CRIS Cancer identifies after a thorough process 17 outstanding researchers, 10 women and 7 men, to develop better therapies for patients with cancer of the colon, prostate, acute myeloid leukemia, hematological tumors, lung, breast, follicular lymphoma, ovary, and melanoma.
● The winning projects in the three different categories are carried out in 12 research centers in seven cities: Madrid, Barcelona, Navarra, Bilbao, Santiago de Compostela, Boston and Nice.
● The CRIS Research Programs provide resources, means and stability to relevant projects that will change cancer treatments to increase the survival and quality of life of cancer patients.
CRIS Cancer Foundation, a European and global benchmark in research investmenthas delivered its ambitious CRIS Research Programs, committing 11 million euros to 17 prestigious scientists to advance research on this disease with innovative lines of research that will be carried out in 12 research centers in seven cities.
In just three years, these ambitious programs have become a reference in Spain and Europe in research investment with three categories that respond to different needs and are especially attractive to researchers due to their funding (up to €1,250,000) and duration (five years) that allows researchers to develop their projects in better conditions.
Dr. Raquel Yotti, general secretary for research, and Dr. Mariano Barbacid, one of the most relevant researchers in the scientific community, led the delivery of these awards, which were postponed in the first two editions due to the pandemic, and which will advance in cancer colon prostate, lung, breast, ovary, acute myeloid leukemia, melanoma, follicular lymphoma and hematological tumors.
Three years ago, CRIS Cancer launched these innovative calls, thereby becoming a benchmark in research investment. In this sense, Diego Megía, founder and president of CRIS Cancer, explains the importance of these CRIS Programs: “In 2019 we wanted to take a step forward, creating the CRIS Research Programs with the aim of providing stability to our researchers to that they do not leave our country and, in turn, attract talent from other countries to develop their innovative projects in Spain. The main thing is to give hope to cancer patients, since research is the only way to end this disease that touches us all in one way or another”, and adds: “Every year we have incorporated a new category, making these calls increasingly attractive to the scientific community and annually maintaining two places for the CRIS Programs of Excellence, which in terms of amount and duration place us at the level of European calls”.
Since its birth, 11 years ago, CRIS Cancer has been committed to research to end the 40% of cancers that currently have no treatment, opening new projects and CRIS Units in research centers and public hospitals so that advances arrive as soon as possible to the patients and all of them benefit. “We have not stopped, we have opened new and innovative projects in Spain, the United Kingdom and Paris, but with these Programs we want to highlight the figure of the researcher. If we have good scientists, but they don’t have the time or funding to do research, we’re not going to get rid of this disease. After these three years, we currently support 17 researchers, but each year we will add 8 new relevant scientists. This year the process for new applications for the 2022 CRIS Research Programs is already open”, says Megía.
WINNERS OF CRIS RESEARCH PROGRAMS LAST THREE EDITIONS
The CRIS Program of Excellence, endowed with €1,250,000 over five years, seeks to promote the development of outstanding researchers in clinical and translational cancer programs, with projects with clear potential to achieve real impact in the treatment of patients. 2 are delivered annually.
Award winners 2019
Dr. Clara Montagut – Viladot- Hospital del Mar Investigacions Mèdiques, Barcelona- Colon Cancer.
Dr. David Olmos- National Cancer Research Center (CNIO), Madrid- Prostate Cancer.
Laureates 2020
Dr. Alejo Rodríguez- Fraticelli- IRB Biological Research Institute, Barcelona- Acute Myeloid Leukemia.
Dr. Bruno Paiva- Navarra University Clinic, Navarra- Monoclonal Gammopathy- Multiple Myeloma.
Laureates 2021
Dr. Aleix Prat- Hospital Clínic, Barcelona- Hormone-positive Breast Cancer.
Dr. Arkaitz Carracedo- CIC Biogune, Bilbao- Prostate Cancer.
The CRIS Program for Clinical Talent, endowed with €400,000 over five years, is aimed at promoting the careers and training of outstanding medical researchers, with a creative and transformative mentality, who in the future will lead their respective fields. 2 are delivered annually.
Award winners 2019
Dra. Raquel Pérez López- Vall de´Hebron Institute of Oncology, Barcelona – Imaging in Immunotherapy.
Laureates 2020
Dr. Joaquín Mateo- Vall de´Hebrón Institute of Oncology, Barcelona- Prostate Cancer.
Dra. María Esperanza Rodríguez Ruiz- Navarra University Clinic, Navarra- Radioimmunotherapy in Lung Cancer.
Laureates 2021
Dra. Ana Jiménez Ubieto- Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid- Follicular Lymphoma.
Dra. Nuria Romero Laorden- Hospital de la Princesa, Madrid- Prostate Cancer.
The CRIS Post-Doc Talent Program, endowed with €400,000 over five years, provides incentive and competitive economic conditions to attract and stabilize outstanding young researchers, with the ability to become leaders in research and change the landscape of cancer treatment. 2 are delivered annually.
Laureates 2020
Dr. Isabel Mendizábal- CIC bioGune, Bilbao- Prostate Cancer.
Dra. María Casanova- National Cancer Research Center (CNIO), Madrid- Breast Cancer.
Laureates 2021
Dra. Blanca Majem Cavaller- Institute of Biomedical Research (IRB), Barcelona- Metastasis and Cachexia.
Dr. Ceres Fernández Rozadilla- Santiago de Compostela Health Research Institute, Santiago de Compostela – Colon Cancer.
The CRIS Out-Back Program consists of a Training Program aimed at young scientists and doctors that offers a 3-year stay in an international institution and return with a 1-year contract to continue developing their career in Spain. In addition to the endowment (€280,000 over 4 years), it has an ambitious multidisciplinary training and mentoring plan. 2 are delivered annually.
Laureates 2021
Dr. Diego Salas Benito- Origin: University of Navarra, Navarra – Destination: Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, United States- CAR-T in Ovarian Cancer.
Dra. Rebeca González- Institute of Neurosciences CSIC-IMH, Madrid- Center Méditerranéen de Médicine Moléculaire, Nice, France- Immunotherapy in Melanoma.