A team of researchers from the Valdecilla Research Institute (IDIVAL) and the University of Cantabria has developed a targeted nanomedicine capable of selectively delivering chemotherapy to tumors, avoiding toxic effects on healthy tissues. The study, which reports promising preclinical results, has been published in the prestigious journal Small.

The Nanomedicine Group at IDIVAL and the University of Cantabria has achieved a pioneering breakthrough in the treatment of malignant melanoma through the development of a highly precise therapeutic strategy based on silica nanoparticles. This innovative system allows the encapsulation and targeted delivery of anticancer drugs, releasing and activating them in a controlled manner within the tumor to prevent side effects.

The study, published in the international journal Small, was made possible thanks to patented technology developed by IDIVAL researchers for the encapsulation of nucleic acids in nanoparticles. It also involved the collaboration of the Nucleic Acid Chemistry Group at the Institute of Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia (IQAC-CSIC).

In this research, an oligonucleotide designed as an intelligent prodrug has been encapsulated, capable of releasing up to ten molecules of the potent chemotherapeutic agent 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) per oligonucleotide unit. This approach overcomes one of the main limitations of conventional 5-FU use: its rapid degradation in the body and the side effects associated with systemic administration.

Thanks to the coating of the nanoparticles with specific proteins, the researchers successfully directed them selectively toward the blood vessels feeding the tumor. Results obtained in mouse models of malignant melanoma are conclusive, achieving up to a 50% reduction in tumor size after just three intravenous treatments.

This work opens new possibilities for the development of more effective, personalized, and less toxic cancer therapies. The recent licensing of the silica encapsulation technology to Iridia Inc. for encrypted DNA-based analog data storage applications not only highlights its potential in this area but also underscores its versatility and disruptive nature in other fields.

The project has received financial support from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III through projects PI22/00030 and DTS24/00023.

IDIVAL has shown clear interest in exploring the biological applications of the patent and is actively seeking to establish a strategic partnership to advance the development of biomedical applications.

Reference:
Targeted Tumor Microenvironment Delivery of Floxuridine Prodrug via Soluble Silica Nanoparticles in Malignant Melanoma as a Model for Aggressive Cancer Treatment
A Ramos-Valle, A Domínguez, N Navarro, A Márquez López, A Avino, R Eritja, C Fabrega, L García-Hevia, ML Fanarraga
Small, DOI: 10.1002/smll.202407752

Link to the article: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/smll.202407752

Image caption: Nanomedicine Laboratory at IDIVAL

Cantabria’s Most Important Healthcare Event Will Take Place on June 10–11 at Espacio Comillas, Universidad de Comillas

On June 10 and 11, 2025, Universidad de Comillas will become the epicenter of healthcare debate and innovation in Cantabria with the celebration of the 15th Patient Safety and Quality Conference, which this year will be held alongside the 1st Regional Health Congress.

The event, organized by the Regional Ministry of Health and the Cantabrian Health Service through the Sub-Directorate for Care, Training, and Continuity of Care, will bring together healthcare professionals from all fields in a forum designed to share knowledge, highlight best practices, and create synergies that contribute to the continuous improvement of the healthcare system.

A Space for Innovation, Dialogue, and Leadership

Espacio Comillas, an emblematic and modern venue, will host this event designed to foster a participatory environment in which essential topics will be addressed, such as innovation in care and healthcare processes, patient safety, regional healthcare leadership, and digital transformation in healthcare.

In addition, professionals are encouraged to take an active role by submitting oral communications and poster presentations, which will have their own dedicated space within the program. Key dates for submitting contributions are now open:

• May 5: Deadline for abstract submissions.

• June 4: Deadline for submitting posters and graphic presentations.

Clear, Strategic Goals

The Conference and Congress will focus on four major objectives:

• Foster innovation and the exchange of healthcare experiences.

• Promote safe and high-quality clinical practices.

• Position Cantabria as a regional healthcare benchmark.

• Drive digital transformation and health and social care coordination.

The organizers anticipate a strong turnout and aim to make this event a key meeting point for the region’s healthcare sector.

