The Diabetes and Cancer Research Task Force (hereafter referred to as the ‘Task Force’) is a novel concept for EASD, and consists of a working group of officers with a defined task and a defined duration. It seems particularly appropriate in this instance because there are a number of unmet needs which need to be addressed if the momentum of investigation is to be maintained in this field. Listed are some general examples:

•  there is a perception that the cancer biologists and basic scientists in diabetes and metabolic research are not working effectively together,

•  there is a lack of mechanisms to translate clinical research into clinical guidance,

•  there is an ongoing need to educate and inform both the oncology and endocrinology communities of the associations between diabetes, diabetes treatment and cancer.

Overarching these examples, there is a need to identify and advise EFSD/EASD with respect to new and anticipated developments in this field – for example, areas of priority for funding.

Officers