FUNDACION ONKOLOGIKOA FUNDAZIOA

Their core work

Onkologikoa is a dedicated cancer foundation and research centre based in Donostia-San Sebastián in the Basque Country, focused on oncology with a demonstrated specialisation in breast cancer. Their H2020 work spans two distinct but complementary dimensions: clinical decision support systems for breast cancer management (DESIREE) and exercise-based interventions to improve quality of life in patients with advanced disease (PREFERABLE). They function as a clinical partner in European research consortia, providing patient access, oncological expertise, and real-world validation capacity. The foundation bridges research and clinical practice, making them a credible endpoint for translational oncology projects.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In the first phase of their H2020 participation (DESIREE, 2016–2019), Onkologikoa contributed to a technology-led project on clinical informatics — decision support tools for managing breast cancer cases. By 2019, their focus shifted markedly toward patient-centred, non-pharmacological interventions: PREFERABLE targets fatigue, quality of life, and supportive care in metastatic breast cancer through structured exercise. This trajectory represents a move from diagnostic and information systems toward survivorship and advanced-disease care — a direction increasingly prominent in European cancer research policy.

Onkologikoa is moving deeper into non-pharmacological, patient-centred interventions for advanced and metastatic breast cancer, making them a strong candidate for consortia working on cancer rehabilitation, quality-of-life outcomes, or supportive oncology trials.

How they like to work

Onkologikoa participates exclusively as a consortium partner — they have never coordinated an H2020 project — which suggests they contribute specialised clinical expertise and patient cohort access rather than project management capacity. Their 22 unique partners across just 2 projects indicates they join sizeable, internationally distributed consortia. This profile fits a clinical site that brings domain credibility and real patient populations, rather than a hub that builds and manages networks.

Across only 2 projects, Onkologikoa has engaged with 22 unique consortium partners spanning 11 countries, reflecting participation in broad European research networks rather than narrow bilateral collaboration. No repeated partner clusters are detectable from the available data, suggesting they are recruited for clinical specialisation rather than existing relationships.

What sets them apart

Onkologikoa is one of the very few dedicated oncology foundations in the Basque Country with direct H2020 research participation, giving them a rare combination of clinical credibility and proven EU project experience in a region not densely represented in cancer research consortia. Their work spans both digital health tools and exercise-based supportive care, making them an unusually versatile clinical partner for projects that need real-world oncology settings. For any consortium targeting breast cancer — whether in diagnostics, survivorship, or palliative care — they offer specialist depth that a general hospital cannot match.

Highlights from their portfolio

• PREFERABLE
  The largest and longest project (€290,050, 2019–2024), focused on a highly specific clinical question — exercise as a treatment for fatigue in metastatic breast cancer — placing Onkologikoa at the intersection of exercise science, palliative oncology, and quality-of-life research.
• DESIREE
  Their first H2020 engagement, contributing clinical expertise to an AI-based decision support system for breast cancer — demonstrating early openness to digital health and informatics collaborations outside their core clinical work.