Investing in the future of cancer research; EORTC’s Young and Early Career investigator Network shows its value

In 2021, an informal network of Young and Early Career Investigators (Y-ECIs) that first came into being in the second decade of this century was formally recognised and integrated into EORTC governance. The network aims to create the opportunities for professional development that are needed to empower future leaders of EORTC, and to build an international, cross-disciplinary network of motivated Y-ECIs. The network’s aims, structure, and achievements are described in two papers^1,2 recently published in the European Journal of Cancer.

Dr Jens Lehmann, currently the representative of the Y-ECI community at the Board of Directors, said: “The network has currently 1,267 members representing nearly a third of total EORTC membership. They include Young Investigators, who are still in formal training, and Early Career Investigators, who are in the first ten years of their career after qualification. They work in several countries, mainly in Europe, represent a wide range of specialties and are integrated across all EORTC disease and cross-discipline groups. These two published papers are a big success for the community: They highlight the community as a whole and how we develop the next generation of leaders in the organisation.”

The first paper¹ shows the breadth of the Y-ECI community in the organisation and that large majority of Y-ECIs are highly motivated to contribute to the EORTC’s mission and take an active role in clinical trials and science. Most EORTC groups have adopted a rule that every newly-approved trial protocol should involve both a senior and an ECI study coordinator.

Outside trials, ECIs are encouraged to engage in other group-specific initiatives – for example, presenting at conferences, communication activities, and taking part in educational or mentorship programme. Cross-group collaboration of Y-ECIs is encouraged, and strengthened through regular meetings of the Y-ECI group chairs, organized by the Y-ECI representative at the EORTC Board of Directors. The group Y-ECI chairs also participate in the EORTC Scientific Chairs Council meetings, thus ensuring the inclusion of early career perspectives into broader discussions.

First author Dr Ioannis Zerdes said: “Clinical research is now a complex science requiring a broad range of knowledge, not only in the field of medicine but also in understanding regulatory requirements and economic and strategic challenges in health care. To become a leader in the field, a clinical researcher needs to experience and understand all of the clinical research environment. So there is a crucial need to identify and champion the next generation of top researchers who will sustain EORTC’s legacy in promoting cancer treatment that truly benefits patients. The rapid evolution of the Y-ECI network marks a big step on the road to this important goal.”

A second EJC paper² provides practical evidence of the value of Y-ECI network activities. It reports on the design and outcomes of the clinical trial programme for early career investigators that ran between May and November 2025, providing structured training in clinical trial proposal development. The first two such programmes were held between 2017 and 2019 (in person) and in 2023 (virtual format). A new hybrid (in person + virtual) format was developed for the 2025 edition, when 40 ECIs from 12 European countries took part in the course entitled Advancing Ideas into Clinical Research (AICR).

During the programme, a total of 17 research proposals were developed and refined. The programme received highly positive feedback, with benefits such as networking, the acquisition of clinical research knowledge and skills, and increased motivation and inspiration for future research activities being highlighted in evaluations.

Evidence from the first course in 2017-2019 has shown that many alumni subsequently continued their involvement with EORTC, and that some went on to leadership roles within disease-oriented groups. Organisers expect that skill development through structured proposal-based training will strengthen EORTC’s overall research capacity and ultimately contribute to improved patient care.

“Beyond attendance, participant feedback suggests that the 2025 AICR programme contributed to improved understanding of EORTC’s role in the European clinical and translational research landscape, strengthened networking, and increased confidence and motivation to engage in future clinical research”, said first author Dr Petr Szturz. “The improved participation observed in our programme supports the feasibility and performance of a hybrid approach for professional development initiatives in oncology research networks.”

1. https://www.ejcancer.com/article/S0959-8049(26)00505-8/fulltext
2. https://www.ejcancer.com/article/S0959-8049(26)00504-6/fulltext