Free Transportation for Attendees

To facilitate attendance, free shuttle buses will be available from Cantabria’s main hospitals:

• Hospital de Laredo

• Hospital General Sierrallana-Tres Mares

• Hospital Universitario Marqués de Valdecilla

Seats are limited and must be booked through the registration section.

All information regarding registration, abstract submission, and logistics is available on the official congress website: https://www.scsalud.es/i-congreso-regional-de-salud

See you in Comillas!

The Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital (HUMV) and the IDIVAL Health Research Institute are advancing in the multicenter clinical trial CASSANDRA, which evaluates in humans the experimental drug IDP-121, a direct cMyc inhibitor — a key protein involved in the development of most cancers.

This phase I/II study is aimed at patients with Multiple Myeloma, high-grade Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, and Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, with the goal of determining the safety, tolerability, and preliminary clinical activity of this compound.

The trial is coordinated by Dr. Enrique M. Ocio, Head of the Hematology Department at HUMV and leader of the Hematology and Hemotherapy Group at IDIVAL. To date, seven patients have been enrolled in the dose-escalation phase, with no significant toxicities reported. Despite the low doses administered, a certain antitumor effect has been observed in some patients, achieving disease stabilization.

In parallel, complementary biological studies are being conducted at Valdecilla, coordinated by Dr. Santiago Montes, aiming to identify the mechanisms responsible for IDP-121’s activity and to better understand its molecular impact on these types of malignancies.

The CASSANDRA trial is being carried out in collaboration with four other Spanish hospitals: Vall d’Hebron Hospital (Barcelona), 12 de Octubre University Hospital (Madrid), University Hospital of Salamanca, and Virgen de la Arrixaca Clinical Hospital (Murcia).

This study represents a search for new therapeutic alternatives in hematologic oncology, particularly in diseases with limited options after multiple lines of treatment.

More information about the IDP-121-001 (CASSANDRA) clinical trial is available at clinicaltrials.gov (Identifier: NCT05908409).

The research, conducted by professionals from the Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital and researchers from the IDIVAL Health Research Institute, evaluates the usefulness of the GAP index as a prognostic marker in patients with interstitial lung diseases referred for transplantation.

Researchers from the Marqués de Valdecilla Research Institute (IDIVAL), in collaboration with the Pulmonology Department at Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital, have published a new study in the journal Clinical Transplantation exploring the value of the GAP index as a tool to support decision-making in patients with interstitial lung diseases (ILD) who are candidates for lung transplantation.

The study was led by the Lung Transplant Unit team at the hospital, which has over 28 years of experience and serves as the national reference center (CSUR) for the northern region of Spain (Asturias, Cantabria, the Basque Country, La Rioja, Navarre, and northern Castilla y León). It is also part of the European Reference Network for Rare Respiratory Diseases (ERN-Lung) and has held ISO 9001 quality certification since 2013.

A clinical challenge: identifying patients in time

Interstitial lung diseases have become the leading indication for lung transplantation, both in Spain and internationally. However, their progression is unpredictable: some patients deteriorate slowly, while others worsen within months. This makes management difficult and puts the lives of patients who are not referred to specialized units in time at risk.

Previous studies by the same team had already shown that delayed referral reduces the chances of being included on the transplant waiting list. For this reason, the Valdecilla unit has actively worked to raise awareness among other hospitals of the importance of early referral for these patients, in line with the recommendations of the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT).

GAP: a simple tool with clinical potential

Unlike other pulmonary diseases, such as COPD or pulmonary hypertension, interstitial lung diseases do not have a prognostic scoring system recognized by the ISHLT to guide listing for transplantation. In this context, the researchers decided to assess the usefulness of the GAP index — based on gender, age, and two pulmonary function tests (FVC and DLCO) — as a prognostic tool in patients already diagnosed with ILD and referred for transplantation.

This index, originally developed for newly diagnosed Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis patients, was applied for the first time in this study to a cohort of prevalent patients with any type of interstitial lung disease. The results showed that the GAP index also allows for adequate prognostic stratification in these patients, even at the time of their first consultation in the transplant unit.

A first step toward a change in clinical practice

Although this is a single-center study, its authors believe it could have significant clinical value. The use of simple, accessible tools such as the GAP index could help better identify patients with poorer prognoses, allowing for prioritized inclusion on the transplant waiting list and thereby increasing their chances of survival.

