The Spanish Association Against Cancer in Salamanca has held an event to present the nine AECC 2024 grants that will be developed in the province, totaling 700,000 euros.
The event was inaugurated by the president of the Spanish Association Against Cancer in Salamanca, Ángel Losada, and the CSIC Research Professor and Director of the Cancer Research Center (University of Salamanca, CSIC, and Cancer Research Foundation of the University of Salamanca), Xosé Bustelo.
They were also accompanied by the scientific director of the Scientific Foundation of the Spanish Association Against Cancer, Dr. Marta Puyol, and the Vice-Rector for Research at the University of Salamanca, José Miguel Mateos Roco.
In his speech, the head of the association in Salamanca, Ángel Losada, emphasized that these grants, like all those promoted by the organization, aim to increase cancer survival to exceed 70 percent by 2030, improve patient treatments, and enhance their quality of life.
Xosé Bustelo specified that these grants cover a wide range of support for research personnel training, allowing medical staff to engage in basic research with individual projects. "We also have seed projects and, for example, the accreditation given to the Cancer Research Center as an ECC center, which also implies support and funding for our strategic plan," he said in statements collected by Europa Press.
In addition to the diploma ceremony, several projects promoted by the association were presented during a roundtable discussion on talent. Participants included the Predoctoral Researcher at the Cancer Research Center (CSIC – University of Salamanca) and CIBERONC, Pablo Rodríguez, thanks to a predoctoral grant from the Association in Salamanca; the physician at the University Hospital of Salamanca and beneficiary of a Clinical Training Grant AECC 2024, Laura Corvo; the principal investigator of the Epitranscriptomics and Cancer Group and CSIC Scientific Officer at the Cancer Research Center (USAL – CSIC) and beneficiary of a Seed Ideas Grant AECC 2024, Sandra Blanco, and the CSIC Research Professor at the Institute of Molecular and Cellular Cancer Biology (IBMCC) and principal investigator at the Biomedical Research Institute of Salamanca (IBSAL) and recipient of a TRANSCAN Grant, Isidro Sánchez.
This dialogue session highlighted the association’s commitment to talent and the support it provides to the research career at all stages, from the beginning to consolidated projects.
Through its grants, the association also promotes innovative ideas, facilitates Spanish groups’ participation in international networks, and fosters clinical research, always with a clear translational focus for the benefit of patients.
The new Accreditation Centers grant from the Scientific Foundation of the Association, awarded to the Cancer Research Center and twelve other national centers, was also presented, acknowledging their scientific excellence and quality management to strengthen their national and international impact.
To discuss this, the panel titled ‘Research Excellence’ included the CIC director, Xosé R. Bustelo; the lead researcher of the Molecular Mechanisms of Cancer Program and CSIC Scientist at the Cancer Research Center (USAL – CSIC) and coordinator of the AECC Excellence Program – STOP RAS CANCERS, David Santamaría, and the scientific director of the Scientific Foundation of the Spanish Association Against Cancer, Marta Puyol.
Since 2018, the Cancer Association has supported Spanish centers excelling in cancer research and quality management, including the Cancer Research Center in Salamanca.
PROJECTS TO ACHIEVE 70% CANCER SURVIVAL
During the event, the projects and researchers benefiting from the Association’s investment in research were presented. Dr. Sandra Blanco Benavente is working on the development of innovative cancer treatments using a revolutionary approach targeting certain RNA modifications contributing to cancer progression.
Pre-doctoral researcher Pablo Rodríguez Ramos is initiating his scientific career by researching new therapies for cancers caused by mutations in the KRAS gene, focusing on SOS proteins as possible treatment targets.
Isidro Sánchez García, a researcher at the Biomedical Research Institute of Salamanca (IBSAL), leads the group participating in an international project to identify epigenetic markers that can predict which children are at risk of developing leukemia, aiming to anticipate the disease and continue developing thanks to the association’s grants.
Matthias Drosten, a researcher at the CIC, will receive grants for general projects to develop new drugs that can be used in combination with current treatments to improve their effectiveness and increase the survival of lung cancer patients.
Cristina Zazo Gallego, Milena Timón Mateos, and Adrián García Fernández have received internship grants. Additionally, Laura Corvo Félix has received a grant to expand her medical training and update her knowledge in biomedical research.