A spotlight on cancer researchers in Spain: new paradigms and disruptive ideas.

Ramón Y Cajal S, Sancho P, Soucek L, Peinado H, Abad M, Valiente M, Efeyan A, Pardo J, Quesada V, Jimeno J, Duque PM, Antón A, Varela I, Schuhmacher AJ. Clin Transl Oncol. 2020 Jun;22(6):798-801. doi: 10.1007/s12094-019-02199-4. Epub 2019 Aug 9. PMID: 31399857 No abstract available.

Over the last years, there have been relevant advances in cancer research and in treatment based on specific genetic alterations improving survival in some tumors. Nevertheless, progress is still dismal in most carcinomas when are disseminated with metastasis; the survival is less than 30% in most cases. Then, we need to move forward looking for new paradigms which may explain the complex mechanisms involved in carcinogenesis and in new treatment approaches.

With these objectives, we met this month of July, in the Aragonian Pyrenees, a group of 15 scientists conducting research in Spain who are changing many paradigms in research and developing disruptive projects. In a 3-day meeting, we share ideas and establish an ideal framework of collaborations, where pathologists, oncologists, biologists, bioinformaticians and data scientists, altogether, looked for new approaches and synergistic teams. Most researchers are younger than 45 years, and their outstanding findings and talent made us to be optimistic for great advances in upcoming years. This was the first one of a series of summer meetings that we are planning to organize. Other 15–20 more younger outstanding researchers will be invited to participate in the forthcoming editions.

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