Scientists at the Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute have found that it is possible to enhance the antitumor activity of azacytidine, one of the most common treatment option for patients with high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome, by inhibiting the CBP and p300 proteins. This finding opens the door to synergistically fight these kind of cancers, especially in patients at risk of developing acute myeloid leukemia.

One in five cancers affects blood cells and lymph nodes, causing leukemias and lymphomas, respectively. Although their treatment with drugs has led to a great advance in their cure, there are cases where there is no clinical response or resistance to them is generated.

Manel Esteller, Director of the Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute, ICREA Researcher and Chairman of Genetics at the University of Barcelona has been elected a new member of the European Academy of Sciences (European Academy of Sciences; EURASC).

Dr. Rafael Marcos-Gragera, member of the Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute and leader of the Girona Cancer Registry group of the Institut Català d'Oncologia / Pla director d'oncologia, has coordinated the report published by the Spanish Network of Cancer Registries (REDECAN) on the incidence of hematological neoplasms that predicts the diagnosis of 26,000 new cases in 2021. 

A team of scientists led by Dr. Montse Sanchez-Cespedes, group leader at the Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute, test the characteristics and the tumour suppressor function of MAX and its role in the development of small cell lung cancer, a very aggressive type of lung cancer. Results show that the cancer cells lacking MAX have neuroendocrine (ASLC1- or NEUROD1-type) characteristics and that their oncogenic capability is independent of the MYC oncogene, involving an abnormal function of the ncPRC1.6 repressive complex. 

The 1st Single Cell Genomics Symposium will take place on February 18th 2022 at the PRBB Auditorium (Barcelona).

Dr. Manel Esteller participates in the study published in Nature Communications, which identifies the molecular bases of this rare disease, in collaboration with the laboratory of Dr. Ethel Queralt (IBV-CSIC).

Two projects, directed by Dra. Maribel Parra and Dra. Montserrat Sanchez-Cespedes together with Dr. Octavio Romero, are admitted at the European Commission IP Booster program and the I-CERCA funded Gínjol Program, to advance in their process of valorization and explore its transfer capacity.

Dr. Ruth Risueño, Leukemia Stem Cells group leader at the Josep Carreras Leukemia Research Institute, is testing the effectiveness of a new group of compounds against acute myeloid leukemia thanks to the support of AGAUR and FEDER funds.

Dr. Montserrat Sánchez-Céspedes and Dr. Octavio Romero, from the Cancer Genetics group at the Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute, have recently found that tumors with a genetically inactivated form of the chromatin remodeling protein SMARCA4 are highly sensitive to inhibitors of the KDM6 family of histone demethylases.