Transforming Blood Cancer Detection Through European Innovation

The SANGUINE Project Showcase Event:

Advancing the HemaChip from Research to Impact

Every year, around 300,000 people across the EU are diagnosed with a haematological malignancy, including leukaemia, lymphoma and multiple myeloma.

 

Yet diagnosing blood cancer remains a complex challenge. With more than 100 different types and subtypes, many diseases share overlapping clinical and laboratory features, requiring multiple tests to reach an accurate diagnosis.

 

As part of the EU Cancer Mission, the SANGUINE project has set out to change this. Over the past four years, this EU-funded initiative has worked to tackle this issue and revolutionise blood cancer detection. Its flagship innovation, the HemaChip, can screen for multiple blood cancers simultaneously through a fast, minimally invasive and cost-effective test.

 

On 13–14 October in Brussels, the SANGUINE project held its closing event to highlight its achievements, explore the science behind HemaChip, share lessons learned, and discuss the next steps for scaling up this promising innovation to benefit patients across Europe and beyond. Watch the event recordings to revisit the conversations.

13 October 2026 14:00 - 20:00 CEST 14 October 2026 9:00 - 15:00 CEST

The Hoxton
Square Victoria Régina 1, 1210 Brussels, Belgium

Breakthroughs in cancer research and biomedical technology have transformed the detection and treatment of blood cancers, saving thousands of lives every year.

The HemaChip represents another major step forward. By eliminating the need for sequencing, it significantly reduces testing costs while supporting faster diagnosis, improved patient outcomes and more effective population-based screening programmes.

The SANGUINE project’s showcase brought this promising innovation into the spotlight, marking the culmination of four years of research and collaboration. The event brought together medical professionals, researchers, patient representatives, industry leaders and policymakers to celebrate the project’s achievements and explore how HemaChip could be implemented at scale.

Discussions explored how Europe can maintain its leadership in cancer research, why continued investment in health innovation is essential for citizens and European competitiveness, and what lies ahead for this promising technology.

The event covered:

  • The latest advances in haematology and blood cancer diagnostics
  • Demonstrations of the science behind the HemaChip
  • Pathways for implementing the technology within European health systems
  • Lessons learned and best practices from the SANGUINE project
  • The future of EU investment in cancer research as a strategic driver of health, innovation and European competitiveness

Watch the event recordings to revisit the discussions, discover the project’s achievements and explore the next steps for HemaChip and the future of blood cancer detection in Europe.

 

EN FundedbytheEU RGB POSThis project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Programme under Grant Agreement Nº 101097026.

Related Resources

  • SANGUINE official website
    visit

Speakers

  • Oliver Schenk MEP Member, Committee on Public Health, European Parliament
  • Ruggero Razza MEP Member, Committee on Public Health, European Parliament
  • Irina De Knop MP, Committee on Health and Equal Opportunities, Belgian Chamber of Representatives
  • Dr Otto Visser Head of Registration Department, Netherlands Cancer Registry
  • Dr Monica Racoviță Access and Policy Manager, Myeloma Patients Europe
  • Prof Elizabeth Macintyre Diagnostic Hematologist and Professor, Université Paris Cité & Past President, European Hematology Association
show all speakers (19)

Speakers

  • Oliver Schenk MEP Member, Committee on Public Health, European Parliament
  • Ruggero Razza MEP Member, Committee on Public Health, European Parliament
  • Irina De Knop MP, Committee on Health and Equal Opportunities, Belgian Chamber of Representatives
  • Dr Otto Visser Head of Registration Department, Netherlands Cancer Registry
  • Dr Monica Racoviță Access and Policy Manager, Myeloma Patients Europe
  • Prof Elizabeth Macintyre Diagnostic Hematologist and Professor, Université Paris Cité & Past President, European Hematology Association
show all speakers (19)
  • Oliver Schenk MEP Member, Committee on Public Health, European Parliament
  • Ruggero Razza MEP Member, Committee on Public Health, European Parliament
  • Irina De Knop MP, Committee on Health and Equal Opportunities, Belgian Chamber of Representatives
  • Dr Otto Visser Head of Registration Department, Netherlands Cancer Registry
  • Dr Monica Racoviță Access and Policy Manager, Myeloma Patients Europe Read Bio
  • Prof Elizabeth Macintyre Diagnostic Hematologist and Professor, Université Paris Cité & Past President, European Hematology Association Read Bio
  • Porf Yuval Ebenstein Professor, Department of Chemical Physics, School of Chemistry, Tel Aviv University & Founder and CSO, JaxBio & Coordinator, SANGUINE Read Bio
  • Dr Shahar Zirkin Founder and CEO, JaxBio
  • Caroline Rosseel Vice-Chair, Cancer Sector Group, MedTech Europe & Regional Medical Affairs Manager (West), Thermo Fisher Scientific
  • Prof Irit Avivi Full Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University & Head of the Department, Hematology, Ichilov Medical Center
  • Prof Shai Izraeli Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University & Director, Hematology-Oncology Department, Schneider Children’s Medical Center
  • Mariangela Fiorente EU-Cancer Project Coordinator, Cancer Patient Advocate
  • Denis Costello Executive Director, CML Advocates Network
  • Dr Karolis Šablauskas Haematologist, Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Klinikos (VULSK)
  • Chenchao Liu Managing Director, SILREAL GmbH
  • Ana Roca-Umbert Würth Senior Manager, PredictBy
  • Richard Price Policy Director, European Cancer Organisation (ECO)
  • Guillermina Pappier Health Policy Consultant, PredictBy
  • Dr Rita Haldar Associate Researcher, Tel Aviv University & Project Manager, SANGUINE

