A law firm in Vila-real (Castellón) has launched the "scholarship IHA21" to strengthen the programs of study on lung cancer that are developed in the research center Applied Medical (CIMA) and in the Clínica Universidad de Navarra.

Juan Serrano Abogados has made an initial contribution of 5,000 euros, an amount it will grant for three months to a lung cancer immunotherapy project . "IHA21 is a code of a real patient. We trust that if this code, or a similar one, corresponds to one of your loved ones, thanks to actions such as this one, they will be able to receive adequate treatment in the future", explains Juan Serrano, promoter of the campaign, which is already echoing in social networks.

To consolidate this research, the "scholarship IHA21" has been integrated into the Helpify platform. This is an initiative promoted by the CIMA to seek funding from individuals and institutions, through donations from 5 euros. All contributions are earmarked for biomedical research projects that improve the diagnosis or treatment of various diseases. 

Cancer immunotherapy

Immunotherapy is based on stimulating the immune system to recognize and destroy tumor cells. This procedure has emerged as a promising strategy for the treatment of lung cancer, the leading cause of cancer death worldwide. However, a relevant proportion of patients with this neoplasm subject do not obtain a prolonged benefit. "At laboratory of CIMA we are investigating different immunotherapy strategies to overcome the resistance of some types of lung tumors. With the support of this scholarship, we will study the combined blockade of therapeutic targets that have immunosuppressive activity and, therefore, inactivate the immune system", explains Dr. Ignacio Gil Bazo, director of laboratory of Predictive Markers of Response of CIMA and director of department of Medical Oncology of the Clinic of the University of Navarra.

As he explains, "our main goal is to be able to offer more effective treatments to our patients and this seems to be a very promising avenue. We will also investigate the possibility of creating better imaging tools for better assessment of the response to immunotherapy treatment". In Dr. Gil Bazo's opinion, "small efforts by many can make the most ambitious research projects a reality".

The Clínica Universidad de Navarra and the CIMA are pioneering centers in the development therapeutic of cancer immunotherapy in Spain through clinical and translational research projects.