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FAQ - Frequently asked questions

What is CASCADE?

CASCADE is a durable, comprehensive and independent network of excellence in research, risk assessment, and education concerning endocrine-disrupting chemicals in food. Its aim to fill gaps of scientific knowledge and to increase public awareness and promote balanced decisions among consumers and policy makers regarding food.

What is the sixth framework program?

The sixth framework programme (FP6) is the European Community Framework Programme for Research, Technological Development and Demonstration. It is a collection of the actions at EU level to fund and promote research. It is part of the EU strategy to become the most dynamic research area in the world by 2010.

What is a Network of Excellence? 

A Network of Excellence (NoE) is a multi-partner project funded by FP6 aiming at strengthening scientific and technological excellence on a particular research topic. This is done by integrating at the European level the critical mass of resources and expertise needed to provide European leadership and to become a world force in a given domain. The main result of an NoE should be a durable restructuring and reshaping of the way research is carried out.  

Who are the network spokespersons? What channels will CASCADE communicate through?

The principal spokespersons are the network coordinator and vice-coordinator. The communication channels are taylored to different groups in society, and include both tested reliable channels (scientific journals, conferences) as well as more innovative ones for the scientific community (exhibitions, 'lab days' etc). We sense that there is a requirement on us scientists from the surrounding society to provide new, better ways of communicating.  

What is the overall goal for CASCADE?

The overall goals of CASCADE are:

• to provide a durable, structured and organised network of experts for integration with other activities in the field.
• to increase the awareness among scientists of the need to bring multiple aspects of scientific information into use. This is only feasible in a large interdisciplinary approach, such as the current NoE, CASCADE.
• to improve interdisciplinary competence and thinking amongst scientists, in particular those who are at an early stage of their career.
• to provide education and information to consumers' organisations and authorities so that they can make informed decisions about the risks of exposure to these chemicals. <li>to provide novel scientific information on the mechanism of action of chemical residues and contaminants in food and to make this information useful in the development of mechanism- and disease-based in vivo, in vitro and in silico test methods, and in the risk assessment and benefit analysis.

Does CASCADE provide facts and information to the general public? How?

CASCADE research results will be provided to the general public via communication channels such as reports in peer-reviewed (i.e. subject to critisism by independent experts in the field) scientific journals, our website, newsletters, events such as our annual open fora, etc. On our website we will present scientific data in a way intended for the general public in addition to information to the scientific community.

CASCADE also reach the general public indirectly through our collaborations with authorities and consumer organisations, as well as observer organisations that are loosely tied to the network. We hope that the increased integration between the researchers in different countries, which is in fact the essence of this network, will ensure that accurate and balanced messages reach the general public. We also sense that there is a requirement on us scientists from the surrounding society to find better ways of communicating, and it is one of our missions to find these new ways. 

How will CASCADE manage the task of coordinating 26 different centres with 9 different cultures?

The issue of bringing 26 different groups together is complex and difficult. There are practical, cultural and financial issues to be considered. To tackle these potential problems CASCADE has organized a highly skilled administrative office which will administrate the network activities.

Does CASCADE spread information to countries outside of the EU? How?

Yes, CASCADE will spread information to all groups with interest in our research area. Countries outside the EU will be reached by collaborations with international organisations such as OECD and WHO. The website will also act as an important information channel. 

Will CASCADE seek further financing from other actors, organisations and authorities?

CASCADE will actively identify and seek new funding sources at national and international level to evolve the CASCADE activities and to assure the existence of the network beyond January 2009 when the EU funding ends. Furthermore, CASCADE will only seek funding from sources that do not compromise the independent foundations of the network.  

What is CASCADEs role when national food alarms arise? Is CASCADE to provide facts?

The principal authority to provide responsible support to the general public when food alarms arise are the national or European food and drug administrations, and it will continue to be so.

Within CASCADE's field of research however, CASCADE will cooperate with these authorities and provide them with a results and information that stems from joint European research results. We hope that our efforts will help ensure that accurate and balanced messages reach the consumers when food alarms arise.   

What does CASCADE aim to achieve regarding scientific research within the food area?

The research within the network will specifically address the effects and interactions of mixtures of chemical contaminants in food. Whole food extracts will be screened for toxic substances and their effects on cell systems will be studied. Mechanistic information regarding disease development caused by chemical exposures will be provided. All these efforts will make quantitative and qualitative health risk assessment more efficient and accurate than it is presently. The network also aims to identify new biological markers of exposure. Finally, CASCADE is working to standardise test methods and develop models that may lower the cost of the toxicological testing and decrease the need for animal testing of chemicals in the future.  

How many persons are working within CASCADE? How big is the annual budget for the network?

More than 200 senior scientists, post docs and PhD students are working within CASCADE. The annual budget for the network is approximately 2.9 million euro. 

What types of organisations will CASCADE collaborate with? Will CASCADE collaborate with the industry?

CASCADE will collaborate with other research institutions, universities, EU-projects and NGOs and other organisations. Some collaboration with the industry's R&D departments may also be possible. However, the overriding purpose of all possible collaborations is that they add excellence and support the goals and policy of our network.  

How is CASCADE financed and organised?

CASCADE is financed by the European Union 6th Framework Programme. You can find more information about FP6 at the Cordis web site. CASCADE is an NoE (Network of Excellence). 

What will happen with CASCADE after five years when the financing ends?

The activities will go on. The network aim to still be a major axis of scientific information and research after the first five years. 

What are CASCADEs main challenges?

There are many different challenges in CASCADE's path, practical, scientific, and financial. At the moment we consider that the main issue is the requirement to adapt new scientific thinking among established researchers and their co-workers. The main goal of CASCADE is to achieve scientific integration together and not, as it has been in the past, individually.