KOTK - prevention projects 2025

Research

Funding organisation:

Kom op tegen Kanker vzw

What?

Every year, Kom op tegen Kanker does a thematic call for prevention projects. In 2025 KOTK intends to focus on research in any of the following risk factors for cancer development:

• Alcohol: raise awareness of the link between light and moderate alcohol consumption and cancer and denormalize alcohol consumption in (young) adults
• Overweight/obesity
• Fine dust
• Hormone disruptors
• Non-medicated nicotine products such as tobacco, e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products
• Asbestos: raise awareness around the (consequences of) asbestos exposure (link to cancer), and the impact of protective measures
• Genetic predestination

Besides preventing cancer through appropriate lifestyle and environment, early detection of cancer is also very important. That is why KOTK wants to invest in innovative strategies for early detection. In 2025 KOTK supports research projects in the following fields:

• Testing the implementation of new screening (methods)
• Optimising communication on early detection
• Improving accessibility to early detection

For research in early detection, a key requirement is to always communicate transparently about its pros and cons. Moreover, KOTK attaches great importance to the inclusion of people in vulnerable positions in prevention research, in order to increase the impact of the results.

With this call KOTK aims projects that:

• are testing a new intervention to promote cancer prevention and early detection and/or raise awareness and inform people about possible causes of cancer
• provide the opportunity for KOTK to use the results of the research to strive governments for changes to legislation to reduce the risk of cancer in the population

With this call KOTK aims no fundamental research.

KOTK provides a total budget of €2.500.000 for this call. There is no maximum budget per project application, but the requested budget will be considered in function of the proposed impact. Duration of the project is maximum 4 years.

Who?

For each submitted project, KOTK requests that:

• the applicant forms a consortium consisting of (a) research institution(s), (an) organisation(s) from the field and (an experience expert representative of) people from the target group. These three parties should be structurally and actively involved from the start to the implementation and evaluation of the project.
• the starting point of the project is a recognized and demonstrated need of the target group that was formulated together with individuals from the target group.
• the research design, the research method and a preliminary plan for communication during and after the project come about in consultation with the target group.

KOTK attaches great importance to civic participation that pays sufficient attention to diversity and inclusiveness.

KOTK asks to be part of the advisory body or steering committee, thus providing maximum advice and support during and after the project in terms of implementing the research results and increasing the impact of the project.

The project manager can be either someone from the research institution or from the field of work.

KOTK underlines the complementary nature of its funding and thereby assumes a role for prevention projects where no or insufficient funding is made available by government, industry and/or other funders.
  

Application?

Applying is possible via the login site of KOTK.

Application procedure:
Step 1: pre-advice (optional): pre-advice can be submitted (optionally) by submitting the offered standard form (abstract) no later than 05/12/2024 at midnight
Step 2: abstract: deadline submission 23/01/2025 at midnight
Step 3: full proposal for the selected abstracts: deadline submission 26/06/2025 at midnight

More information about the application procedure, you can find on the website of KOTK.

Regulations?

On the website of KOTK you can also find more information about the Regulations.

Please contact research@uhasselt.be if you want to apply.

Deadline

23.01.2025

Contact Hasselt University?

E-mail sarah.szyr@uhasselt.be

Tel. +3211269052