Research

About

The Group Badalona Applied Research Group in Oncology (B·ARGO) is a new transversal organisation which encompasses the translational and clinical research that has been carried out for many years at IGTP, the Germans Trias University Hospital (HUGTiP) and the Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO) Badalona at HUGTiP. The group consists of senior researchers, junior researchers and fellows from the IGTP and personnel of the Medical Oncology Department of the ICO who are affiliated to the IGTP.

This multidisciplinary group is made up of over 30 professionals working on different aspects of research. Its mission is to be a translational research group of excellence that contributes to the application of personlized oncology and its vision is to maintain an integrated cancer research and healthcare system that optimizes the management of cancer patients and improves the length and quality of their lives.

The main objective of the B∙ARGO is to fill the existing gap between clinical and basic research, identifying new strategies, emerging from basic research and applying them in clinical practice. Its transversal objectives are:

  • To identify predictive biomarkers for tailored treatment, including classical therapies, targeted therapies and immunotherapy.
  • To develop and/or implement preclinical models for the study of response and resistance mechanisms to these therapies.
  • To identify new putative therapeutic targets.
  • To translate findings into clinical practice (new clinical trials) to promote precision oncology.

Keywords: Translational oncology, biomarkers, preclinical models, precision oncology.

Badalona Applied Research Group in Oncology (B·ARGO)

Team

  • Enric Carcereny Costa
  • Vicenç Ruiz de Porras Fondevila
  • Adrià Bernat Peguera
  • Marta Costa Garcia
  • Ana Esteve Garcia
  • Silvia Piñol
  • Maria Saigí Morguí
  • Teresa Moran Bueno
  • Marc Cucurull Salamero
  • Carme Balañá Quinteros
  • Silvia Comas
  • Marta Domènech Viñolas
  • Ainhoa Hernandez
  • Mireia Margelí Vila
  • Vanesa Quiroga Garcia
  • Milana Bergamino Sirvén
  • Eudald Felip Falgas
  • Anna Pous
  • Beatriz Cirauqui Cirauqui
  • Angélica Ferrando
  • Marga Romeo
  • Iris Teruel
  • Albert Font Pous
  • Olatz Etxaniz
  • Maria Ochoa de Olza
  • Juan Carlos Pardo
  • Maria Fernández Saorin
  • José Luis Manzano Mozo
  • Cinta Hierro Carbó
  • Cristina Bugés
  • Laura Layos Romero
  • Elisabet Mompradé
  • Jenniffer Linares
  • Andrea Plaja
  • Lucia Notario
  • Carme Solé
  • Sofia España

Research lines

Classical therapy: Chemotherapy

Study of molecular mechanisms involved in resistance to these agents, which are still crucial in oncological treatment, determining predictive biomarkers of effectiveness through pre-clinical models and patient cohorts.

Immunotherapy

Identify new biomarkers of efficacy to this type of therapies for the best selection of patients, as well as the mechanisms associated with the appearance of resistance.

Targeted therapy

Tipify new biomarkers associated with resistance, to improve therapeutic selection and to be able to resensitize the tumor by identifying new effective therapeutic targets at the refractory stage of treatment.

Active projects

AI for new signatures and models for tailored organ preservation approaches in laryngeal and hypopharyngeal cancer

PI: Ricard Mesía Nin
Funding agency: PERIS - ERA PerMed JTC 2020
Agency code: PRESERVE
Start date: 01/01/2021
End date: 31/12/2023

Point-of-care in vitro diagnostic device for the screening of colorectal cancer using tumour derived extracellular vesicles

PI: José Luis Manzano
Funding agency: Proyectos de colaboración público-privada - Ministerio de economía, indústra y competitividad - Gobierno de España
Agency code: CPP2021-008730
Start date: 01/09/2022
End date: 31/08/2025

Proyecto CPP2021-008730 financiado por:

Proyecto CPP2021-008730 financiado por MCIN/AEI /10.13039/501100011033 y por la Unión Europea NextGenerationEU/ PRTR

Modulation of immune function in metastatic hormonosensitive breast cancer treatedwith CDK4/6 inhibitors: identification of predictive factors and novel therapeutic strategies

PI: Mireia Margelí Vila
Funding agency: Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII)
Agency code: PI21/00642
Start date: 01/01/2022
End date: 31/12/2024

Prospective study of the predictive role of the CXCR2/Bcl-2 anti-apoptotic axis expression in response to platinum-based treatments in docetaxel-resistant metastatic prostate cancer patients

PI: Albert Font Pous / Vicenç Ruiz de Porras
Funding agency: Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII)
Agency code: PI21/00199
Start date: 01/01/2022
End date: 31/12/2024

Validación de las alteraciones genómicas en el glioblastoma: búsqueda de puntos débiles para intervención terapéutica (VAL-GLIO-THERINT)

