LUCC - Lund University Cancer Centre

What LUCC - Lund University Cancer Centre does

LUCC (Lund University Cancer Centre) is the formal coordinating body for cancer research at Lund University in Sweden, operating as an open translational network rather than a commercial entity. It coordinates 17 strategic translational networks organized by cancer diagnosis (Breast, CNS, Gastrointestinal, Gynecology, Head & Neck, Hematology, Lung, Sarcoma, Skin, Urology, Child), technology/process (Cancer Prevention, Clinical Trials & Diagnostics, Imaging, Immunotherapy & Tumour Microenvironment, Nursing/Rehabilitation/Palliative Care), and cross-cutting domains (Cancer Epidemiology), each typically co-led by a basic and a clinical researcher to bridge bench and bedside. The center integrates research infrastructure such as SCAN-B, a real-world breast cancer genomics program that has enrolled over 16,000 patients since 2010 at roughly 120 patients per month, and supports translational platforms spanning RNA sequencing, cellular reprogramming for immunotherapy (Filipe Pereira's "Trojan horse" dendritic-cell work), organoid/mini-bone engineering via OssiGel, the ProMIS multiplex biomarker platform, and organ-restricted vascular delivery of nanoparticles for lung tumors.

LUCC serves academic researchers, clinicians at Skåne University Hospital (whose cancer center is OECI-accredited as a Comprehensive Cancer Centre), cancer patients participating in trials and screening programs, and pharmaceutical/biotech industry partners seeking licensing and collaboration opportunities. Its economic model is grant- and donation-driven rather than commercial: inflows include Swedish Research Council (VR) and Forte funding, ALF regional government support, multi-million-euro ERC grants (Consolidator and Starting), Wallenberg Foundation grants (e.g., SEK 31 million to Göran Jönsson for immunotherapy), and a record SEK 420 million donation from the Mrs Berta Kamprad Foundation in 2025. Revenue from technology transfer is episodic but material — most notably the June 2026 acquisition of spin-off SAGA Diagnostics (founded by LUCC professor Lao Saal) by Foundation Medicine, a Roche subsidiary, for up to $595 million.

Governance is anchored in Lund University's Faculty of Medicine under regulation Dnr STYR 2024/2957, with Professor Mats Jerkeman as Coordinator, Charlotte Rolny as Vice Coordinator, and an academic board spanning medicine and engineering plus a Scientific Advisory Board. LUCC distributes its research outputs through high-impact publications (Nature, Nature Genetics, Science Translational Medicine, JNCI Cancer Spectrum, EMBO Molecular Medicine), clinical implementation at Skåne University Hospital, spin-off formation, and industry collaboration, with awareness activities including Forum Cancer events tied to World Cancer Day and EU/ERC conferences.

Name

LUCC - Lund University Cancer Centre

Legal name

Lund University Cancer Centre

Website

https://lucc.lu.se

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

LUCC (Lund University Cancer Centre) is the cancer research coordination body for Lund University in Sweden, bridging basic science and clinical practice through 17 strategic translational networks and research infrastructure including the SCAN-B breast cancer genomics program (16,000+ patients).

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Academic Cancer Research Services

NAICS

Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (54171), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Translational Medicine & Biomarkers (HLAIALAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Clinical & Translational Informatics (Clinical Data Integration/Real-World Data for R&D) (HLAGAJAF), Electronic Data Capture (EDC) Platforms (HLACAOAA)

Keywords

• Translational cancer research
• Oncology research coordination
• Cancer genomics infrastructure
• Biomedical research networks
• Cancer diagnostics research

Headquarters

HQ city

Lund

HQ country

Sweden

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Research Funding & Grants: LUCC receives government and foundation funding for cancer research activities. Major funders include the Swedish Research Council, Forte (Swedish Research Council for Health, Working Life and Welfare), European Research Council (ERC) grants, and regional government funding (ALF).
2. Foundation & Charitable Donations: Major donations from foundations including the Mrs Berta Kamprad Foundation (SEK 420 million in 2025, largest donation in university history), Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, and other cancer research foundations.
3. Technology Transfer & Licensing: Revenue generated through spin-off companies and licensing of technologies. SAGA Diagnostics, a spin-off of LUCC professor Lao Saal, was acquired by Foundation Medicine (Roche subsidiary) for up to $595 million.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

LUCC is the cancer research coordinating body at Lund University, operating 17 strategic translational networks across cancer diagnosis, technology, and processes. It provides research coordination, educational programs, and innovation/collaboration services that bridge basic science, clinical practice (via Skåne University Hospital), and industry. Its core assets include the SCAN-B breast cancer genomics infrastructure (16,000+ patients), Lund BioImaging Centre, and proprietary technologies in immunotherapy, biomarker discovery, and AI-supported diagnostics.

