At the Valdecilla Health Research Institute (IDIVAL), innovation is written with proper names, and one of them is Verónica Vidal Sánchez. A PhD in Molecular Biology and Biomedicine, with over 20 scientific publications, two registered utility models, and a career marked by versatility, Vidal has been one of the seven researchers selected in the latest edition of the NEXT-Val program.
Her project, EMBO-PROTECT, aims to improve the safety of neurovascular interventions by reducing the risk of complications that may cause immediate consequences or exert a more silent but long-term impact on quality of life.
The NEXT-Val program (NEXT generation VALdecilla) is designed to promote the development of young researchers linked to the public health system of Cantabria or the University of Cantabria. With total funding close to €150,000 and grants of up to €25,000 per project, it serves as a springboard toward greater scientific independence and international competitiveness. For Vidal, this support is more than just financial aid: “It’s the opportunity to turn an idea into tangible results that benefit patients.”
Verónica’s vocation was born long before she ever considered a scientific career. “Since I was little, I knew I wanted to dedicate myself to biology. I was lucky to have a teacher who instilled in me a deep love for this science,” she recalls. That fascination led her to study Biology, later exploring various research areas: neurocognition, neurodegeneration, oncology, hematology, and more.
Far from following a linear path, her career has been shaped by constant adaptation. “No, I haven’t always researched the same topic. I’ve changed several times and had to start from scratch each time. It’s exhausting, but it gives you a tremendous background and the agility to adapt to challenges and future projects.”
After years in basic research, where her findings served as the foundation for other clinical projects, she reached a turning point: “I became curious about how all that was actually applied in the clinic. In basic research, many times you make a discovery, publish it, and don’t see, especially in the short or medium term, its real impact on improving people’s health. That’s fine, but I wanted to be close to that step into reality.”
That need for proximity to the patient led her to make a risky decision: leaving a job to immerse herself in clinical research. At HUMV, within the Interventional Neuroradiology team, she found the perfect setting to combine technical knowledge with direct benefits for people’s health.
The project tackles a very specific problem: during stent placement to treat carotid stenosis (a narrowing of the arteries that carry blood to the brain), small particles may be released that, if they reach the brain, can cause anything from evident strokes to microstrokes without immediate symptoms, but with possible long-term consequences such as cognitive decline, she explained.
“We want to test a protection system already used in other procedures: a balloon that, during the intervention, halts blood flow to the brain and allows aspiration of these particles before they travel further,” Vidal noted. The study will be randomized, prospective, and single-blind, a design that ensures robust results.
Beyond the carotid stenosis research with the EMBO-PROTECT project, her team is also developing projects aimed at improving stroke treatment, with the goal of achieving maximum effectiveness: “In stroke, time is brain. Every passing minute means neurons are lost. Our goal is that, once the patient enters the hospital, treatment is as effective and fast as possible, so that the consequences are minimized.” She also stressed the importance of prevention and of maintaining an active lifestyle, away from sedentarism, along with healthy eating habits that help reduce the likelihood of developing such conditions.
The researcher reminds us that stroke affects not only survival but also disability, with a massive personal, social, and economic impact.
When asked about her role models, she has no doubt: “The women I worked side by side with, my lab bench colleagues with whom I shared hours of experiments—I learned so much from them.” At her current stage, she highlights the value of the Neuroradiology team: “It’s a group I learn from every day, and our joint work makes research progress possible.” To those starting out in research, she leaves a brief but honest piece of advice: “It’s tough, but it’s also beautiful and rewarding.”
Finally, when projecting herself into the future, Vidal is not thinking of personal recognition: “In 20 years, I want to look back and know that what we did didn’t stay in a drawer, but was applicable and benefited many people.”