PI: Carme Balañá Quintero
Funding agency: Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII)
Agency code: PI21/00816
Start date: 01/01/2022
End date: 31/12/24

Identificación de resistencia a la terapia dirigida en melanoma BRAF mutado: selección de la mejor opción terapéutica frente a la inmunoterapia en enfermedad avanzada y adyuvancia

PI: Anna Martínez Cardús / José Luis Manzano Mozo
Funding agency: Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII)
Agency code: PI20/01194
Start date: 01/01/2021
End date: 31/12/2023

New immunotherapeutic opportunities in metastatic breast cancer: CDK4/6 inhibitors and their impact on the immune system

PI: Mireia Margelí Vila
Funding agency: InMaM project from Plan Complementario de Biotecnología aplicada a la salud, financed by NextGenerationEU
Start date: 01/2023
End date: 06/2024

Caracterización de CD73 y vía de la adenosina como inmunocheckpoint emergente en el cáncer de pulmón

PI: Maria Saigí Morguí
Funding agency: SEOM/JANSSEN grants
Start date: 01/01/2022
End date: 31/12/2024

Inmunofenotipo lifocitario en sangre periférica y anticuerpos como marcadores de respuesta y toxicidad en pacientes con cáncer de pulmón tratados con inmunoterapia

PI: Teresa Moran Bueno
Funding agency: SEOM/TAKEDA grants
Start date: 01/01/2022
End date: 31/12/2024

INtegrative Translational Research In Gastric cAncer: INTRIGA project

PI: Cinta Hierro Carbó
Funding agency: Grant of Treatment of Digestive Tumors “TTD” Group
Start date: 01/01/2023
End date: 31/12/2025

Contrato Río Hortega 2022: Papel de la inmunidad tumoral e inmuno-modulación en el tratamiento con inhibidores de ciclinas CDK4/6 en cáncer de mama metastásico hormonosensible y desarrollo de biomarcadores de respuesta al tratamiento"

PI: Ester Ballana ; Recipient: Milana Bergamino
Funding agency: Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII)
Start date: 01/01/2023
End date: 31/12/2024

Contrato beca Post-MIR Talent ICO 2022

PI: Lucía Notario; Mentor: Cinta Hierro
Funding agency: Institut Català d'Oncologia - IGTP
Start date: 01/06/2022
End date: 30/06/2024

Contrato PFIS 2022

PI: Carme Balañá; Recipient: Marta Costa
Funding agency: Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII)
Start date: 01/01/2023
End date: 31/12/2026

Contrato Río Hortega 2021

PI: M. A. Peinado; Recipient: Sofía España.
Funding agency: Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII)
Agency code: CM21/00161
Start date: 01/01/2022
End date: 31/12/2023

Contrato postdoctoral Sara Borrell 2021

PI: Ricard Mesía; Recipient: Adrià Bernat
Funding agency: Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII)
Start date: 01/01/2022
End date: 31/12/2024

Contrato postdoctoral Juan Rodés 2020

PI: Ricard Mesía; Recipient: Maria Saigí
Funding agency: Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII)
Start date: 01/01/2021
End date: 31/12/2024

Scientific publications

Arrazubi V, Cajaraville G, Cantero D, Giralt J, Mesia R, Monje F, Rueda A, Sistiaga A, Suarez J, Mut A, Comellas M, Lizán L. Defining a Standard Set of Health Outcomes for Patients With Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck in Spain. Front Oncol. 2022 Jan 24;11:747520. DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.747520. PMID: 35141139; PMCID: PMC8819151.

Felip E, Gutiérrez-Chamorro L, Gómez M, Garcia-Vidal E, Romeo M, Morán T, Layos L, Pérez-Roca L, Riveira-Muñoz E, Clotet B, Fernandez PL, Mesía R, Martínez-Cardús A, Ballana E, Margelí M. Modulation of DNA Damage Response by SAM and HD Domain Containing Deoxynucleoside Triphosphate Triphosphohydrolase (SAMHD1) Determines Prognosis and Treatment Efficacy in Different Solid Tumor Types. Cancers (Basel). 2022 Jan 27;14(3):641. DOI: 10.3390/cancers14030641. PMID: 35158911; PMCID: PMC8833711.

Rueda Domínguez A, Cirauqui B, García Castaño A, Alvarez Cabellos R, Carral Maseda A, Castelo Fernández B, Iglesias Rey L, Rubió-Casadevall J, Arrazubi V, Mesía R. SEOM-TTCC clinical guideline in nasopharynx cancer (2021). Clin Transl Oncol. 2022 Apr;24(4):670-680. DOI: 10.1007/s12094-022-02814-x. PMID: 35303267; PMCID: PMC8986714.

