GDANSKI UNIWERSYTET MEDYCZNY

Their core work

The Medical University of Gdańsk (GUMed) is a Polish medical university with strong clinical research capabilities in oncology, palliative care, and rare diseases. Within H2020, they contribute clinical expertise to large European health research consortia — particularly in cancer treatment (pediatric liver tumours, breast cancer, pancreatic cancer) and end-of-life care. Their work spans from clinical trials and patient-centered interventions to emerging areas like cancer imaging with AI and organoid-based drug screening, positioning them as a clinical partner that bridges patient care with translational research.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

GUMed's early H2020 involvement (2016–2019) centred on paediatric oncology and rare diseases, with a strong emphasis on patient empowerment, FAIR data sharing, and training. From 2019 onward, the focus shifted toward palliative care interventions (breathlessness, fatigue, end-of-life), while also branching into technology-driven approaches like cancer organoids and AI-powered medical imaging. The trajectory shows a medical university expanding from traditional clinical research into data-intensive and precision medicine methods.

GUMed is moving from purely clinical research toward AI-enhanced oncology and organoid-based precision medicine, making them an increasingly relevant partner for digital health and computational medicine projects.

How they like to work

GUMed operates exclusively as a consortium participant — they have not coordinated any H2020 project, which is typical for a medical university contributing clinical expertise and patient cohorts to larger networks. With 218 unique partners across 37 countries, they are well-connected across European research, suggesting they are a trusted and flexible contributor. Their involvement in both large-scale programmes (EJP RD) and focused clinical trials (BETTER-B) shows adaptability to different consortium sizes and structures.

GUMed has collaborated with 218 unique partners across 37 countries, giving them a broad European and international network. This wide reach comes from participating in large multi-partner consortia like EJP RD, which alone connects dozens of institutions across Europe.

What sets them apart

GUMed brings a rare combination: deep clinical expertise in palliative care and oncology paired with growing capabilities in AI imaging and organoid research. For consortium builders, they offer access to Polish clinical populations and hospital infrastructure — valuable for multi-centre trials needing geographic diversity across Central and Eastern Europe. Their breadth across cancer types (paediatric, breast, pancreatic) and care stages (treatment, supportive care, end-of-life) makes them a versatile clinical partner.

Highlights from their portfolio

• EuCanImage
  Their largest-funded project (EUR 339K), representing a strategic move into AI-powered cancer imaging and data annotation — a significant expansion beyond traditional clinical research.
• PREFERABLE
  A clinically impactful project testing exercise interventions for fatigue in metastatic breast cancer patients, directly connecting palliative care expertise with quality-of-life outcomes.
• PRECODE
  A Marie Curie training network on pancreatic cancer organoids, signalling GUMed's investment in next-generation precision oncology methods.