Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains a major health burden across Europe, with considerable unmet medical needs. Although immunotherapy has significantly improved outcomes for a subset of patients, particularly those with microsatellite instability-high (MSI-high) or mismatch repair-deficient (dMMR) tumours, most patients with microsatellite-stable (MSS) CRC do not benefit from current immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapies [learn more about these biomarkers in our patient guide].

IMPACT-CRC aims to improve treatment strategies by identifying and validating predictive biomarkers of response and resistance to immunotherapy. By advancing understanding of the biological mechanisms underlying treatment response, the project seeks to refine patient stratification, support informed clinical decision-making, and facilitate the translation of research findings into clinical practice, ultimately reducing unnecessary toxicity and improving patient outcomes.

This project combines advanced molecular profiling of tumour tissue and blood samples with artificial intelligence (AI)-driven analysis, including tumour imaging, genomic and epigenomic profiling, immune characterization, and liquid biopsy technologies such as circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) [learn more about ctDNA in our patient guide]. These analyses will be performed on samples collected from patients treated with ICIs in previous and ongoing clinical trials. Through the integration of these approaches, IMPACT-CRC aims to better understand tumour-immune interactions and develop clinically relevant predictive models to support the broader implementation of personalized immunotherapy strategies in CRC.

This section will provide updates on project developments, milestones, patient engagement activities, and scientific findings.

• Webinars and public events
• Educational materials and awareness initiatives
• Scientific and clinical milestones
• Key project achievements

Within IMPACT-CRC, DiCE leads Work Package 6.4 on Education, Communication and Advocacy. It ensures that the patient perspective is integrated throughout the project and that research developments are translated into clear and accessible information for patients and the public, supporting meaningful engagement while strengthening awareness of personalized immunotherapy in CRC.

Key activities include:

• Engagement with general public and patient community through DiCE’s official channels, including its social media platforms, monthly newsletter and website.
• Development and dissemination of educational resources, including leaflets and short interview videos explaining omics approaches, patient-friendly materials on immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), and biomarker-based treatment strategies.
• Organization of a dedicated webinar bringing together researchers and patient advocates to share insights on biomarker-based stratification and gather patient feedback.

Together, these activities aim to bridge the gap between complex scientific innovation and patient understanding, empowering patients with clear and evidence-based information throughout the project.

IMPACT-CRC brings together seven centres of excellence across four European countries, combining complementary expertise in tumour biology, immunology, biomarker discovery, translational research, artificial intelligence, and patient engagement. This multidisciplinary consortium ensures close integration of preclinical investigation, clinical research and advanced data analytics to accelerate progress in personalised CRC treatment.

Overall coordination is led by Professor Tejpar (KU Leuven), who oversees scientific alignment across experimental research, clinical studies, and data integration activities.

The consortium structure enables:

• Investigation of mechanisms underlying immunotherapy response and resistance
• Collection and molecular analysis of tumour and blood samples from patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in both retrospective and prospective clinical cohorts
• Integration of multi-omic and imaging data to generate clinically interpretable biomarker models
• Continuous involvement of clinical experts and patient representatives to ensure real-world relevance and impact.

Together, this collaborative framework supports the translation of complex molecular insights into actionable strategies for more precise and effective immunotherapy in CRC.

Scientific publications and project-related outputs will be listed here as they become available.