Arribas L, Sabaté-Llobera A, Domingo MC, Taberna M, Sospedra M, Martin L, González-Tampán AR, Pallarés N, Mesía R, Baracos VE. Assessing dynamic change in muscle during treatment of patients with cancer: Precision testing standards. Clin Nutr. 2022 May;41(5):1059-1065. DOI: 10.1016/j.clnu.2022.03.016. Epub 2022 Mar 11. PMID: 35395556.

Pinato DJ et al.; OnCovid study group. Outcomes of the SARS-CoV-2 omicron (B.1.1.529) variant outbreak among vaccinated and unvaccinated patients with cancer in Europe: results from the retrospective, multicentre, OnCovid registry study. Lancet Oncol. 2022 Jul;23(7):865-875. DOI: 10.1016/S1470-2045(22)00273-X. PMID: 35660139; PMCID: PMC9162476.

Marín-Jiménez JA, Oliva M, Peinado Martín P, Cabezas-Camarero S, Plana Serrahima M, Vázquez Masedo G, Lozano Borbalas A, Cabrera Martín MN, Esteve A, Iglesias Moreno MC, Vilajosana Altamis E, Arribas Hortigüela L, Taberna Sanz M, Pérez-Segura P, Mesía R. Paclitaxel Plus Cetuximab as Induction Chemotherapy for Patients With Locoregionally Advanced Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Unfit for Cisplatin-Based Chemotherapy. Front Oncol. 2022 Jul 22;12:953020. DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.953020. PMID: 35936723; PMCID: PMC9355730.

Tejpar S, Taniguchi H, Falco A, Velthuis E, Valencia Pineda C, Mesia R. Prevention and management of cetuximab-related hypomagnesemia. Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2022 Sep 30;40:28_suppl, 321-321. DOI: 10.1200/JCO.2022.40.28_suppl.321.

Trigo J, García-Cosío M, García-Castaño A, Gomà M, Mesia-Nin R, Ruiz-Bravo E, Soria-Rivas A, Castillo P, Braña-García I, Alberola-Ferranti M. Recommendations for the use of biomarkers for head and neck cancer, including salivary gland tumours: a consensus of the Spanish Society of Medical Oncology and the Spanish Society of Pathology. Clin Transl Oncol. 2022 Oct;24(10):1890-1902. DOI: 10.1007/s12094-022-02856-1.

Hitt R, Mesía R, Lozano A, Iglesias Docampo L, Grau JJ, Taberna M, Rubió-Casadevall J, Martínez-Trufero J, Morillo EDB, García Girón C, Vázquez Estévez S, Cirauqui B, Cruz-Hernández JJ. Randomized phase 3 noninferiority trial of radiotherapy and cisplatin vs radiotherapy and cetuximab after docetaxel-cisplatin-fluorouracil induction chemotherapy in patients with locally advanced unresectable head and neck cancer. Oral Oncol. 2022 Nov;134:106087. DOI: 10.1016/j.oraloncology.2022.106087. PMID: 36126605.

Prat A, Paz-Ares L, Juan M, Felip E, Garralda E, González B, Arance A, Martín-Liberal J, Gavilá J, López-González A, Cejalvo JM, Izarzugaza Y, Amillano K, Corbacho JG, Saura C, Racca F, Hierro C, Sanfeliu E, Gonzalez X, Canes J, Villacampa G, Salvador F, Pascual T, Mesía R, Cervantes A, Tabernero J. SOLTI-1904 ACROPOLI TRIAL: efficacy of spartalizumab monotherapy across tumor-types expressing high levels of PD1 mRNA. Future Oncol. 2022 Oct 6. DOI: 10.2217/fon-2022-0660. PMID: 36200668.

Trigo J, García-Cosío M, García-Castaño A, Gomà M, Mesia-Nin R, Ruiz-Bravo E, Soria-Rivas A, Castillo P, Braña-García I, Alberola-Ferranti M. Correction to: Recommendations for the use of biomarkers for head and neck cancer, including salivary gland tumours: a consensus of the Spanish Society of Medical Oncology and the Spanish Society of Pathology. Clin Transl Oncol. 2023 Jan;25(1):292. DOI: 10.1007/s12094-022-02954-0.

News

- Research

New therapeutic strategy for metastatic prostate cancer patients resistant to standard treatment

Researchers from B·ARGO and the Urological Tumour Unit at IGTP and ICO have led a study proposing a new therapeutic strategy based on a combination of kinase inhibitors for metastatic prostate cancer patients who have progressed on standard treatment. The study has been published in the journal Frontiers in Pharmacology.

- Research

Agarose-based method shows potential in understanding extracellular vesicles' role in cancer metastasis

A collaborative study led by researchers from IGTP has revealed the promising possibilities of using an agarose spot migration assay to examine the ability of extracellular vesicles to attract other cells in a controlled environment. The study has been recently published in the journal BMC Biology.

+ News

Contact

Anna Martínez Cardús

(+34) 93 033 0540

amartinezc(ELIMINAR)@igtp.cat