UAB researcher Aura Muntasell has been selected one of the eight finalists for the fifteenth edition of the Vanguardia de la Ciència Award, a recognition that highlights the most outstanding contributions of research led by institutions in Spain. Her candidacy stands out for the development of an innovative immunotherapy strategy against cancer, with the potential to improve the effectiveness of current treatments. Voting to choose the winning research is open to the public until 28 June.
Aura Muntasell, professor in the Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, leads a research team at the UAB and the Hospital del Mar Institute for Medical Research that has developed a new immunotherapy strategy for the treatment of cancer. Her work focuses on enhancing the activity of natural killer (NK) cells, responsible for eliminating infected or tumour cells. The research has identified the SMAD4 gene as a key piece in the response of these cells to certain inhibitory molecules produced by tumours, such as TGF-beta. Using genetic engineering techniques, the team has managed to eliminate this gene in NK cells, which allows them to overcome the tumour inhibition mechanism and increase their destructive capacity.
The results, published in the journal Nature Immunology, show that these modified cells are more efficient at destroying tumours in breast and colon cancer models. Furthermore, they can work both independently and in combination with other treatments, such as therapeutic antibodies.
The team is currently working on developing a phase 1 clinical trial in patients with metastatic colon cancer, in collaboration with oncologists. This new approach could offer more accessible treatments, as the NK cells can come from healthy donors and be prepared in advance for clinical use.
The Vanguardia de la Ciència Award is a joint initiative of La Vanguardia and the Fundació Catalunya La Pedrera to give visibility to research excellence and promote the recognition of the contribution of women to science. The award is honorary and the winning research will be announced on 5 July.
The eight finalists have been selected from more than a hundred applications, taking into account criteria of scientific excellence and social impact. All the research is led by women and developed in research institutions based in Spain. The other finalist teams of the 15th edition of the Vanguardia de la Ciència Award are Elizabeth León-Palmero, from the University of Granada; Mafalda Dias, from the Centre for Genomic Regulation; Rosa Huguet and Xosé P. Rodríguez, from the Catalan Institute of Human Paleoecology and Social Evolution (IPHES); Susana Carmona, from the Gregorio Marañón Institute for Health Research; Soranyel González-Carrero, from the University of Valencia; Maria Gonçalves and Elisa Bergas, from the Barcelona Supercomputing Centre; and Libertad González, from the Pompeu Fabra University.
Voting is open to the public until 28 June.
