Professor and principal investigator at NOVA Medical School, Guadalupe Cabral, will be awarded a €40,000 research grant today at the 10th Edition of the Gilead Génese Program. This funding will support the continuation of the Translational Tumor Immunology group’s work at NOVA Medical School, specifically in the "Identification of Specific Neutrophils to Improve the Effectiveness of Immunotherapy in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer," as stated in the title of the awarded project.
Triple-Negative Breast Cancer is the most aggressive and difficult-to-treat subtype. Immunotherapy has emerged as a promising approach for these cases, but it is not yet fully effective. However, previous studies have shown that certain subtypes of neutrophils - immune cells that would normally defend the body - can actually contribute to tumor progression and treatment resistance when they exhibit immunosuppressive properties. As a result, these neutrophils could serve as potential predictive markers and help develop more effective therapeutic strategies. The newly awarded study aims to identify clinically relevant subtypes, with the goal of improving survival rates for this disease.
The Gilead GÉNESE Program was established in 2013 with the ambition of fostering research, promoting the production and sharing of national scientific knowledge, and encouraging initiatives that lead to the implementation of best practices in patient care. The program aims to support research and community-driven projects in the areas where Gilead conducts its research, specifically Oncology and Virology.
A total of 27 research projects and 20 community intervention projects applied for the 10th Edition of the Gilead GÉNESE Program. From these, 10 projects were selected - 5 research projects and 5 community initiatives - receiving nearly €300,000 in total funding. NOVA Medical School secured one of the four research projects in the field of breast cancer. The award ceremony for the winning projects takes place today at CCB in Lisbon.