The progress made by IDIBAPS projects is revealed at La Marató 2018

“Research gives life” was the motto of both the 2018 television marathon La Marató de 3Cat and of the 96 cancer research teams. That edition of La Marató saw the highest investment in research in its history thanks to a historical indicator that exceeded €15 million, over €2 million of which went to IDIBAPS projects. 

Led by the journalist Gemma Nierga, the social return event thanked the public and brought together the 96 research teams of the 43 projects involved that were funded by the donations from that edition. The report on all the projects is available at this link. 

Of the 43 awarded projects, 10 have been led by IDIBAPS researchers and three others have involved IDIBAPS in some way. Below is the list of projects carried out with IDIBAPS researchers: 

• Tailored immunotherapy in 3D models of follicular lymphoma (TAIFOL)  

  • Principal investigator (PI): Patricia Pérez-Galán of the group Microenvironment in lymphoma pathogenesis and therapy 

• The tumour immune microenvironment in the pathogenesis and control of mantle cell lymphoma 

  • Principal investigator: Virginia Amador of the group Functional characterisation of oncogenic mechanisms in lymphomagenesis 

• Resistance mechanisms to targeted molecular therapies in mantle cell lymphoma (RESTMCL) 

  • Principal investigator: Sílvia Beà of the group Molecular pathology of lymphoid neoplasms 

• Minimally invasive endoscopic approaches for complex brain tumours: design of new anatomical models and clinical application 

  • Principal investigator: Joaquim Enseñat of the group Clinical and experimental respiratory immunoallergy (IRCE) 

• DYRK1A inhibition as a strategy to remodel the tumour stroma and sensitise immunotherapy based on immune checkpoint inhibitors in pancreatic cancer 

  • Principal investigator: Cristina Fillat of the group Gene therapy and cancer 

• Search for non-coding RNAs, as new biomarkers and targets, to improve response to treatment with Ibrutinib in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia 

  • Principal investigator: Luís Hernández-Pous of the group Molecular pathology of lymphoid neoplasms 

• Implementation of personalised medicine in malignant melanoma using artificial intelligence 

  • Principal investigator: Josep Malvehy of the group Melanoma imaging genetics and immunology 

• Study of the role of transcription factors as modulators of chromatin and drivers of lymphoid neoplasms 

  • Principal investigator: Iñaki Martín-Subero of the group Biomedical epigenomics 

• Optimising the management of T1 colorectal cancer 

  • Principal investigator: Maria Pellisé of the group Gastrointestinal and pancreatic oncology 

• Identification of response mechanisms to CDK4/6 inhibitors in hormone receptor-positive breast cancer 

  • Principal investigator: Aleix Prat of the group Translational genomics and targeted therapies in solid tumours 

• Identification of new therapeutic targets and biomarkers of kidney cancer progression through organoid models and xenografts genetically engineered by CRISPR 

  • Principal investigator: Oriol Casanovas – Catalan Institute of Oncology – IDIBELL 

  • IDIBAPS researcher: Laura Izquierdo of the group Genetics and urological tumours 

• Therapeutic strategy for leukaemia based on lysosome disruption 

  • Principal investigator: Francesc Solé – Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute 

  • IDIBAPS researcher: Jordi Esteve of the group Myeloid neoplasms  

• Metabolic reprogramming of obesity-driven liver cancer: mechanisms, functions and therapeutic opportunities 

  • Principal investigator: Raúl Méndez – IRBB 

  • IDIBAPS researcher: Mercedes Fernández-Lobato of the group Translational control of liver disease and cancer