ATLAS Headquarters（非公開）
The Asian Clinical Trials Network for Cancers (ATLAS) Project is a research network that brings together medical institutions and researchers across Asia to promote international collaborative clinical trials and clinical research.
Since its inception, the ATLAS network has steadily expanded and now has more than 350 active members. Hospitals and cancer centers from across Asia, including Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, the Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, and Indonesia, participate in the network.
The National Cancer Center Hospital (NCCH), Japan, serves as the ATLAS Headquarters (ATLAS HQ), coordinating activities across the network and supporting research activities at participating institutions.
To promote international collaborative clinical trials and clinical research in Asia, ATLAS HQ focuses its activities on infrastructure and network development, educational programs, and clinical trials.
1. Infrastructure & Network
ATLAS supports the development and enhancement of research infrastructure at participating institutions to facilitate the smooth implementation of international collaborative clinical trials and clinical research across Asia.
In addition to supporting the installation of medical and research equipment required for clinical trials and research, ATLAS also supports participating institutions in recruiting research support staff and strengthening their research implementation systems, enabling them to participate in a greater number of clinical trials.
Through these initiatives, ATLAS aims to build a sustainable research network capable of conducting high-quality clinical trials and clinical research across institutions and national borders.
2. Educational Program
Developing skilled professionals, including physicians, investigators, Study Coordinators, and Clinical Research Coordinators (CRCs), is essential for advancing international collaborative clinical trials.
ATLAS provides a variety of educational opportunities aimed at enhancing the knowledge and practical skills of professionals involved in clinical research and clinical trials.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, ATLAS expanded its educational activities through ICRweb, an e-learning platform where participants can learn about clinical trial methodology and related topics online. ATLAS also invites investigators, Study Coordinators, and CRCs from across Asia to the National Cancer Center in Japan for on-site training programs, including the Physician Course, Study Coordinator/CRC Course, and NGS Quality Assurance Course.
In addition, the ATLAS Monthly Webinar brings together leading experts from across Asia every month to share the latest research findings, current treatment strategies, and unmet medical needs in cancer care.
3. Clinical Trials
ATLAS serves as a research network and infrastructure for conducting international collaborative clinical trials across Asia.
ATLAS HQ has international Academic Research Organization (ARO) capabilities to support the planning and implementation of international collaborative clinical trials and clinical research. It provides a wide range of research support, from study planning and implementation to data management.
In addition to the National Cancer Center in Japan, the Asian Partnerships Office (APO) in Bangkok, Thailand, serves as a regional hub connecting participating institutions across Asia. Through these two locations, ATLAS has established a framework to support international collaborative clinical trials and clinical research across the ATLAS network from both Japan and Thailand.
ATLAS has conducted multiple clinical trials and clinical research projects through its network and continues to develop and launch new international collaborative studies.
By bringing together the expertise and capabilities of participating institutions—including patient recruitment, investigators and research support staff, and regulatory and ethical expertise—ATLAS aims to conduct clinical trials that reflect the diverse patient populations and real-world clinical practices across Asia.
Connecting Research Institutions Across Asia
ATLAS is more than a network of participating medical institutions. It is an international research network in which institutions share their experience and expertise and work together to advance clinical research and clinical trials.
By connecting institutions across Asia with different scales, healthcare environments, and levels of clinical trial experience, ATLAS facilitates the mutual sharing of international research standards, knowledge, and expertise, thereby strengthening research capabilities across the entire network.
The diversity of participating institutions also creates opportunities to conduct clinical trials that reflect diverse patient populations and healthcare settings across Asia, accelerate patient recruitment, and foster new research collaborations.
As the central hub of the network, ATLAS HQ connects participating institutions across Asia and advances the activities of the entire ATLAS network by supporting research infrastructure development, human resource development, and the implementation of international collaborative clinical trials.
