Dr. José Ángel Martínez-Climent, scientist of the research center Médica Aplicada (CIMA) and Senior Associate Professor of the University of Navarra has received the 'scholarship Roche in Onco-Hematology 2013'. This initiative, endowed with 78,000 euros, recognizes the best work in the field of Translational Onco-Hematology with application in clinical internship .

The project at CIMA studies the role of a new therapy for various hematological malignancies. "Specifically, we have developed and evaluated peptides modulating the activity of the ion-exchange protein SLC4A2, which exert a potent and dual antitumor effect. On the one hand, they induce apoptosis of neoplastic B lymphoid cells and, on the other, they enhance the anti-tumor immune response by blocking the function of regulatory T lymphocytes," says Dr. José A. Martínez-Climent, director of work.

"From now on our research is going to focus on demonstrating the therapeutic potential of SLC4A2 inhibitor molecules in experimental models of lymphoma, leukemia and myeloma, and in samples obtained from patients with these diseases. The final goal is to advance towards the clinical application of this new therapy", explain Dr. Juan José Lasarte and Dr. Juan Francisco Medina, co-principal investigators of project, in which Dr. Felipe Prósper and Dr. María José Calasanz, scientists from the University of Navarra, also participate.