KNOWMI · Knowledge Networks in Oncology: Weavers of Medical Innovation

This research seeks to advance conceptual and methodological propositions to analyse the sources and the effects of medical innovations. In particular, it will focus on the generation and use of scientific knowledge in the remit of health-care. It will take as empirical focus two areas of Oncology - Breast and Colorectal Cancers with a view to: 1. Understanding how the international knowledge bases of these two cancers emerged and developed. In particular, the project aims at situating and assessing the relative contribution of the European medical scientific community and research institutions; 2. Demonstrating the nature of the gap in delivering innovative therapies between the two diseases, and analysing to what extent it is related to differences in structure and position of the organizations involved; 3. Deriving policy implications and informing policy makers about key barriers to the generation of new knowledge and the translation of basic research into effective health-care. This question is especially relevant to the EU context where increasing multidisciplinary orientation of medical research and cross-national collaborations have been often perceived as an obstacle. The research proposes the application of network analytic methods to map and understand the development of knowledge within and across the two areas of medical research and practice. It is envisaged that this research has strong potential in opening up an important avenue for cross-disciplinary research at the interface of medical and social sciences. In particular, it will: assess the feasibility to use network approaches; enable the identification of critical areas of scientific research and clinical practice; highlight successful and un-successful developments both for diagnosis and for therapy; and identify promising organizational avenues for the efficient search for and implementation of medical solutions.