NEC Laboratories Europe supports University of Birmingham-based InHANSE's innovative clinical cancer research

NEC Laboratories Europe today announced a donation to the University of Birmingham-based Institute of Head and Neck Studies and Education (InHANSE) to support its future cancer research.

The donation recognizes InHANSE’s commitment to advancing innovative cancer treatment and improving patient care.

In 2020, it is estimated that 2.7 million people across the European Union were diagnosed with some form of cancer - excluding non-melanoma skin cancer - and nearly 1.3 million succumbed to it.

InHANSE conducts research into head, neck and thyroid diseases, evaluating the effectiveness of new treatments for head, neck and thyroid cancers. A research collaboration between the University of Birmingham and University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, InHANSE’s areas of research includes translational and molecular medicine, clinical effectiveness and trials.

Professor Hisham Mehanna, Director of InHANSE and Deputy Pro-Vice Chancellor (Interdisciplinary Research) at the University of Birmingham, said: “Our mission is to improve the lives of patients, taking new treatments and diagnostics from bench to bedside.

“Our groundbreaking clinical trials are leading to research results that have real impact, improving cancer treatments and outcomes for patients battling cancer. We are incredibly grateful for the support from NEC Laboratories Europe, which will help to ensure that our vital research continues.”

InHANSE uses translational research, patient stratification and bioinformatics to quickly identify which treatments fail and, more importantly, why, which is fundamental in the process to develop better treatment options.

InHANSE’s clinical research resonates strongly with NEC Laboratories Europe’s research into Digital Health and gene regulatory networks. The importance of InHANSE’s work and the positive impact that it has on patients’ lives is clear.

Dr. Saverio Niccolini, General Manager of NEC Laboratories Europe and Biomedical AI Group Manager, said: “The analysis of the tumor environment for improving patient outcomes is at the core of our applied research agenda in the biomedical field.

“We aim to discover new and effective means to improve population health by uncovering hidden meaning and relationships in data that we did not have before. InHANSE’s work has implications for our research that we value highly.

“InHANSE’s holistic approach to patient care and bespoke treatment is leading the way in clinical cancer research. We look forward to supporting them in the future.”

Notes to Editors

• For further information please contact Emma McKinney, Media Relations Manager (Health Sciences), University of Birmingham, +44 7789 921 165.
• The University of Birmingham is ranked amongst the world’s top 100 institutions, and its work brings people from across the world to Birmingham, including researchers and teachers and more than 6,500 international students from nearly 150 countries.
• NEC Laboratories Europe located in Heidelberg, Germany was established in 1997 with special emphasis on meeting the needs of NEC Group’s European customers. It dedicates research, development, and standardization on cutting-edge information and communication technologies for creating innovative social solutions. Our major research areas are including 5G networks, data science, artificial intelligence, IoT platforms as well as IoT security and blockchain. These technologies will promote NEC Group’s Solutions for a better Society in fields of digital health, lifeline and communication infrastructures, safer cities and public services.  
• NEC Europe Ltd. is a wholly owned subsidiary of NEC Corporation, a leader in the integration of IT network technologies that benefit businesses and people around the world. NEC Europe Ltd. is building upon its heritage and reputation for innovation and quality by providing its expertise, solutions and services to a broad range of customers, from telecom operators to enterprises and the public sector. For additional information, please visit the NEC Europe Ltd.