Launched in February 2006, CONTICANET is a Network of Excellence funded by the 6th Framework Program of the European commission. This network is generating a critical mass of key stakeholders in order to overcome the current difficulties in terms of lack of data, data fragmentation, mobility of researchers, heterogeneity of methodologies and legislation. CONTICANET is working to harmonise research projects, by developing joint research activities, establishing standard operating procedures and distributing databases and tissue banks....

The CONTICANET consortium currently consists of 19 organisations and plans to become a world leader in the understanding, diagnosis and management of connective tissue cancers. This will be achieved by gathering a critical mass of resources and knowledge. In addition it is the objective of the consortium to develop new therapeutic options for connective tissue cancers.  An improvement in our understanding of the epidemiology and biology of these tumours will facilitate the identification of new targets for treatment and...

The CONTICANET project is structured as follows: Jean-Yves Blay, the project coordinator, is in charge of the scientific follow up, the General Assembly composed by one representative person of each institution is responsible for the strategic orientation of the network and the Executive Committee composed of the responsible persons of each workpackage is in charge of preparing the decisions to be taken by the General Assembly.