The Department of Health of the Government of Catalonia has awarded 36 grants to intensify research activity among health science professionals within the framework of the Strategic Plan for Health Research and Innovation (PERIS 2022–2027). In total, the call is funded with nearly €5 million.
In this call, three professionals from VHIO have been awarded grants. This funding will allow them to partially step back from clinical duties for three years in order to promote research projects with high clinical impact and aligned with the priority challenges of the healthcare system.
Genomic monitoring in metastatic prostate cancer
Dr. Joaquin Mateo, oncologist at Vall d’Hebron University Hospital and Head of the Prostate Cancer Group at VHIO, has received €149,760 for the project “Serial ctDNA analysis to guide personalized therapeutic strategies in metastatic prostate cancer.”
The project aims to validate circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) as a dynamic biomarker to guide treatment decisions. Using thousands of plasma samples, ctDNA dynamics will be analyzed to enable early detection of response, resistance, and prognosis, with the goal of integrating this monitoring into clinical practice and therapeutic guidelines.
This approach may improve clinical decision-making, patients’ quality of life, and healthcare system sustainability.
Improving breast cancer risk estimation
A second VHIO project, led by Dr. Judith Balmaña, Medical Oncologist at Vall d’Hebron University Hospital and Head of the Hereditary Cancer Genetics Group at VHIO, with funding of €149,760, focuses on validating a multifactorial model to estimate personalized breast and ovarian cancer risk in healthy women carrying moderate-penetrance genetic variants.
Integrating the polygenic risk score (PRS) with the BOADICEA (CanRisk) model will enable more accurate individualized risk prediction and assessment of real-world implementation within the healthcare system.
The objective is to advance toward preventive strategies better tailored to each woman’s genetic profile.
Breast milk as a liquid biopsy
Dr. Cristina Saura, Head of the Breast Cancer Unit at Vall d’Hebron University Hospital and Head of the Breast Cancer Group at VHIO, has received €149,760 in funding for a project proposing the development and validation of a non-invasive diagnostic test based on next-generation sequencing to detect breast cancer in pregnant or breastfeeding women.
By identifying circulating tumor DNA in breast milk, the VHIO-YWBC panel could transform early diagnosis at a time when women are typically excluded from standard screening programs.
This approach opens the door to a new diagnostic paradigm, with a clear focus on improving equity and patient-centered care.
