According to this agreement, the organization will contribute €30,000 to the Miguel Hernández University (UMH) for a research project being carried out at the Institute for Research, Development, and Innovation in Health Biotechnology of Elche (IDiBE) at the UMH. The lead researcher for the project, “New Antitumor Compounds to Treat Colon Cancer,” is Professor Enrique Barrajón, and the research team includes UMH researchers José Antonio Encinar Hidalgo, María Herranz López, Vicente Micol Molina, and Verónica Ruiz Torres.

The preliminary steps of this research stem from a doctoral thesis by researcher Verónica Ruiz at IDiBE, in which various studies were conducted using cell models of colon cancer, identifying several marine extracts with potential antitumor activity. Among them, an extract derived from a sea slug (nudibranch) showed the greatest activity against tumor cells compared to non-tumor cells; that is, it exhibits selective action. These studies, conducted in collaboration with Sandra Van Schaeybroeck, a researcher at the Cancer Research Centre at Queen’s University Belfast (UK), have also helped to clarify the possible mechanism by which these extracts induce cell death, which appears to occur through an increase in free radical levels. The results of this doctoral thesis have been published in top-tier journals in their field, such as Biomolecules and Marine Drugs.

The new research resulting from this agreement will be led by UMH researcher Enrique Barrajón Catalán within the research group and will identify the most active fractions or compounds against tumor cells. This will allow for subsequent efficacy trials in animal models, a necessary step before preclinical development.

According to the researchers, in addition to continuing a line of research initiated with public funding from the Valencian Regional Government’s PROMETEO Program for research groups of excellence, this activity will contribute to increasing basic knowledge in oncology, benefiting the entire scientific community. Furthermore, it will serve as a foundation for identifying new lead molecules that could be used to develop antitumor drugs for colon cancer.

Also present at the signing of this agreement on behalf of UMH were researchers Vicente Micol, Enrique Barrajón, and Verónica Ruiz, as well as the University’s Vice-Rector for Knowledge Transfer and Exchange, María José López, and the Secretary General, Mercedes Sánchez. Representing Caja Rural Central at the event were the general secretary, Lourdes Martínez de Linares, and the board member Inmaculada Simón.