CANDLE: National Cancer Data Nodes (NCDN) Development

CANDLE (CAncer data Node DeveLopErs) is an ELIXIR‑Ireland initiative supporting the development of National Cancer Data Nodes (NCDNs) to strengthen Ireland’s cancer data infrastructure. The project promotes the coordinated design, implementation, and harmonisation of national cancer data systems aligned with the European Health Data Space (EHDS).

CANDLE focuses on:

• Promoting the development and deployment of NCDNs integrated with European cancer data portals, including UNCAN.eu and the EU‑CIP patient information portal

• Advancing the harmonisation and standardisation of cancer data across Ireland

• Supporting data discoverability, accessibility, and FAIR‑compliant reuse for research and innovation

• Enabling cross‑border, GDPR‑compliant data sharing within a trusted European ecosystem

• Empowering individuals to control their health data through transparent, secure, and user‑centred access

• Ensuring interoperability and security of health data to support a robust and efficient single digital market

CANDLE aims to advance cancer research, innovation, and care by enabling a more connected, high‑quality, and future‑ready national cancer data landscape.