“Maestra con clase” is an initiative created by Mónica Tribó to design materials and products specifically for teachers.
In her role as a teacher, she wanted to create useful and inspirational products such as diaries, notebooks, accessories, and textile items to facilitate educational tasks and convey a positive message.
The project’s creator decided from the beginning to use some of the profits to support melanoma research. It is a gesture of gratitude to the medical team that cared for her mother during her illness. For this reason, on 6 November, Monica Tribó visited the Vall d’Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO) to present a cheque for 1500€ to Dr. Eva Muñoz, head of the Melanoma and Other Cutaneous Tumours Research Group.
Melanoma research at VHIO
VHIO’s Melanoma and Other Cutaneous Tumours Research Group focuses primarily on clinical and translational research. Its work focuses on the study of new targeted therapies, resistance to immunotherapy treatments, and research into different types of melanomas, such as cutaneous, mucosal, acral, and uveal melanoma, among other skin tumours.
At the cheque presentation, Dr. Muñoz expressed her deep gratitude for the donation: “Thank you very much for the effort and your trust. We are very grateful for the contributions we received, and we will continue working to find new therapeutic alternatives for patients with melanoma,” she said.
She also shared details of one of the skin tumour group’s ongoing projects that addresses possible mechanisms of resistance to immunotherapy in patients with BRAF mutations, by developing animal models to study the combination of an anti-PD1 drug with an inhibitor of the p38 protein present in tumour samples that have become refractory to immunotherapy treatment in earlier stages of the disease.
“Maestra con clase’s commitment to research
For her part, the creator of the project reaffirmed her willingness to continue collaborating with melanoma research: “At Maestra con clase we want to continue supporting this cause. We know that research always needs more resources and that is why we are committed to continue helping in any way we can”, she concluded.
