Predoctoral researcher Lourdes Ailen Arena, a member of the Oncogenesis and Antitumor Drugs group at the Sant Pau Research Institute (IR Sant Pau), has been awarded a prestigious INPhINIT predoctoral fellowship from the ”la Caixa” Foundation. The fellowship allows her to pursue her doctoral thesis as part of an innovative research project in cancer nanoimmunotherapy. The award ceremony was held on Tuesday, March 18, and this was the only fellowship granted to IR Sant Pau in this edition.
Arena’s research at IR Sant Pau is part of an ambitious project focused on targeted nanoimmunotherapy against CXCR4+ cancer stem cells, a cutting-edge area in oncology. These cells represent a subpopulation within tumors with a high capacity for self-renewal, resistance to conventional treatments, and metastatic potential—making them a top target in the fight against cancer.
High expression of the CXCR4 receptor on their surface is associated with more aggressive tumors and lower patient survival rates, as this receptor plays a key role in tumor proliferation, invasion, and metastasis. This research project aims to attack these cells directly, reducing the risk of recurrence and improving treatment outcomes. The doctoral thesis will be supervised by Dr. Ugutz Unzueta, a researcher in the Oncogenesis and Antitumor Drugs group.
The goal of the project is to develop a novel therapeutic strategy using protein-based nanoparticles selectively targeted at cancer stem cells. The research aims to design a highly efficient nanoparticle that delivers an innovative drug inside these cells, inducing immunogenic cell death. This mechanism triggers the body’s immune response against the tumor, delivering a dual effect: specifically eliminating cancer stem cells and activating the immune system to fight cancer more effectively.
The project builds on previous advances made by the IR Sant Pau group in the development of multivalent, superselective nanoparticles—a patented technology that has shown great promise in targeted cancer therapy. The research will combine in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo studies, enabling the evaluation of antitumor efficacy and immune activation in animal models of CXCR4+ tumors.
The Oncogenesis and Antitumor Drugs group at IR Sant Pau is a multidisciplinary unit specializing in the development of new nanomedicines for cancer treatment. Their work focuses on using advanced technologies to enhance the effectiveness and safety of antitumor therapies. The group is part of the Spanish excellence network CIBER-BBN and works closely with clinicians at Sant Pau Hospital, strengthening translational research with direct clinical applications.
Arena’s recognition with the INPhINIT fellowship from ”la Caixa” highlights the value of young talent in biomedical research and further establishes IR Sant Pau as a reference center in cutting-edge cancer research.
