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New generation of researchers focuses on the ‘dark proteome’

8 juli 2026

Within a new European training program, fifteen PhD candidates are focusing on the ‘dark proteome’: a group of proteins whose existence was unknown until recently. These proteins regulate processes in (cancer) cells and may play an important role in the development of new treatments, such as immunotherapy. The program, ORFeus, is coordinated by the research group of Dr. Sebastiaan van Heesch at the Princess Máxima Center. 

The PhD candidates will be trained to become independent researchers and will specialize in this emerging field. Sebastiaan van Heesch is research group leader at the Princess Máxima Center and Oncode Institute. He says: 'Previous research shows that the dark proteome offers opportunities for new treatments for various diseases. With fifteen PhD candidates focusing on this group of previously unknown proteins, we are gaining an increasingly better understanding of this research field and of the possibilities to apply it to new therapies, for example for pediatric cancer.'

The researchers will work in fifteen research groups across different European countries. In addition to their research, the PhD candidates will follow a joint training program. They will receive both professional and scientific training and will undertake internships with participating companies. Collaboration is central to this. Project coordinator Simon Venneman: 'Through more research and specialization, this field can develop further and we aim to fulfill the promise of the dark proteome.'

The ORFeus program will start in October with the recruitment of students and has a duration of four years. It is coordinated by the Princess Máxima Center and consists of 26 (inter)national partners. 

ORFeus is funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation program. 

Strengthening and preparing for the future 

Research into the dark proteome is developing rapidly. Thanks to an awarded Cancer Grand Challenge, publications in Nature, and now this training program, Van Heesch expects that the pooling of knowledge and expertise will lead to new insights. 

Within the program, researchers work closely with partners from industry. As a result, promising discoveries can be translated more quickly into clinical applications. Van Heesch: 'In this project, we bring together European experts. We actively share knowledge and combine it with targeted training and intensive collaboration. In this way, we strengthen the research field and prepare it for the future.'

Maximum score 

The European Commission awarded the submitted program proposal the maximum score of 100%. Venneman: 'This is a very nice recognition of both our scientific ambition and the quality of the training program.'

The recruitment of students will begin on October 1 via the participating centers. The goal is to have the first PhD candidates start their research projects in March 2027. One PhD candidate will join the Van Heesch group at the Princess Máxima Center. 

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ORFeus is funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation program under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie actions, grant agreement no. 101309891. The views and opinions expressed are, however, solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research Executive Agency (REA). Neither the European Union nor the European Research Executive Agency (REA) can be held responsible for them. 

Participating research institutions

  • Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology (NL, coordinator)

  • Hubrecht Institute – KNAW (NL),

  • Antoni van Leeuwenhoek / Netherlands Cancer Institute (NL)

  • Ghent University (BE)

  • University of Dundee (UK)

  • The Institute of Cancer Research, London (UK)

  • University of Leeds (UK)

  • University of Southampton (UK)

  • University College Cork (IE)

  • University of Oslo (NO)

  • Hospital del Mar Research Institute (ES)

  • Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg (DE)

  • Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (DE)

  • University of Lausanne (CH)

Participating companies and research partners

  • Enara Bio (UK)

  • Oxford Nanopore Technologies (UK)

  • EIRNA Bio (IE)

  • Bruker (DE)

  • myNEO (BE)

  • Boehringer Ingelheim (AT)

  • Immudex (DK)

  • Immagina Biotechnology (IT)

  • Tesorai (US)

  • ProFound Therapeutics (US)

  • EMBL-EBI (European Bioinformatics Institute, UK/DE)

  • Oncode Institute (NL) provides training in intellectual property and entrepreneurship