Product overview

LUCC (Lund University Cancer Centre) is a translational cancer research center that coordinates cancer research at Lund University. It operates as a network-based organization offering strategic research coordination across 17 specialized cancer networks, educational programs for training researchers, innovation and collaboration services connecting academia with healthcare and industry, and has produced spin-off technologies. The center does not operate as a commercial product company but rather as a research coordination and collaboration hub.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• LUCC Strategic Translational Networks 17 strategic translational networks based on cancer diagnosis, technology or processes (Breast, Child, CNS, Gastrointestinal, Gynecology, Head & Neck, Hematology, Lung, Sarcoma, Skin, Urology, Cancer Prevention, Clinical Trials & Diagnostics, Imaging & Nuclear Medicine, Immunotherapy, Nursing/Rehabilitation, Cancer Epidemiology). Each network is headed by one basic and one clinical researcher to bridge laboratory and clinical science.
• Cancer Research Coordination Central coordination of cancer research at Lund University, providing support to university management, faculty leadership, and Region Skåne for strategic decisions in research, education, innovation, and external engagement.
• LUCC Education Programs Educational programs including courses in tumor biology (Biomedicine: Tumor Biology BIMM21), lymphatic malignancies, and advanced cancer biology (VMFN29, 30 ECTS) for training the next generation of cancer researchers.
• Innovation and Collaboration Services Innovation and collaboration services serving as Lund University's hub and contact point for internal and external agents interested in collaborating with cancer researchers, facilitating academia-hospital-industry partnerships.

Quantifiable outcome

• SAGA Diagnostics acquisition for up to $595 million demonstrates successful technology transfer
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability4 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Foundation Medicine / RocheflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 June 2026Foundation Medicine, a subsidiary of Roche, acquired SAGA Diagnostics - a spin-off company of LUCC professor Lao Saal - in a deal worth up to $595 million. The key product SAGA's Pathlight is an ultra-sensitive test for detecting breast cancer recurrence.
• Skåne University Hospital Cancer CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 May 2022Skåne University Hospital Cancer Centre (SUHCC) is a key clinical partner of LUCC. The hospital was accredited as Comprehensive Cancer Centre (CCC) by the Organisation of European Cancer Institutes (OECI) in May 2022. LUCC coordinates with the hospital on clinical trials, diagnostics, and translation of research to patient care.
• SCAN-B Participating HospitalscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2010Network of hospitals contributing to the Sweden Cancerome Analysis Network - Breast (SCAN-B) research project including Lund, Malmö, Helsinki, Kristianstad, Halmstad, Växjö, Karlskrona, Jönköping, and Uppsala. Over 16,000 breast cancer patients enrolled since 2010.
• Asgard TherapeuticscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBiotechnology company collaborating with Filipe Pereira's research team to translate cellular reprogramming results to clinical environment as part of the ERC grant project.
• Immunovia ABcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerImmunovia AB collaborated with CREATE Health Cancer Center at Lund University to develop the ProMIS biomarker technology combining antibody specificity with next-generation sequencing.
• CREATE Health Cancer CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCREATE Health Cancer Center at Lund University collaborates with LUCC on cancer biomarker research and development, including the ProMIS technology platform.
• Medicon VillageminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMedicon Village collaborates with LUCC to organize the 'Focus on Cancer Collaboration' annual meeting, bringing together researchers and industry representatives.
• Region SkånecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional government authority that funds healthcare and coordinates with LUCC on cancer care including organized prostate cancer testing and colorectal cancer screening programs.
• MAX IV LaboratorycoreTechnology or IntegrationLund's synchrotron radiation facility used by LUCC researchers like Karin Lindkvist for structural biology and cell biology research using X-rays to study protein structures for cancer drug development.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL): Intergovernmental research organization for molecular life sciences with sites across Europe. Comparable as a publicly funded translational research network with shared infrastructure, training programs, and discovery-to-application pipelines intersecting oncology.
• VIB (Vlaams Instituut voor Biotechnologie): Belgian life sciences research institute with translational programs in cancer, immunology, and neuroscience. Comparable as a publicly funded life-science coordinating body that generates spin-off companies and partners with hospitals and industry.
• German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ): Germany's national cancer research center coordinating translational oncology across multiple sites and programs. Comparable as a publicly funded research coordinating body producing spin-offs, biomarker research, and clinical-trial-ready oncology assets.
• Dana-Farber Cancer Institute: Harvard-affiliated comprehensive cancer center integrating research and clinical care. Comparable in translational orientation, biomarker programs, and large-scale patient data resources, though materially larger and US-based.
• Francis Crick Institute: UK biomedical research institute focused on cancer and other diseases with shared infrastructure and translational programs. Comparable scale and structure to LUCC's strategic-network model with bridging of basic and clinical research.
• Karolinska Institutet (Cancer Research): Largest Nordic academic medical center with extensive translational oncology programs. Directly comparable as a Swedish university-based cancer research coordinating body that drives spin-offs, biomarker discovery, and clinical translation in the same ecosystem.
• MD Anderson Cancer Center: Largest US comprehensive cancer center with strong translational and spin-off track record (e.g., driver-passenger work). Comparable as a globally recognized academic cancer center coordinating basic and clinical research, though operating at far greater scale.
• Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (Research): US-based comprehensive cancer center integrating basic research, clinical trials, and translational oncology. Comparable translational-research focus and clinical-academic integration model, though operating at materially larger scale.

Direct peers

• CREATE Health Cancer Center (Lund): Adjacent cancer research center at Lund University that collaborates with LUCC on biomarker discovery (ProMIS platform). Highly comparable in subject matter, geography, and parent institution (Lund).
• The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR), London: University-of-London affiliated cancer research institute known for translational research, drug discovery, and spin-out companies. Highly comparable to LUCC in mission (bench-to-bedside cancer research), structure (researchers embedded with hospital partners), and economics (grants + commercialization).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lucc-lund-university-cancer-centre

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about LUCC - Lund University Cancer Centre