Unified Network for International Cancer Advancement

Transforming European cancer screening and early detection through federated AI

UNICA: The future of cancer screening - Vision, EUCAIM Alignment, FAIR Data & AI

February 23, 2026 | 12:00 CET

UNICA Webinar: The Future of Cancer Screening

The digital transformation of oncology requires a robust, secure, and pan-European infrastructure for data sharing. This webinar, organised by UNICA consortium partners 81Watts and POLIMI, introduces UNICA (Unified Network for International Cancer Advancement), a strategic EU initiative expanding the geographical reach of the European Cancer Imaging Initiative (EUCAIM).

The session will explore how UNICA unlocks the potential of de-identified cancer imaging and clinical data, from mammograms to MRI scans, by connecting hospitals through a federated, privacy-preserving network. Participants will be introduced to the basics of federated learning, a privacy-by-design approach where AI models are trained across institutions without patient data ever leaving the hospital.

The webinar will also cover practical approaches to data FAIRification and outline how UNICA contributes to advancing AI-driven early detection and personalised cancer care across Europe, in close alignment with EUCAIM.

Speakers:
Michele Compare – UNICA Coordinator, CTO at Datrix
Ignacio Blanquer – EUCAIM Technical Coordinator, Full Professor of Computer Science at UPV
Cinzia Cappiello – Associate Professor in Information Systems at POLIMI
Elia Broggio – Data Scientist at Datrix
Yuliia Sobko – Data Analyst and Project Developer at 81Watts

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How Federated Learning Works Inside a Real Hospital: Insights from Ana Grönke, UKK

Ana Grönke, coordinator of the Data Integration Center at the University Hospital of Cologne (UKK), shares insights into one of UNICA’s most complex technical challenges: deploying federated agents within real hospital infrastructures.

She explains how differences in hospital information systems and strict data protection requirements make cross-border collaboration particularly demanding. Within UNICA, federated learning enables hospitals to collaborate on AI development while keeping all patient data securely on site.

At UKK, this work is carried out in close collaboration with the Radiology Department, supporting the development of AI-based tools for cancer diagnosis and contributing to improved patient care through secure, privacy-preserving research.

UNICA’s Impact Strategy: Insights from Giuliana Folco, 81Watts

Giuliana Folco, Director of Socio-Economic Innovation at 81Watts, explains how UNICA ensures that its results move beyond research and deliver real benefits for cancer patients, healthcare professionals, and society across Europe.

Within the project, 81Watts leads activities on communication, dissemination, engagement, and sustainability, focusing on transforming research outcomes into solutions that can be adopted in clinical and research settings. UNICA promotes patient empowerment and trust in health data reuse through data altruism, while engaging stakeholders across the health imaging ecosystem.

Through collaboration with the European Cancer Imaging Initiative (EUCAIM) and other EU initiatives, UNICA strengthens synergies, amplifies impact, and supports the long-term sustainability of its federated infrastructure and AI-based solutions.

FAIR Data in Healthcare: Insights from Pietro Pinoli, POLIMI

Associate Professor at Politecnico di Milano, Pietro Pinoli, explains one of the most crucial foundations of AI in healthcare: FAIRification. Why does FAIR data matter? Because AI can only be as good as the data it learns from — and in healthcare, that data must remain private, secure, and interoperable.

In this interview, Prof. Pinoli breaks down:

what FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) mean,
why medical data is so difficult to harmonize across hospitals,
how FAIRification enables federated learning, and
how these methods unlock the potential of AI while keeping patient data protected.

AI for Cancer Screening: Interview with Oscar Pastor, UPV Project Leader

In the interview, Full Professor at Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV), Oscar Pastor, and Unified Network for International Cancer Advancement (UNICA) Project Leader at VRAIN, explains how UPV is building the foundations for data standardisation, FAIR data, federated infrastructure, and explainable AI to support cancer screening and early diagnosis across Europe.

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