Speakers

  • Oliver Schenk MEP Member, Committee on Public Health, European Parliament
  • Ruggero Razza MEP Member, Committee on Public Health, European Parliament
  • Irina De Knop MP, Committee on Health and Equal Opportunities, Belgian Chamber of Representatives
  • Dr Otto Visser Head of Registration Department, Netherlands Cancer Registry
  • Dr Monica Racoviță Access and Policy Manager, Myeloma Patients Europe
  • Prof Elizabeth Macintyre Diagnostic Hematologist and Professor, Université Paris Cité & Past President, European Hematology Association
show all speakers (19)

Programme

Tuesday, 13 October 
13:30 – 14:00
Registration and Welcome Coffee
 

 
14:00 - 15:15
Addressing Unmet Needs in Blood Cancer Through Innovation
 

This opening will frame the broader policy and clinical context for the event, highlighting the current state of blood cancer in Europe, the impact of early detection and the current technologies used to detect blood cancer.

Speakers will address:

  • The patient experience of receiving a blood cancer diagnosis
  • The burden of blood cancer across Europe
  • The importance of systematic early detection and support
  • The potential impact of earlier and more targeted detection on blood cancer care
  • The role of European policy initiatives in advancing the early detection agenda
 

With:

  • Oliver Schenk MEP, Member, Committee on Public Health, European Parliament (pre-recorded intervention)
  • Irina De Knop, MP, Committee on Health and Equal Opportunities, Belgian Chamber of Representatives
  • Dr Otto Visser, Head of Registration Department, Netherlands Cancer Registry
  • Denis Costello, Executive Director, CML Advocates Network
  • Prof Shai Izraeli, Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University & Director, Hematology-Oncology Department, Schneider Children’s Medical Center
15:15 - 16:00
Presenting the SANGUINE Project and Live Presentation of the HemaChip
 

 This Session will introduce the SANGUINE project, presenting the journey from the patient’s blood collection to the HemaChip result. It will discuss the science behind SANGUINE and the HemaChip in an engaging, storytelling manner, with interesting graphics.

 The speaker will present:

  • An introduction to the project and consortium
  • The process behind the development of the HemaChip
  • Key results from the study
  • The physical HemaChip itself
 

With: 

  • Prof Yuval Ebenstein, Professor, Department of Chemical Physics, School of Chemistry, Tel Aviv University & Founder and CSO, JaxBio & Coordinator, SANGUINE
  • Dr Rita Haldar, Associate Researcher, Tel Aviv University & Project Manager, SANGUINE
16:00 – 16:30
Coffee Break
 

Participants are invited to network and visit the exhibition space.
16:30 – 17:30
Building Europe's Leadership in Blood Cancer Innovation
 

This session will explore what is needed to move innovations in blood cancer diagnostics and treatment from research into clinical practice, including regulation, funding and implementation. The panel will consider how Europe can better support promising technologies through the full innovation pathway and ensure they ultimately reach patients.

