At Porto Comprehensive Cancer Centre Raquel Seruca (Porto.CCC), science and care come together to transform how we understand and treat cancer. A partnership between i3S (Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation) and IPO Porto (Ministry of Health), Porto.CCC turns patient experience into research innovation and translates discovery into better care for all. Integrating basic, pre-clinical, and clinical research, Porto.CCC creates a regional platform that strengthens the national and international impact of both institutions.

Mission

Porto.CCC is committed to promoting innovation and advancing research in oncology, translating knowledge into tangible benefits for patients and transforming cancer treatment. This mission relies on a community of experts, combining high-quality clinical care, advanced scientific research, specialised teaching and training, and strong community engagement.

Porto.CCC aims to:

• Support collaborative and interdisciplinary research in oncology with a focus on clinical benefit for patients
• Provide high-quality inpatient and outpatient facilities to support clinical research activities
• Ensure quality assurance of diagnostic capabilities in molecular pathology and imaging
• Foster robust pre-clinical research aligned with clinical trial infrastructures
• Train the next generation of translational scientists and clinical investigators
• Disseminate research nationally and internationally through scientific events and publications, with special emphasis on oncology
• Promote innovation, technological patents, and the creation of spin-off companies

Bedside to Bench and Back (B3)

The “Bedside to Bench and Back” (B3) concept illustrates Porto.CCC’s operation. “Bedside” represents IPO Porto’s daily contact with the real needs of cancer patients. These clinical challenges drive research at i3S and IPO Porto (Bench) to develop innovative solutions. These solutions are then translated back into patient care through clinical trials (Back), closing the cycle of discovery and ensuring that research directly improves treatments and patient outcomes. This cyclical approach keeps the patient at the center of innovation.

The External Scientific Advisory Board (ESAB) of Porto. Comprehensive Cancer Centre Raquel Seruca was established in early 2022 and is composed of distinguished, internationally renowned researchers across various facets of cancer research:

• Prof. Ulrik Ringborg (Chairman), Director of Cancer Centre Karolinska, Karolinska University Hospital, Solna, Sweden;
• Prof. Alexander Eggermont, Chief Scientific Officer, Princess Máxima Centre for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands;

• Prof. Alexander Markham, Director of MRC Medical Bioinformatics Centre, Health Data Research UK, London, United Kingdom;
• Prof. Robert C. Bast Jr., Vice President for Translational Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA;
• Prof. Stefan Fröhling, Managing Director of National Centre for Tumor Diseases, Heidelberg, Germany.

The ESAB plays a key role in advising, reviewing, and guiding the scientific and clinical strategy of Porto.CCC, helping to ensure the highest standards of excellence, innovation, and international impact in cancer research and care.

The External Scientific Advisory Board (ESAB) of Porto. Comprehensive Cancer Centre Raquel Seruca was established in early 2022 and is composed of distinguished, internationally renowned researchers across various facets of cancer research:

• Prof. Ulrik Ringborg (Chairman), Director of Cancer Centre Karolinska, Karolinska University Hospital, Solna, Sweden;
• Prof. Alexander Eggermont, Chief Scientific Officer, Princess Máxima Centre for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands;

• Prof. Alexander Markham, Director of MRC Medical Bioinformatics Centre, Health Data Research UK, London, United Kingdom;
• Prof. Robert C. Bast Jr., Vice President for Translational Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA;
• Prof. Stefan Fröhling, Managing Director of National Centre for Tumor Diseases, Heidelberg, Germany.

The ESAB plays a key role in advising, reviewing, and guiding the scientific and clinical strategy of Porto.CCC, helping to ensure the highest standards of excellence, innovation, and international impact in cancer research and care.