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The APRICOT project

This international, multidisciplinary programme of work will develop tools and resources for the use of ontologies in the behavioural sciences.

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28 October 2024

Key Facts

Full title: Advancing Prevention Research In Cancer through Ontology Tools (The APRICOT project)
Funder: US National Institutes of Health
Total amount awarded: $2,455,472
Start date: 2024
Duration: 5 years
Research partners: Centre for Behaviour Change, University College London, UK; Data Science Institute: Medical College of Wisconsin, USA; University of Zurich, Switzerland; NOVA National School of Public Health, Lisbon, Portugal.
CBC Researchers: Professor Susan Michie (PI), Professor Robert West, Dr Paulina Schenk

Behavioural science has enormous potential for addressing the many existential problems facing the world, such as disease and the climate crisis. Realising that potential depends on improving the science, including using precise and shared terms. This will enable researchers and research users to: 

  • know what each other mean when they use terms,

and researchers to:

  • integrate complex data and theory across silos, and 
  • use machine learning and artificial intelligence in data analysis.

Ontologies represent knowledge precisely.  The new research programme: Advancing Prevention Research In Cancer through Ontology Tools (The APRICOT project) will build on the Human Behaviour-Change Project (2016-2023).  It will focus on two behaviours key for cancer prevention: smoking cessation and physical activity. 

Led by CBC Director Susan Michie, the investigators are William Hogan (Medical College Wisconsin, USA), Janna Hastings (Zurich University, Switzerland), Marta Marques (NOVA University, Lisbon, Portugal), Robert West (CBC Associate; UCL, UK), Marie Johnston (Aberdeen University, UK) and Alex Rothman (Minnesota University, USA). The researchers are Paulina Schenk (CBC, UK), Maya Braun (Switzerland), Carolina Silva (Portugal) and Colbie Reed (USA).

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