The researcher Ángel Montero Carcaboso, nominated for the Vanguardia de la Ciencia Award 2019, for the development of a new retinoblastoma treatment

The study was published in the prestigious journal Science Translational Medicine and this led to the nomination of Dr Ángel Montero Carcaboso, first author of the work, as a contender for the Vanguardia de la Ciencia Award 2019.

A genetically modified virus as a new therapy for retinoblastoma

This new therapy, developed by Sant Joan de Déu and the biotech company VCN Biosciences, consists of injecting a genetically modified virus into the eye affected by the tumour. The virus selects, attacks and destroys cancer cells, and will be used with those children with tumours that do not respond to the usual treatments.

The research experimentally reproduced tumours obtained from patients who had not been cured by currently available treatments. The team showed that the oncolytic virus VCN-01, developed by genetic modification of adenovirus type 5 (a common virus that usually causes the symptoms of the common cold) was only able to infect and replicate in the tumours and not in healthy retinal cells.

Vanguardia de la Ciencia Award 2019

Now in its tenth year, Vanguardia de la Ciencia Award is co-organised by La Vanguardia newspaper and the Catalunya-La Pedrera Foundation. The goal is to disseminate the research of excellence carried out in Spain.

Over the next few weeks, readers of La Vanguardia will be invited to vote for the candidate they believe represents the most important research carried out by scientists in Spain during 2019. The winner will be decided by the results of the votes of readers and a scientific committee and will be announced on Sunday, March 8.

The voting period ends at midnight on February 29 and votes can be cast through the website of La Vanguardia.