The Valdecilla team encourages other centers to validate these findings and continue working on strategies to optimize referral times and access to transplantation for this type of patient.

Link to the article: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ctr.70136

Photo caption: Professionals from the Lung Transplant Unit and the Pulmonology Department at HUMV

This Sunday, April 27, the Municipal Stadium of Los Corrales de Buelna will host one of Cantabria’s largest solidarity events: the 15th edition of “Luchamos por la vida” (“We Fight for Life”). Every year, this initiative brings together sports, social commitment, and support for scientific research — and this time, it returns with an ambitious goal: to break the Guinness World Record for the largest human pink ribbon, surpassing the current record of 8,264 people.

The event will kick off at 10:30 a.m. and will feature activities for all ages: children’s workshops, sports exhibitions, raffles, music, and the much-anticipated solidarity walk, which this year will be launched by footballer David Villa. In addition to aiming for a historic show of unity in the fight against cancer, the event has a strong research focus: all proceeds go to support scientific projects targeting this disease.

This year, the organizers will donate €20,000 to a project developed by the Melatonin and Breast Cancer Research Group at the Marqués de Valdecilla Research Institute (IDIVAL), led by Dr. Virginia Álvarez García and Dr. Carlos Sainz Fernández. Their study addresses one of the most pressing challenges in modern oncology: understanding how aggressive breast tumors — such as triple-negative and HER2+ — develop resistance to treatments like chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

The research team is analyzing the role of a key protein, PKCϴ, in the DNA repair mechanisms that enable tumor cells to survive treatment-induced damage. Understanding these processes could lead to new therapeutic approaches that block the tumor’s ability to recover, increasing the effectiveness of current treatments and lowering the risk of relapse.

At IDIVAL, we would like to express our deepest gratitude to the “Luchamos por la vida” organization and everyone taking part for their commitment to science and health. Events like this one show that biomedical research is a cause that unites us all — and that every step (or every race bib) counts in the fight against cancer.

Would you like to be part of this historic and meaningful challenge?
There’s still time to sign up for just €3, which will go entirely to support cancer research. Click here to register

See you this Sunday in Los Corrales de Buelna!

A team from the Immunopathology Group at IDIVAL, the University of Cantabria, and the Cantabrian Health Service has discovered a relationship between bone metabolism and vulnerability to SARS-CoV-2.

The study, led by Drs. Emilio Pariente and José Luis Hernández, was recently published in the scientific journal Current Medical Research and Opinion and sheds light on a rarely explored aspect of the pandemic: Could an imbalance in bone metabolism make us more prone to developing COVID-19?

To answer this question, the researchers defined a new index of altered bone metabolism (AOMI), which integrates key markers of bone formation, degradation, quality, and quantity. Applying this index to more than 800 participants from the Camargo Cohort, the team found that individuals with altered bone metabolism (AOMI+) had a significantly higher risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Remarkably, this risk remained even after adjusting for factors such as age, sex, or the presence of other diseases.

The findings point to a complex scenario, involving persistent systemic inflammation, poorer bone quality, and an unfavorable lipid profile — that is, an altered balance of cholesterol and other fats in the blood. Moreover, the link between bone metabolism and coronavirus infection was especially strong in younger individuals, suggesting that hormonal mechanisms may also be involved.

Another key finding is that bone quality — measured through the so-called trabecular bone score (TBS) — appeared to be more relevant than bone quantity (bone mineral density) in predicting the risk of infection.

An Underexplored Link Between Immunity and Bone Metabolism

This study opens a new line of research in the field of immuno-osteology, a discipline that investigates how the immune system and the skeletal system interact. According to the authors, bone biomarkers could become indirect indicators of infection vulnerability in the future, and even help identify at-risk populations in the context of new pandemics.