The discussion will cover:

  • Current barriers and challenges in translating blood cancer diagnosis innovation into practice, and reflection on possible solutions
  • How investment in research and innovation can strengthen Europe’s competitiveness in life sciences
  • What makes an innovative project more prone to investment: an EU venture capitalist’s perspective
  • The contribution of the EU Cancer Mission to advancing European innovation
  • Pathways for future development, validation and implementation of the HemaChip
 

With: 

  • Prof Irit Avivi, Full Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University & Head of the Department, Hematology, Ichilov Medical Center
  • Caroline Rosseel, Vice-Chair, Cancer Sector Group, MedTech Europe & Regional Medical Affairs Manager (West), Thermo Fisher Scientific
  • Chenchao Liu, Managing Director, SILREAL GmbH
17:30 – 17:45
Closing Keynote
 

With:  

  • Mariangela Fiorente, EU-Cancer Project Coordinator, Cancer Patient Advocate
17:45 – 21:00
Walking Dinner & Exhibition

 

Wednesday, 14 October 
09:00 – 09:30
Registration and Welcome Coffee
 

 
09:30 – 10:00
Social Sciences and Patient Engagement in SANGUINE
 

This session will look into the patient engagement activities that took place in the project. It will also look into the survey findings and stakeholder insights, including the stakeholder forum.
 

With:

  • Ana Roca-Umbert Würth, Senior Manager, PredictBy
  • Guillermina Pappier, Health Policy Consultant, PredictBy
10:00 – 11:15
From Innovation to Adoption – What’s next for the SANGUINE HemaChip?
 

A workshop (world café) will be held with participants to help inform the practical uptake and implementation of the HemaChip.

The discussion will be moderated and will focus on:

  • Barriers to implementation
  • Regulatory and clinical validation needs
  • Adoption in healthcare settings across Europe
  • Future research priorities
 

With: 

  • Prof Shai Izraeli, Professor, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University & Director, Hematology-Oncology Department, Schneider Children’s Medical Center
  • Dr Karolis Šablauskas, Haematologist, Vilnius University Hospital Santaros Klinikos (VULSK)
  • Ana Roca-Umbert Würth, Senior Manager, PredictBy
  • Richard Price, Policy Director, European Cancer Organisation (ECO)
11:15 – 11:45
Coffee Break
 

Participants are invited to network and visit the exhibition space.
11:45 – 12:45
Looking ahead – The Future of Blood Cancer Detection in Europe
 

This session will look at emerging priorities in blood cancer in Europe and pay particular focus on early detection. It will then feature a high-level policy discussion on ensuring blood cancer detection and the HemaChip are embedded and recognised in cancer care across Europe.

The discussion will cover:

  • European Policy priorities
  • Spotlight on the future of SANGUINE
  • How innovation such as the HemaChip can become part of routine care
  •  Positioning SANGUINE within the broader ecosystem of blood cancer EU projects
 

With: 

  • Ruggero Razza MEP, Member, Committee on Public Health, European Parliament (pre-recorded intervention)
  • Dr Shahar Zirkin, Founder and CEO, JaxBio
  • Prof Elizabeth Macintyre, Diagnostic Hematologist and Professor, Université Paris Cité & Past President, European Hematology Association
  • Dr Monica Racoviță, Access and Policy Manager, Myeloma Patients Europe
  • Richard Price, Policy Director, European Cancer Organisation (ECO)
12:45 – 13:00
Final Remarks
 

With: 

  • Prof Yuval Ebenstein, Professor, Department of Chemical Physics, School of Chemistry, Tel Aviv University & Founder and CSO, JaxBio & Coordinator, SANGUINE
13:00 – 14:00
Networking Lunch

Speakers

  • Oliver Schenk MEP Member, Committee on Public Health, European Parliament
  • Ruggero Razza MEP Member, Committee on Public Health, European Parliament
  • Irina De Knop MP, Committee on Health and Equal Opportunities, Belgian Chamber of Representatives
  • Dr Otto Visser Head of Registration Department, Netherlands Cancer Registry
  • Dr Monica Racoviță Access and Policy Manager, Myeloma Patients Europe
  • Prof Elizabeth Macintyre Diagnostic Hematologist and Professor, Université Paris Cité & Past President, European Hematology Association
show all speakers (19)

Speakers

  • Oliver Schenk MEP Member, Committee on Public Health, European Parliament
  • Ruggero Razza MEP Member, Committee on Public Health, European Parliament
  • Irina De Knop MP, Committee on Health and Equal Opportunities, Belgian Chamber of Representatives
  • Dr Otto Visser Head of Registration Department, Netherlands Cancer Registry
  • Dr Monica Racoviță Access and Policy Manager, Myeloma Patients Europe
  • Prof Elizabeth Macintyre Diagnostic Hematologist and Professor, Université Paris Cité & Past President, European Hematology Association
show all speakers (19)