Her project seeks to anticipate complications and improve the efficacy and safety of these therapies in hematology patients
Within the framework of the Valdecilla Health Research Institute (IDIVAL), Dr. Miriam Sánchez Escamilla has been recognized as an emerging researcher under the NEXT-Val program (NEXT generation VALdecilla), an initiative that promotes translational research in Cantabria. The call, valued at nearly €150,000, grants each selected project up to €25,000 to be developed over a maximum period of two years.
NEXT-Val is designed to support young researchers linked to the Public Health System of Cantabria or the University of Cantabria, who have not yet received competitive funding as principal investigators. It also serves as a training bridge, complementing previous programs such as Mentoring and Post-MIR contracts, and guiding participants toward greater scientific independence and both national and international competitiveness.
From clinical passion to translational research
After earning her degree in Medicine and Surgery from the University of Murcia in 2012, Miriam completed her residency in Hematology and Hemotherapy at the Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital in 2017. She later carried out a pre-doctoral stay thanks to the López-Albo fellowship at Memorial Sloan Kettering in New York, under the supervision of Dr. Miguel Ángel Perales and Dr. Lucrecia Yáñez, focusing on immunotherapy with genetically engineered T-cell receptors.
“The turning point was the López-Albo fellowship. It allowed me to go to New York with Dr. Perales, and from that moment on I knew I wanted to continue doing research,” Miriam recalls. This experience, marked by effort and dedication, helped her consolidate the scientific foundation of her doctoral thesis, defended in 2023 with the support of her thesis advisors, Dr. Perales and Dr. Yáñez, on the prediction of endothelial-related complications in cell therapy.
“In New York I went through very tough times: working from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and struggling to make ends meet. But passion and the support of my family and colleagues allowed me to get here,” the researcher confides, underscoring the importance of the human factor in a scientific career.
Innovation in CAR-T therapies
Miriam’s project focuses on CAR-T cell therapy, a revolutionary treatment for relapsed or refractory leukemias and lymphomas. Although these therapies have significantly improved clinical outcomes, a considerable number of patients relapse or develop complications such as cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and ICANS after infusion, affecting endothelial permeability and immune response.
“What we aim to do is monitor the immune system before, during, and after CAR-T treatment, assessing efficacy and toxicity through biomarkers, with the goal of anticipating severe complications and thus improving patient care,” explains Dr. Sánchez Escamilla. The project combines the clinical expertise of Valdecilla’s Hematology and Hemotherapy Department with the biological studies of the Immunology Department, characterizing the immune response induced by CAR-T cells and enabling the identification of patients at risk of relapse after treatment, as well as earlier and more personalized management of these complications.
“We work so that patients don’t die, so that the disease doesn’t come back, and so that they don’t suffer from the aftermath of complications. We want to stay ahead of the problems and personalize treatment,” Miriam adds, highlighting the direct application of her research in improving patients’ lives.
Inspiration, challenges, and legacy
Beyond the technical aspects, Sánchez Escamilla emphasizes the value of the human spirit in research: “In 20 years I would like to look back on this stage as a time of passion and learning, in which more people continued researching and improving patients’ lives.”
For the researcher, inspiration has been both clinical and personal, pointing to her clinical supervisor and program director, Arancha Bermúdez, for instilling her passion for transplantation: “She not only inspires, but also keeps the enthusiasm for this specialty alive, and that is essential for others to follow the same path.”
Her personal experience, marked by sacrifice and perseverance, underscores the importance of motivation: “Keep the excitement and passion alive, even if the beginnings are tough. Translational research is demanding, but the impact on patients’ lives makes it worthwhile.”
She also stresses the need for this type of research funding from institutes and the commitment of department heads such as Dr. Ocio in Hematology, who advocate for promoting clinical research at Valdecilla.
Dr. Miriam Sánchez Escamilla’s project stands as an example of emerging talent in Cantabria and of IDIVAL’s commitment to translational innovation, transforming scientific knowledge into tangible improvements for patients’ health and quality of life.
Would you like me to polish this into a press-release style translation (shorter, more journalistic), or keep it in this academic-institutional tone as I’ve done here?