The research was made possible through the collaborative efforts of a multidisciplinary team, including researchers from IDIVAL’s Immunopathology Group, professionals from the Internal Medicine and Rheumatology departments at Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital, faculty from the University of Cantabria’s School of Medicine, and primary care physicians from the Camargo and Solares health centers. Among the authors are Emilio Pariente, Marta Martín, Daniel Nan, Daniel Martínez, Héctor Basterrechea, Javier Pardo, Merelyn Bonome, Sandra Solares, Carmen Ramos, José Manuel Olmos, Raquel Pascua, Víctor M. Martínez, and José Luis Hernández.

📄 You can read the full article on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40094222/

Photo caption: From left to right, Dr. Emilio Pariente, family physician in Camargo and associate professor at the University of Cantabria; Dr. José Manuel Olmos, co-PI of the Camargo Cohort and Professor of Medicine at UC; and Dr. José Luis Hernández, PI of the Camargo Cohort, Head of Internal Medicine at HUMV, and associate professor at UC. All three are members of the Immunopathology Group at IDIVAL.

The Marqués de Valdecilla Research Institute Foundation (IDIVAL) has launched the hiring process for a team of 10 professionals who will lead the implementation of the ambitious project VALDATA: Cantabria Towards a Health Data Economy. The initiative, backed by €1.7 million in funding from the 2023 Sectoral Data Spaces Programme — financed through the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan – NextGenerationEU — marks a milestone in the innovation and digital transformation of Cantabria’s healthcare system.

The new team, composed of legal experts, engineers, data scientists and project managers, will be tasked with designing, launching and consolidating an advanced digital ecosystem for the management, analysis and sharing of health data. The positions are offered under one-year employment contracts.

A strategic commitment to multidisciplinary talent

The recruitment of this team represents a decisive step in building the VALDATA data space, which aims to maximise the value of clinical, genomic and administrative data already generated by Cantabria’s healthcare system. Key responsibilities of the team will include:

• Designing and implementing secure and scalable technological infrastructures.

• Coordinating and monitoring use cases, such as antimicrobial resistance tracking or value-based healthcare.

• Integrating ethical and legal principles to ensure regulatory compliance in data protection and governance.

The team’s legal expert will play a key role in ensuring the project aligns with frameworks such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and European data governance legislation.

VALDATA: a future vision for digital health

Cantabria’s healthcare system, known for its capacity to generate and manage data, will serve as the driving force behind this project. Initiatives such as Cohorte Cantabria — which has collected clinical and genomic data from over 43,000 individuals — offer a unique reference framework for integrating real-time data into the new digital space.

Beyond its technological dimension, VALDATA includes a communication, training and sustainability plan to ensure long-term impact. The ultimate goal: for Cantabria to become a leading region in the health data economy and to share its model with other regions across Europe.

Interested in being part of the change?

The IDIVAL employment portal (https://www.idival.org/empleo/) features the job profiles and requirements for these positions, all to be filled through IDIVAL’s official recruitment channels. Professionals passionate about digital transformation in healthcare are encouraged to stay informed and take part in this transformative challenge.

With VALDATA, Cantabria is taking a decisive step toward the future of digital health.

This Monday, the Marqués de Valdecilla Research Institute (IDIVAL) welcomed Glòria Oliver Rodríguez, Deputy Director General of the Pasqual Maragall Foundation, and Joan Vives i Tomàs, Administrative Director of the Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG). During their visit to IDIVAL’s headquarters in Santander, they held a meeting with Galo Peralta Fernández, Managing Director, Marcos López Hoyos, Scientific Director of the Institute and Félix Rubial, Managing Director at the Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital (HUMV) with the aim of sharing experiences and exploring potential synergies for collaboration in the field of health research.

Eloy Rodríguez, principal investigator at the HUMV in the area of Alzheimer’s disease, also joined the meeting. He shared with the Pasqual Maragall Foundation the progress being made in Alzheimer’s research at Valdecilla and expressed interest in their proposal for future joint initiatives.

IDIVAL also presented the progress of the Cantabria Cohort, an ambitious population-based project that gathers clinical, biological, and epidemiological data from over 45,000 participants and is now nearing completion. This cohort represents a valuable resource for current and future research in population health, personalized medicine, and early disease detection, and is already serving as the foundation for numerous scientific studies.

