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The funded project will address the development of metastasis in breast cancer.
The grant, which is specifically for research into breast cancer, has been given by the foundation, in collaboration with Mango.
Fero is a private foundation that promotes translational cancer research in Spain.
The Fundación Fero, an organisation devoted to furthering cancer research, with the collaboration of Mango, has awarded ICREA researcher Roger Gomis, head of the Growth Control and Metastasis Laboratory at the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), funding for his project “Identification of the pro-metastatic properties of the fibroblasts derived from MSCs in luminal breast cancer”.
For the 17th Fero Grants in Translational Cancer Research, the foundation has awarded two €80,000-grants, one of which has been given to Gomis’ project, which addresses the development of breast cancer metastasis.
The grants were presented last night in one of two yearly charity events organised by the foundation in Madrid and, once again, under the auspices of Andbank.
Study of the development of breast cancer metastasis
The research headed by Gomis focuses on luminal breast cancer—one of the most common subtypes of breast cancer—in which metastasis occurs mainly to the bone. This kind of cancer can cause metastasis after many years of remission and can lead to rapid death.
“In recent years, it has been observed that tumour cells that cause metastasis in this kind of cancer possibly interact with fibroblasts derived from MSCs in the bone. These interactions have effects on the tumour, and they may underlie metastasis relapse and condition the response to systemic therapies,” said the scientist.
“Our project aims to unravel these interactions, to identify therapeutic targets and to limit the capacity of these cells to cause metastasis,” explained Gomis.
About IRB Barcelona
Created in 2005 by the Generalitat de Catalunya (Government of Catalonia) and University of Barcelona, IRB Barcelona is a Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence, a seal that was awarded in 2011. The institute is devoted to conducting research of excellence in biomedicine and to transferring results to clinical practice, thus improving people’s quality of life, while simultaneously promoting the training of outstanding researchers, technology transfer, and public communication of science. Its 27 laboratories and eight core facilities address basic questions in biology and are orientated to diseases such as cancer, metastasis, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, and rare conditions. IRB Barcelona is an international centre that hosts 400 employees and more than 30 nationalities. It is located in the Barcelona Science Park. IRB Barcelona is a CERCA center, and a member of the Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST).
