ZAP Cancer Workshops at IPBS : Advancing European Cooperation and Cancer Research
From March 23 to 27, 2026, IPBS hosted two workshops as part of the European ZAP Cancer Twinning project, bringing together 25 participants to foster both scientific collaboration and the development of European cooperation strategies.
A scientific workshop focused on IPBS technical expertise in intravital microscopy and flow cytometry
From 23 to 25 March the first workshop was led by the Cellular Biophysics research group represented by Muriel Golzio at IPBS (CNRS) as scientific coordinator, and headed by Marie-Pierre Rols.
Building on their expertise in intravital microscopy and flow cytometry, the workshop focused on these techniques. Over three days, with the guidance of Elisabeth Bellard, Manon Gimbert, and Emmanuelle Naser, participants engaged in interactive training sessions, hands-on practical work, and in-depth scientific discussions. A highlight of the week was a lecture by Maja Cemazar (Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, Slovenia), who presented the clinical applications of electrochemotherapy and IL-12 gene electrotransfer.
A second workshop dedicated to improving partner strategies for European cooperation
From March 25 to 27, the IPBS International Cooperation Office, headed by Isabelle Saves, led a workshop bringing together participants from both administrative and scientific backgrounds. The sessions aimed at strengthening institutional participation in European projects.
Among the various topics discussed, participants exchanged best practices on identifying European calls, building strong networks, preparing project submissions, and addressing challenges in managing European projects.
In addition, Alma Čerin and Uroš Kuhar, European project managers from the Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, carried out a site visit to work and share experience with the IPBS International Cooperation Department.
This visit provided an opportunity to learn more about IPBS’s European and international activities and strategies, its position within the French research landscape, the support offered to researchers, as well as the tools and processes used for managing European projects at CNRS.
The ZAP Cancer Twinning project : a collaborative European initiative
More than a decade has passed since the first immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) was approved for the treatment of advanced melanoma, marking the beginning of immunotherapies in cancer treatment. However, durable clinical benefit is not achieved in about half of patients. This highlights the need for new strategies to better exploit the potential of these treatments.
In this context, the ZAP Cancer Twinning project, funded by the European Commission under the Horizon Europe framework, brings together six European partners to address this challenge.
Two Slovenian institutions, identified as “widening country” partners—the Ljubljana Institute of Oncology (OILJ) and the Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS)—play a key role in this twinning project. Coordinated by Bostjan Markelc at OILJ, the three-year initiative expands an existing collaborative network including CNRS-IPBS (France), the Catholic University of Leuven (Belgium), the Italian National Research Council, and the Medical University of Graz (Austria).
The scientific objective is to establish a network of cancer research centers and to develop a state-of-the-art, high-throughput multi-omics platform, both in vitro and in vivo. This platform will be used to study the effects of immunogenic cell death induced by electrochemotherapy on the activation of anti-tumor immune responses.
The Cellular Biophysics research group represented by Muriel Golzio at IPBS (CNRS) as scientific coordinator, and headed by Marie-Pierre Rols, plays an important role in this project, particularly in the field of in vivo research.
From a European perspective, the aim is to improve access to scientific excellence, optimize research management, and accelerate the exchange of staff, knowledge, and ideas within the European Research Area (ERA). The IPBS International Cooperation Office, led by Isabelle Saves, helps strengthen the project management skills of OILJ and FHS staff.
For more information : https://zapcancer.si/
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme.