -for the first time- at the Chief Science Advisors Roundtable organized at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris. The theme revolved around “fostering open science, bridging knowledge asymmetry and building science advice capacity globally”. Open science on cancer research could and should be intensified.
Additionally, over the past weeks, we had the opportunity to travel to Tokyo in order to strengthen the cooperation between Cyprus and Japan in the fields of Health and Life Sciences Research and Innovation, as well as to the United Arab Emirates, stressing the need that Universities, being the main new knowledge producers, should focus on the commercialization of knowledge, by becoming Entrepreneurial Universities.
Furthermore, I would like to highlight a significant initiative: Cyprus’ participation in the European Commission Initiative on Breast Cancer: The Quality Assurance Scheme, in partnership with the Ministry of Health. This collaboration emphasizes the importance of quality assurance in breast cancer care, and I am proud to say that the Office of the Chief Scientist, which I have the honor to represent, is actively contributing to this vital effort.
Esteemed Guests,
The role of research and innovation is crucial in addressing health issues. This is why we have identified clinical and genetic exploration and treatment of diseases, digital health, innovative products and the promotion of public health and quality of life as our focus areas.
As the President of the Cyprus Research and Innovation Foundation and Chief Scientist for Research, Innovation and Technology, I remain committed to supporting our scientific community, especially young researchers. It’s in this spirit that I am pleased to present the Student / Trainee Presentation Grant, amounting to €1,500, further encouraging the next generation of pioneers in this field.
Once again, I would like to congratulate the organizers for this outstanding initiative. In my personal capacity, I am very much interested in both today’s sessions I and II, on cancer cell plasticity and immune evasion as well as the targeting tumor metabolism.
I am confident that the upcoming discussions and sessions will be inspire us all and speed up progress in the fight against cancer.
Thank you.