The second edition of the Ana Lázaro – Cancer Research Grant, worth €70,000, was awarded by an international jury to two researchers from NOVA Medical School: Raffaella Gozzelino and Sofia Braga.
The project developed by both aims to find new ways to destroy cancer cells in cases of triple-negative breast cancer — the most aggressive and difficult type to treat — in African and Afro-descendant women. The research focuses on ferroptosis (a type of programmed cell death dependent on iron) that can be used to eliminate tumor cells. The study specifically targets African women not only because they are the group most affected by this type of cancer, but also because they are underrepresented in scientific research and clinical trials of new treatments.
The project was selected from among eight applications for its potential clinical and scientific impact, strengthening the bridge between biomedical research and clinical practice.
“The specific genetic background of African populations, which have so far been underrepresented in biomedical research, plays a central role in validating and determining the efficacy of personalized therapies. Genetic variants that affect iron metabolism, inflammatory responses, or susceptibility to ferroptosis may directly interfere with the effectiveness of therapeutic strategies developed primarily from data obtained in Caucasian populations. Thus, this project represents a decisive step toward addressing this critical gap and correcting the underrepresentation of African women in cancer studies. Therapeutic innovation must urgently enable the development of truly inclusive precision oncology that reflects the biological and social diversity of African populations,” said awardee Raffaella Gozzelino, professor and researcher at NOVA Medical School. She added, “Beyond its scientific relevance, this project is a strategic milestone in strengthening the research capacity of Cape Verde, promoting a genuine knowledge exchange between top international institutions and the local reality.”
The grant was awarded at the NOVA Medical School’s Santana Campus in Lisbon and included a lecture by Robert Langer, one of the most influential scientists of our time and “Institute Professor” at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the highest academic honor at the institution. The most cited engineer in history and co-founder of Moderna, Langer’s pioneering work has already benefited millions of people around the world. At the Ana Lázaro Grant Award Ceremony, he spoke about the path toward new cancer treatments and the new technologies that allow us to look to the future with renewed optimism.
The Ana Lázaro – Cancer Research Grant is an initiative by NOVA Medical School that recognizes and supports projects bringing together biomedical and clinical teams to accelerate the translation of laboratory discoveries into medical practice, promoting real benefits for patients. The grant is funded by the family of Spanish dancer and choreographer Ana Lázaro, who left part of her legacy to science with the aim of fostering significant advances in the fight against cancer. The grant has a total budget of €210,000, distributed until 2026 among three projects selected annually (one per year). The first edition was awarded to a project led by professors and researchers Ana Félix and Susana Silva, which aims to identify biomarkers for the diagnosis, prognosis, and new therapeutic approaches in samples from patients with uterine carcinosarcoma — a rare but very aggressive subtype of gynecological tumor.
“It is essential for research to leave the universities and reach patients, delivering concrete health outcomes. With this grant, NOVA Medical School not only honors Ana Lázaro’s memory but also reinforces its commitment to research that aims to produce these results,” emphasized Professor João Conde, Associate Dean for Research at NOVA Medical School and chair of a jury composed of experts from Spain, France, and Italy.
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Winner of the 2nd Edition of the Ana Lázaro – Cancer Research Grant
The winning project aims to identify the molecular and immunometabolic mechanisms that contribute to the higher prevalence and therapeutic resistance of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) in populations underrepresented in global biomedical research, with a particular focus on African women. This scientific advancement is part of a broader vision of personalized medicine, deeply committed to the principles of health equity.
The research will employ cutting-edge technologies to study, in preclinical models and patient samples, the functions and interactions of genes associated with ferroptosis — an iron-dependent form of programmed cell death — which shows high promise in eliminating aggressive tumor cells such as those found in TNBC.
The study will seek to identify innovative therapeutic targets and establish correlations with changes in iron metabolism, often dysregulated in African populations due to the high prevalence of multifactorial anemias (nutritional anemias, inflammatory anemias associated with chronic infections, and genetic hemoglobinopathies such as sickle cell anemia and thalassemia).
The project will systematically assess the potential synergies between ferroptosis inducers and therapies currently used in clinical practice, aiming to maximize the antitumor and immunomodulatory impact of these combinations in specific biological contexts. This approach may contribute to the therapeutic stratification of TNBC patients, especially among African women, by proposing more effective treatments tailored to their genetic, immunological, and metabolic profiles.
The project — which is part of a consortium led by a Cape Verdean scientist and composed of a team of other Cape Verdean women researchers working in health — also serves as a platform to create real opportunities for developing qualified local human capital and advanced training for a new generation of African scientists capable of leading cutting-edge research in public health, oncology, and personalized medicine. It is an inspiring example of using knowledge as a tool for sustainable development with direct impact on people’s lives.
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The 2025 International Jury was composed of:
- João Conde (Chair), NOVA Medical School, Portugal
- Susanna Chiocca, European Institute of Oncology, Italy
- Susana Puig, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona / IDIBAPS, Spain
- Vítor Veloso, Portuguese League Against Cancer, Portugal
- Inês Vaz Luís, Gustave Roussy Institute, France
- Hugo Soares, Agency for Clinical Research and Biomedical Innovation, Portugal