Ángel will lead the Translational Cancer Immunogenics group at the Luxembourg Institute of Health. His research group studies how changes in DNA affect the immune system’s fight against cancer and how this impacts the success of treatments.
The Future Leaders grant programme
Our Future Leaders grant programme was created to empower outstanding academic and clinical researchers at the start of their careers, helping them establish themselves as leading experts in the field of research into brain tumours. Dr Álvarez-Prado’s progression – from early career researcher to head of his own lab and research team – marks a major achievement for Ángel and demonstrates the potential impact of this innovative funding scheme.
Ángel’s Future Leaders project
Ángel was awarded the Future Leaders Postdoctoral Fellowship in 2022 for his novel project on glioblastoma, whilst working as a postdoctoral researcher in Prof. Johanna Joyce’s lab at Ludwig Cancer Research and the University of Lausanne, Switzerland.
His innovative project explored the idea of treating glioblastoma by simultaneously targeting tumour cells and the immune system. He studied a protein called ADAR1, which helps cancer cells to tell the difference between normal molecules and those from a viral infection. Normally, when a virus enters the body, cells trigger an immune response—sending signals to the immune system and shutting down the infected cell’s growth to stop the virus from spreading.
Dr. Álvarez-Prado’s research looked for ways to turn cancer’s own defences against it. By removing the ADAR1 protein from cancer cells, he hoped that this would make them more vulnerable to the immune system. Without ADAR1, the cancer cells could initiate an immune response—making the immune system attack them.
You can read more about this project here.
Ángel’s new lab and future research plans
Ángel will soon be applying for the second grant in the Future Leaders programme – the Junior Fellowship. This step of the programme is intended to provide the best researchers with further support to continue to develop their own research ideas and to begin to set up their own research group to further establish themselves as experts in the field of research into brain tumours.
If successful, Ángel’s Junior Fellowship project will build upon his previous work on glioblastoma tumours to bring their results closer to translation to patients. With ongoing work on primary and metastatic brain cancers, his research group is committed to improve care for people diagnosed with this disease.
You can read more about Ángel’s new lab here.
Being part of the Future Leaders programme has been a game-changing experience. It’s one of the few initiatives worldwide providing sustained financial support as we progress in our careers, making long-term high-impact research projects possible. While this financial support is key, the strength of the programme also lies in its ability to connect scientists, clinicians, patients and families. To discover new cures for brain cancer, we must be bold and ambitious, but above all, we must work together.
-Dr Ángel Álvarez-Prado
The Future Leaders’ grant programme is dedicated to nurturing the next generation of researchers, ensuring they have the support and stability needed to drive groundbreaking discoveries in the field of neuro-oncology. This devastating disease requires committed scientists to push the boundaries of knowledge and pave the way towards a cure. We are proud to champion bright minds like Ángel, whose contributions to the field have already made a significant impact. As he continues to advance in his career, we look forward to supporting his journey and the vital research he leads.
-Dr Simon Newman, Chief Scientific Officer at The Brain Tumour Charity
The Future Leaders grant programme was launched in 2020, with the intention of providing the best and brightest researchers with the support and stability to reach their full potential in the field of brain tumours. At The Brain Tumour Charity, we are committed to funding excellent research that has the potential to make a real difference to people diagnosed with a brain tumour and their families. By supporting these Future Leaders, we’re helping to shape the future of research into brain tumours and improve outcomes for people diagnosed.