Our Projects

Principal investigators: Jaime Feliu.

Centers involved and collaborating entities: Hospitals La Paz (H La Paz), Doce de Octubre, Puerta de Hierro, Hospital Clínico de Barcelona, Infanta Sofía, Gregorio Marañón (HUGM) and Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas (CNIO).

Objectives: The aim of this project is to determine whether adjuvant chemotherapy (QT), administered according to molecular subtype, can improve disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) of patients operated on for pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAD). This is a retrospective, multicenter study that will include 422 patients operated on for ADP and treated with adjuvant QT who have adequate follow-up, clinical data and tumor samples. The molecular subtype will be determined by immunohistochemistry (IHQ) techniques (GATA6, GATA4, E-cadherin and Cytokeratins 5, 14 and 17). Subsequently, molecular subtype will be correlated with EFS, OS and with the QT administered. 151 patients treated with mFOLFIRINOX, 146 with Gemcitabine – Capecitabine and 125 with Gemcitabine will be included.

Project Description:

The only curative treatment for adenocarcinoma of the pancreas (ADP) is surgery, but 80% of patients relapse after surgery. Adjuvant chemotherapy (QT) increases disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS), but despite recent advances, 60% of patients will still relapse within 3 years of surgery. Moreover, there are no established criteria for selecting the type of QT beyond ECOG PS.

Recently, several molecular classifications in ADP have been proposed, but all of them recognize two molecular subtypes: classical and basal-like, with different sensitivity to QT: while the former would respond better to mFOLFIRINOX, the latter would respond better to gemcitabine.

The results will make it possible to optimize adjuvant treatment, thus improving survival and increasing the proportion of long survivors.

This project involves the participation of the following hospitals: La Paz, Doce de Octubre, Puerta de Hierro, Clínico de Barcelona, Infanta Sofía, Princesa, Gregorio Marañón and the CNIO.

Principal Investigators: África González Fernández and Rosana Simón Vázquez

Involved centers and collaborating entities: Laboratory of Immunology-Center for Research in Nanomaterials and Biomedicine (CINBIO), University of Girona, National Cancer Research Center (CNIO), National Network of Cancer Immunotherapy (REINCA), National Network of Advanced Therapies (TERAV+).

Objectives: Design of lipoplexes for gene silencing of transcription factors involved in pathways for pancreatic cancer proliferation and resistance, development of monoclonal antibodies and design of CAR-T cell-based immunotherapy.

Collaborations are requested with groups working on the development of new therapies or drugs, with experience in the development of advanced tumor models, the CRISPR/Cas system and the use of viral vectors.

Project Description:

Experience offered. In our group we have developed:

• Design of lipoplexes for gene silencing of transcription factors involved in pathways relevant to pancreatic cancer proliferation and resistance using siRNA.
• Development of monoclonal antibodies from hybridomas.
• Design of immunotherapy based on CAR-T cells (in the process of being patented).
• We have tested several epigenetic inhibitors developed by our collaborators at CINBIO in animals and in patient-derived organoids.
• Experience in the development of mouse and human derived organoids. We collaborate with the Biobank of the Álvaro Cunqueiro Hospital in Vigo to develop organoids from biopsies/tumors of patients with stomach, lung or pancreatic cancer.

Collaborations requested:

• Groups working on the development of new therapies or drugs.
• Groups with experience in the development of advanced tumor models.
• Experience in the CRISPR/Cas system and in the use of viral vectors.

Current financing:

• Project AES call 2024.
• Merck Project.
• POPTEP IBEROS +

Future financing plan:

request for funding through foundations (Caixa, BBVA…), companies and national and European public bodies.

Current collaborations:

• Rosa Peracaula and Esther Llop. Cancer Biochemistry Group, University of Girona. Role of sialoglycans in pancreatic cancer.
• Carmen Guerra, CNIO.
• We participate in the national network REINCA (cancer immunotherapy network).
• We participate in the national network TERAV+ (network of advanced therapies).

Principal Investigators: Evangelina López de Marutana and Núria Malats.

Involved centers and collaborating entities: Genetic and Molecular Epidemiology Group (GMEG) – Spanish National Cancer Research Center (CNIO).

