The aim of the “Partners of Experience in Cancer” (PECan) project is to cultivate a common culture of mutual understanding & collaboration between cancer patients and the research community, also involving formal/informal caregivers, healthcare professionals and medicine students, with the Thess-AHALL Living Lab and the University, launching a new era in the participatory research, where patients will not only lead research efforts, but they will also envision and establish the first Living Lab, self-governed by citizens, that will foster research, open science and open innovation initiatives in the field of cancer (oncology- focused Living Lab; one of the EU Beating Cancer Recommendations).

The PECan will be implemented at the national Greek level, involving two leading actors: a) the School of Medicine of the AUTH, through the Thess-AHALL Living Lab, and b) the Hellenic Cancer Federation (ELLOK), umbrella organization for over 40 cancer patient associations in Greece. AUTH and the Thess-AHALL will ensure the provision of scientific consultation, human resources, its Living Lab infrastructures and expertise to support ELLOK members to apply participatory research, grant proposal writing, publishing and establish the oncology-focused LL after the Stanford Plot training. On its side, ELLOK will engage its members to receive training first, and then to lead their own research and establish their self-governed Living Lab. To support ELLOK’s mission in an effective way, and capitalise the cultivation of a joint research culture between patients and the scientific community, AUTH/Thess-AHALL will involve early-stage researchers, medicine students and clinicians from the university hospitals in every stage of ELLOK’s activities.