Education & Events

Each year, GRASSHOPPER organizes in-depth summer schools on key pediatric oncology topics, held alongside the annual consortium meeting. Participation is open to consortium members, with efforts to secure funding for broader access.

The summer schools focus on:

• Immunotherapies (WP3)
• Targeted Therapies (WP4)
• Repurposing Adult Cancer Drugs (WP5)
• Clinical Trial Implementation (WP6)

Stay tuned for upcoming opportunities!

Each year, GRASSHOPPER will host satellite events at major European meetings to share research results, secondment experiences, and practical insights beyond the consortium. These events will raise awareness among pediatric oncologists, researchers, patients, advocates, regulatory experts, and industry leaders, fostering knowledge exchange and new collaborations.

By integrating these events into existing conferences (Butterfly summerschool, ITCC scientific days, SIOPE, Accelerate), we aim to reduce travel, optimize resources, and ensure broader participation. To promote equal access, consortium members who previously faced travel barriers can receive GRASSHOPPER funding to cover travel and accommodation costs.

💡 Stay informed about upcoming events and join the conversation!

All Grasshoppers will be supported through the GRASSHOPPER mentoring program, guided by a top-level academic scientist and an industry expert. Together, they will develop a secondment plan, outlining research objectives, a local support system (buddy program), and strategies for long-term collaboration.

Mentoring meetings will take place before, during (for secondments over 6 months), and after the secondment, ensuring clear goals and knowledge transfer. This intersectoral coaching strengthens researchers’ careers while fostering innovation and collaboration across institutions. The mentoring teams will be gender-balanced, with a finalized mentor list at the start of the program.

Four times a year the consortium will invite a top-level scientist, speaker from industry and/or academia to give a hybrid masterclass. The masterclass will be life in one of the partner institutes and online for other members of the consortium.

Topics will focus on advances on specific tumor types, innovative techniques, and clinical implementation.

In addition there will be specific focus on intersectoral perspectives by inviting leading scientist from the industry.

Two of the masterclasses will be held during the summer schools.

Besides the in-depth focussed scientific skill training, the consortium aims to increase quality of research by offering transferable skill training to all consortium members and increase career opportunities and development of individual researchers.

Here you’ll find a curated list of recommended courses with useful links and resources. Once your institute approves the course, you can enroll and start building valuable transferable skills for every next step in your career.

Research Skills & Knowledge:

R2 Database – http://r2.amc.nl

The R2 Database, developed by Jan Koster, is an interactive online platform for exploring and visualizing (cancer) genomics data. It provides researchers with easy access to a wide range of public datasets, powerful analysis tools, and customizable visual outputs. With its user-friendly interface, R2 supports rapid hypothesis generation, data-driven insights, and reproducible research across diverse cancer types.

After registering on the website, you can access all course materials and find an overview of both online and in-person courses

Personal development and mental health:

21-Days program – The Power of Time off – Ingrid Valks

Is a series of programs from the company thepoweroftimeoff.com designed for personal and professional well-being. This 21-day online live-streaming program uses daily 30-minute meditation and breathing sessions to help participants reset habits, reduce stress, and improve mental well-being.