Oncology

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Overview

The Oncology Research Area has been composed by nine groups addressing main unsolved issues in cancer. The research during this period covered the fields of child and adolescent cancer, melanoma, gynecology, urology, cancer stem cells and the molecular mechanisms of the tumor pathologies. There were also three groups from the CIBBIM-Nanomedicine. These groups studied the use of nanotechnology in biomedical applications to improve therapeutic strategies and diagnostics. During the last years the Area has been very active at shared activities such as the virtual AACR yearly meeting, the internal and external ONCO-VHIR seminars and the organization of other periodic topic-based workshops and leisure and team-building activities. This year the Area also organized a World Cancer Day event to get closer to the society. During the mentioned period most groups of the Area have participated in the In-Campus multidisciplinary Task Force Groups for different tumors (gastric, prostate, melanoma, ginecology etc. with the specialized pathologist also involved) that have been fueled by VHIR-VHIO-Hospital. It is also noteworthy the shared scientific production in terms of publications between different groups of the Area and the stable collaborations between groups that have consolidated during these period.

Publications

141
total
748
impact factor
5.30
average impact factor

Group Leader: Eva Baldrich Rubio

The Cibbim-Nanomedicine Diagnostic Nanotools (DINA) moved from the Oncology to the Infectious Diseases Area in 2019. The group targets the development of new diagnostic tools for detection of circulating disease biomarkers. This embraces three main objectives: (1) the development of novel electrochemical bioassays and biosensors (more efficient and/or easier to carry out than classical enzyme-linked immunoassays), (2) production of ultrasensitive multiplexed assays by implementing signal amplification strategies, and (3) development of ultrafast assays via assay simplification and the exploitation of enzyme-less detection schemes. The group is currently working in the development of synthetic erythrocytes for flu monitoring and the optimization of fast assays and biosensors for malaria diagnosis.

In 2019, DINA Group produced the first Syntrocyte proof-of-concept, a synthetic reagent that binds influenza viruses as erythrocytes do, and that could be employed to substitute this product of animal origin. A patent application has been filled, a grant has been obtained from FIPSE to carry market and regulatory studies, and a Producte project has been granted by AGAUR to extend this development over 2020.

VHIR Annual Report 2019