Objectives: This is an observational study aimed at exploring associations between omics data (1) genomic data at the germline level, 2) circulating blood leukocyte DNA methylation, 3) oral, fecal and tumor microbiome, 4) metabolome in urine, serum and feces, and 5) tumor transcriptome), and non-omics, including epidemiological data, biomarkers such as IgEs or neutrophil to eosinophil ratios, to shed light on the relationship between asthma and allergies and pancreatic cancer risk.

Project Description:

Epidemiological study funded by the Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria (PI21/00495) in the framework of the project “Deciphering the complex relationship between asthma/allergy and pancreatic cancer risk” and whose principal investigators are Dr. Núria Malats Riera (leader) and Dr. Evangelina López de Maturana López de Lacalle (researcher) of the Genetic and Molecular Epidemiology group of the CNIO.

Principal Investigators: Pilar Navarro and Neus Martínez-Bosch

Involved centers and collaborating entities: Hospital del Mar de Investigaciones Médicas (IMIM), Instituto de Investigaciones Biomedicas- Centro Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IIBB-CSIC), University of Santiago de Compostela, University of Zaragoza, Institut d’Investigació Biomèdica de Girona Dr. Josep Trueta (UdG), Vall d’Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO).

Objectives:

Our current goal is to generate an accurate AXL-based method to diagnose pancreatic cancer early.

Description of the study: firstly, we will validate the use of sAXL as a biomarker in blood by extending the analysis to a large number of samples (≥500), through a multicenter retroprospective study, in order to strengthen the results and establish an accurate “cut-off” to transfer the determination of sAXL in plasma by ELISA as a diagnostic test in clinical practice. In addition, in parallel we intend to produce a serological test based on LFIA to optimize the decentralized diagnostic use in patients at risk. Taking into account the low invasiveness (blood test) and the simplicity and low cost of these tests, we consider that this project has a high potential in the clinical setting of pancreatic cancer.

Project Description:

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most aggressive tumors, being the third leading cause of cancer death. One of the reasons for this terrible scenario is late diagnosis: 80% of patients are diagnosed when the tumor has spread and is inoperable, being highly refractory to available therapies. It should be emphasized that the 5-year survival of patients with resectable tumors is >40% while that of those with metastatic tumors is <5%. Therefore, the identification of early biomarkers is essential to improve survival. Our team has recently identified the detection of sAXL in plasma as a biomarker for the detection of pancreatic cancer (Martinez-Bosch et al, eBioMed 2022), observing the increase of sAXL from early stages of the disease. Furthermore, the combination of sAXL with the only marker so far approved for this tumor, CA19-9, achieves high sensitivity and specificity. These results demonstrate that sAXL may be a promising new biomarker for the early detection of pancreatic cancer and that its use in combination with CA19-9 could be a diagnostic test for clinical use.

This project has been made possible in part thanks to the Carmen Delgado/Miguel Pérez-Mateo Grant for Pancreatic Cancer Research, organized by the Pancreatic Cancer Association (ACANPAN), the Spanish Association of Pancreatology (AESPANC) and the Spanish Association of Gastroenterology (AEG). The funds for the Scholarships are obtained thanks to all the participants of the Cities Race against pancreatic cancer.

Agradecemos enormemente a todos los grupos de ALIPANC que han contribuido y mostrado interés en el proyecto contado con colaboradores desde la Universidad Santiago de Compostela, Universidad de Zaragoza, Institut d’Investigació Biomèdica de Girona Dr. Josep Trueta, Universitat de Girona, Vall d’Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO), Institut d’Investigació en Ciències de la Salut Germans Trias i Pujol, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Salamanca, Hospital Universitario La Paz, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria, Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro Majadahonda, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria y Biomédica de Alicante and Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Valencia.

Principal investigators: IHI JU (European Union)

Involved centers and collaborating entities: IHI JU, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Oncológicas (CNIO).

Objectives: This is a precision oncology project that seeks to improve the usefulness and clinical implementation of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) as a biomarker of minimal residual disease to predict clinical response and to choose the most appropriate multimodal therapy for patients with malignant solid tumors such as colon, lung and pancreas.

Project Description:

International project funded by the Innovative Health Initiative Joint Undertaken (No 101112066), whose participants come from academia (including CNIO), medical technology, pharmaceuticals, as well as patient advocacy organizations (Homepage – GUIDE.MRD).