The research project ONCOLOGICA, coordinated by the company PharmaMar, is one of the 18 projects to receive funding from the Ministry of Science and Innovation through the 5th National Strategic Consortiums for Technological Research Programme (CENIT-E). The project will include the participation of the Cell Division Laboratory at IRB Barcelona, headed by ICREA researcher Cayetano González.

ONCOLOGICA seeks to study new strategies based on biomarkers for the detection of cancer, its prognosis, prediction of response and the development of new treatments. Specifically, the Cell Division Laboratory aims to contribute to these objectives using Drosophila stem cells and tumour models, also based on Drosophila, that have been developed in the same lab.

The CENIT Programme seeks to generate new knowledge that can be used to develop new products, processes and services or to integrate technology of strategic interest. Thus, the projects selected for funding are oriented to strengthen research in technological fields of the future that have extensive international projection. The fields of biotechnology, health and food now account for 39% of the projects approved and they are now on par with other fields such as energy, the environment and climatic change. The CENIT Programme will provide 200 million Euros of funding, of which 50 correspond to the Spanish Economy and Employment Stimulation Plan (Plan E), promoted by the central Government.