The V edition of the Women's Race in Monzón allocates 12.650 euros to research

The V Monzón Women's Race has allocated an amount of 12.650 euros from its proceeds, which have been donated to the Aragón Health Research Institute (IIS-Aragón), who will in turn allocate it to research against childhood cancer. This edition had the participation of 721 women of all ages who completed a four-kilometer circuit.

Throughout the year, the IIS Aragón receives numerous contributions from individuals and companies that are committed to research, thus promoting diagnoses, therapies and, ultimately, improving the health of the population.

In this specific case, the proceeds will be dedicated to research against childhood cancer. Specifically, the research and development of an effective and safe NK cell immunotherapy (CAR type modified NK cells) that would improve the treatment of childhood brain tumors, contributing to increased survival in a safer way, reducing side effects long-term. An investigation that is led by the ARAID researcher from the University of Zaragoza and the IIS Aragón, Julián Pardo Jimeno.

Julián Pardo, who heads the Immunotherapy, Inflammation and Cancer (I2C) research group at the IIS Aragón, coordinates the study Development of Immunotherapy with Natural Killer (NK) Cells for the treatment of childhood brain tumors considers that “research into many of the new immunotherapy treatments that are producing such good results in adult cancer has not been promoted to the same level in childhood cancer.”

Treatment development

Childhood brain tumors cause the highest mortality in pediatric patients. In fact, compared to the notable increase in survival in other types of cancer such as some leukemias and other types of childhood cancer, in the case of brain cancer, no significant improvement has been seen in the survival of affected patients. In addition to being ineffective, some of the current treatments cause serious consequences that can last a lifetime. Due to their nature, these tumors are different from adults, and therefore, the development of treatments, including immunotherapy, requires different approaches in childhood cancer.

In this sense, the research and development of a new NK cell immunotherapy could be suitable for this type of tumors, contributing to improving their treatment and offering a more effective and safer alternative to current treatments.

Currently 83 research groups are working in different aspects of health with multidisciplinary teams that ensure innovation in all those research projects that allow IIS Aragón to be at the forefront of Health research.

Specifically, the IIS Aragón research groups belong to the following areas:

• Neuroscience, mental health and science of the senses.
• Technology and innovation applied to health.
• Immunity, cancer and diseases of infectious or underlying origin. 
• Cardiovascular, metabolism and nutrition.
• Research and innovation in nursing and health care.
• Public health, chronicity, health services and primary care.

The V edition of the Women's Race in Monzón has exceeded the expectations of participation, fundraising and solidarity on the part of individuals, institutions and private companies, and is another example where the IIS Aragón wants to facilitate and make visible the work of numerous people, entities and companies that make up the range of contributors to the research.