Between March and May 2022, three groups of representatives of the Spanish Association Against Cancer (AECC) visited IDIBAPS to learn first-hand about the cancer research being carried out at the Institute.
The AECC is a non-profit organization formed by patients, family members, volunteers, collaborators, and professionals, that works to educate in health, support and accompany patients and their families, and finance research projects that will improve diagnosis and treatment of cancer.
During the first visit, which took place on March 26, Sergi Castellví-Bel, leader of the IDIBAPS group Genetic predisposition to gastrointestinal cancer, explained the research lines on genetic factors associated with the development of colon cancer, on which his team is working. On May 4, Itziar Salaverria, head of the IDIBAPS group Molecular genetics of pediatric lymphomas, showed visitors how her team seeks to identify new biomarkers and therapeutic targets for childhood non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. Finally, on Tuesday, May 17, Carlos Fernández de Larrea, leader of the IDIBAPS group Myeloma, amyloidosis, macroglobulinemia and other gammopathies, presented the recent success of his team in the development of the first CAR-T therapy for multiple myeloma.
In addition to visiting each researcher's laboratory, the AECC representatives also had the opportunity to visit the IDIBAPS biobank facilities, which coordinates the collection, processing, storage and transfer of human biological samples.
Throughout the first and second quarter of 2022, a delegation of the association DiabetesCero, a group of patients with inflammatory bowel disease and representatives of the Diabetes Association of Catalonia have also visited IDIBAPS.
This is an IDIBAPS UCC+I activity supported by the FECYT.
