September CÚRAM researcher awarded €1.5 Million from European Research Council for Brain Tumour Research
Dr Catalina Vallejo Giraldo has just been awarded a European Research Council (ERC) Starting grant worth €1.5 million to further her research on cancers of the brain, a major global health problem with limited treatment options. ERC starting grants are awarded to talented early-career scientists who are embarking on independent work and show clear potential to be a research leader.
Dr Vallejo’s PhD training under Dr Manus Biggs at CÚRAM Research Centre for Medical Devices, funded by Taighde Éireann – Research Ireland at University of Galway, and subsequent postdoctoral work, have given her the experience of interacting with and leading multidisciplinary teams that involve members from academia (Antioquia School of Engineering, Colombia, Imperial College London, UK, Cardiff Univ., UK and University of Galway, Ireland), industry (Neurent Medical, Ireland) and the clinic (Mayo Clinic, USA)
Dr Vallejo’s research combines biomaterials, brain mechanobiology and medicine to develop new targeted therapies. She is currently investigating cell-cell interactions in the brain and how they are influenced by the interplay within the cell environment as well altering the signals in the brain that manipulate cell fate. This research has the potential to develop and improve neuro-oncology therapies.
The ERC funding will allow Dr Vallejo to focus on the development of a new cancer therapy using a soft gel that contains a cancer fighting drug and is patterned with narrow channels to encourage the entry of cancer cells. Once inside, the cancer cells become trapped and compressed, disrupting their DNA repair mechanisms and rendering them susceptible to damage. This approach will improve drug-radiation effectiveness and allow localised therapy of brain cancer.
“Available drugs are only partially effective, and they work by damaging cancer cell DNA in combination with radiotherapy. In response, cancer cells ramp-up DNA repair processes, rendering these treatments largely ineffective. Mechanical deformation of the nucleus may transiently render cells highly susceptible to DNA damage and may represent a powerful adjunct approach for the treatment of brain tumours, where resistance to conventional DNA-targeting therapies is a significant contributor to therapy failure”, she explains.
“I am exceptionally fortunate to have found great support from collaborators and mentors around the globe, as well as from the university, CÚRAM, the different research centres, and my current Biomedical Engineering discipline. I am particularly grateful to Dr Manus Biggs for his continued support.”
Dr Vallejo’s PhD mentor at CÚRAM, Dr Manus Biggs, commented on the award saying; “The research that Dr Vallejo will carry out with the support of this grant builds upon her previous work on neural biomaterials. Her findings have revealed a crucial necessity to expand upon our current understanding of the fundamentals of the mechanobiology of neural cells to develop novel biomaterials platforms that will expediate clinical translation pathways. I’m extremely proud of what she has been able to accomplish and look forward to Catalina making a significant impact with her future work.”
Prof Abhay Pandit, Scientific Director of CÚRAM, said ‘We are immensely proud of Dr Vallejo and all of our graduates and their accomplishments in both academia and industry. CÚRAM provides high-quality training opportunities that is of great importance to the medtech talent pipeline, and our graduates are adding significantly to Ireland's research environment. The interdisciplinary nature of Dr Vallejo’s work is an excellent example of how CÚRAM works to foster collaboration and excellence in research.”
Over the past 10 years, CÚRAM has emerged as a global leader in medical device research, revolutionizing healthcare and fostering collaboration between academia, industry, patients and healthcare professionals. CÚRAM is committed to enhancing the quality of life for individuals afflicted with chronic illnesses. To achieve this, the Centre's scientific program addresses significant issues, technical hurdles, and the existing limitations pertaining to medical device design and functionalization. With committed funding of over €270 million, CÚRAM excels in its capacity to foster collaborative networks that aim to develop solutions for global health challenges.