A crowdfunding campaign in Aragon is financing the contract of a hematological cancer researcher: "It should be a matter of national importance."

The Dona Médula association raises almost 27.500 euros through the University of Zaragoza's Fundraising platform to support a scientist from the Immunotherapy, Infection, Inflammation and Cancer group at the Aragon Health Research Institute for a year.

Crowdfunding for scientific projects has become established as an alternative to partially address the lack of funding in both public and private calls for proposals. This is the case of the Hematological patients association Donate Bone Marrow Aragon, that through the Fundraising platform of the University of Zaragoza has collected in the last 15 months 27.467 euros to hire a researcher for one year who joins the Immunotherapy, Infection, Inflammation and Cancer group, integrated into the Aragon Health Research Institute (IIS Aragon), which is directed by the professor Julian Pardo.

Lorena SanchoShe, who graduated in Biotechnology from the public university in Aragon in 2024, has been involved with this team for two and a half years, completing a master's degree in Tumor Immunology and Cancer Immunotherapy. Thanks to the Medulizar project of Dona Médula, she will be able to continue developing a Pioneering work on new immunotherapy treatments for two of the deadliest chronic blood cancers Currently, there is no cure for myeloid leukemias and multiple myeloma, as not all patients can undergo a transplant.

The public university announced this achievement on Monday, coinciding with European Leukemia Week. Pardo, the group's principal investigator and an international authority on the immune response to this disease with over 26 years of experience, explained that the person hired through this project will continue investigating... new therapies based on CAR-NK cells ('Natural Killers' or 'natural killers') next-generation technologies that seek to increase their ability to destroy tumors. 

“We want to create a CAR-NK cell that not only provides the tumor with a tool to recognize it, but also produces an additional substance that counteracts the tumor's mechanism for blocking it,” he explained. This line of research will be led by Ariel Ramírez. 

Pardo has indicated that if achieved sufficient funding in the future, Within four years, a clinical trial with patients could be possible. in the Community's own hospitals. This expert has praised the Dona Médula solidarity initiative, but He asserted that this type of investigation "should be a matter of state" and to have a "greater commitment" from public administrations.

"We want to be part of the advances in immunotherapy"

El President of Dona Médula Aragón, Ignacio TorrubiaShe recalled the group's beginnings, when in 2012 three former leukemia patients decided to combat the lack of awareness about bone marrow donation, "which was frightening." Fourteen years later, she emphasized, they want toto be part of the advances in immunotherapy that give patients a longer life expectancy«.

Torrubia thanked all the donors who collaborated through a variety of activities, including concerts by the University Symphony Orchestra of Zaragoza, a gala featuring underground magicians, wine tastings, charity pizza and croquette sales, Christmas hampers, walks, and a 32-kilometer mountain race. She also announced that the organization will be... continue with the "effort" to obtain more funds.

The rector of the University of Zaragoza, Rosa Bolea, has described the addition of this researcher as an "important milestone" and highlighted that Medulizar is a "magnificent example of how collaboration between an association committed to a social cause and a public university can contribute to the advancement of biomedical research."

Source: Heraldo de Aragón