The European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) announced the professionals selected for its 2026 Fellowship Programme, including Maria Vieito and Alberto Hernando-Calvo, medical oncologists at Vall d’Hebron University Hospital and researchers at VHIO’s Research Unit for Molecular Therapy of Cancer (UITM-CaixaResearch), who have received two of the ESMO Leadership and Career Development Awards 2026.
The selected VHIO projects are:
- Maria Vieito: “Advancing Innovative and Translational Clinical Trial Design in Adult Neuro-oncology”.
- Alberto Hernando-Calvo: Tracking Resistance and Clonal Evolution in RAS-targeted therapies (TRACE-RAS).
Both researchers are part of the inugural cohort of 28 professionals from different countries selected through a competitive process to receive these awards, which aim to foster the development of the next generation of leaders in cancer care and research.
The awardees will take part in a programme combining project development, leadership training and participation in ESMO activities. Within this framework, they will lead projects in areas such as clinical and translational research and capacity building, while fostering collaboration, innovation and their professional growth.
Through this initiative, ESMO aims to support young oncology researchers and provide them with the tools and opportunities to develop their potential as future leaders, promoting new knowledge and projects that may contribute to improving care and outcomes for people with cancer.
ESMO recognises 31 professionals in its 2026 Fellowship Programme
In total, ESMO has recognised 31 oncology professionals this year as part of its 2026 Fellowship Programme. In addition to the 28 professionals selected for the Leadership and Career Development Awards, three researchers have received different ESMO Fellowships to develop high-impact research projects in collaboration with international centres, in areas including translational research, artificial intelligence, and digital and computational pathology.
The selected professionals will be recognised during the ESMO Congress 2026, which will take place in Madrid from 23 to 27 October. Alberto Hernando-Calvo and Maria Vieito will receive their recognition during the congress at the session “ESMO Fellowship Programme: Educational opportunities for young oncologists”, scheduled for Monday, 26 October and dedicated to professional development, mentorship and international collaboration for new generations of oncology professionals.
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