The Pasqual Maragall Foundation, in turn, shared insights from the ALFA Study, a research platform with a cohort of 2,700 cognitively healthy individuals, focused on the early detection and prevention of Alzheimer’s disease. This pioneering study is one of the largest of its kind in Europe and reflects the Foundation’s strong commitment to science as a means to defeat neurodegenerative diseases.

The meeting also highlighted the strategic collaboration between the Pasqual Maragall Foundation and CRG through the Barcelonaβeta Brain Research Center (BBRC), the Foundation’s scientific institution. Both entities work together to study the genetic modulation of brain phenotypes through genomic analyses and neuroimaging data, as part of BBRC’s clinical research program on Alzheimer’s. This alliance, supported by funding from the Strategic Plan for Health Research and Innovation (PERIS) of Catalonia, strengthens the link between basic and applied research to advance the understanding of this disease.

The Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), represented by Joan Vives, also emphasized its internationally recognized organizational model and its multidisciplinary approach to understanding the genetic foundations of life and disease. Based in Barcelona and part of the CERCA research centers system in Catalonia, CRG promotes cutting-edge biomedical research through collaboration with both public and private institutions, with a strong commitment to scientific renewal and the social impact of knowledge.

This meeting reinforces the shared commitment of all three institutions to advancing biomedical science through a collaborative approach focused on societal benefit.

Photo caption: From left to right, Galo Peralta, Glòria Oliver, Eloy Rodríguez, Marcos López, and Joan Vives.

The cultural initiative Patrona en las Calles has donated €1,200 to the Marqués de Valdecilla Research Institute (IDIVAL). The amount was raised through their charitable activities linked to the patron saint festivities and Christmas celebrations in the city of Torrelavega. The donation handover ceremony recently took place at IDIVAL’s facilities in Santander.

The funds were raised through their special Lotería Patronal, a 100% charitable lottery, with all proceeds going directly to IDIVAL.

Patrona en las Calles is a non-profit initiative driven by five friends from the Torrelavega area, aimed at strengthening the city’s social and cultural fabric. With events focused on music and local cultural identity, the project is rooted in a clear community spirit: to celebrate the city’s heritage while actively contributing to the wellbeing of its people.

“For us, this donation is a way of giving back all the support we receive from the community. Supporting research means supporting the future of everyone,” the organizers said.

IDIVAL expressed gratitude for the gesture, highlighting the importance of this kind of grassroots initiative that brings science closer to society and strengthens the link between culture, social commitment, and health innovation.

The project Transcriptomics and artificial intelligence for predicting adverse cardiac remodeling in patients undergoing surgery for aortic valve stenosis, funded by the INNVAL 2021 call from the Marqués de Valdecilla Research Institute (IDIVAL), has focused on studying omics data from left ventricle biopsies of patients with severe aortic stenosis who underwent valve replacement surgery at the Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital.

The team led by Dr. J. Francisco Nistal and Dr. Raquel García from the IDIVAL research group on Cytokines and Pathological Tissue Plasticity Phenomena, in collaboration with Dr. Joaquín Bedia from the Department of Applied Mathematics and Computer Science at the University of Cantabria, has designed a predictive model that, based on the patient’s sex, distinguishes between those who will normalize left ventricular mass one year after valve replacement and those who will retain residual hypertrophy. To achieve this, they applied machine learning methods—a branch of artificial intelligence with extensive applications in medical diagnosis and prognostic estimation. The predictive models developed using Bayesian networks, which combined miRNome sequencing data and clinical data, made it possible to identify a sex-specific profile of deregulated microRNAs that enables the estimation of residual hypertrophy one year after surgery with 90% accuracy.

This project deepens the identification of genetic markers, alongside clinical markers, with diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic stratification value from a gender perspective. This contributes to improving both the indication for and the timing of surgery in patients with aortic stenosis. Stratifying and predicting which patients will normalize their left ventricular mass after surgery is a significant clinical challenge, as the persistence of hypertrophy after surgery negatively impacts both short- and long-term survival and functional recovery.

The project, titled Transcriptomics and artificial intelligence for predicting adverse cardiac remodeling in patients undergoing surgery for aortic valve stenosis, is part of the INN-VAL innovation project support program (Ref. INNVAL21/24) of the Marqués de Valdecilla Research Institute (IDIVAL).