On World Cancer Research Day, celebrated on September 24, the Vall d’Hebron Research Institute (VHIR) highlights the research being carried out to better understand the mechanisms underlying the origin and progression of tumours and to transform this knowledge into new diagnostic, prognostic and treatment tools. The aim is to move towards increasingly precise and personalised oncology, helping to improve outcomes and the quality of life of people with cancer.

Through its Cancer Area, VHIR addresses the disease from multiple perspectives, with research ranging from the study of the biological mechanisms of tumours to the identification of biomarkers, the development of new drugs and the conduct of clinical trials. During 2025, the ten research groups that make up the area generated 157 publications, participated in 89 research projects and in 88 clinical trials.

Understanding each tumour better to advance prevention, diagnosis and treatment

VHIR cancer research aims to better understand each tumour and identify the mechanisms involved in its development. Among other research lines, the recently established Circadian Rhythms and Ageing group studies how ageing and alterations in circadian rhythms may influence cancer development, opening the door to new preventive interventions and treatments administered at the most appropriate time.

In the laboratory, researchers also study how tumour cells communicate, proliferate, generate metastases or develop resistance to treatments. In this regard, the Translational Molecular Pathology group focuses on intratumour heterogeneity and the mechanisms of communication and cooperation between tumour cells, with particular interest in developing therapeutic strategies aimed at inhibiting the secretion and uptake of exosomes. The group also works to decipher how the dialogue between the tumour and the stroma drives aggressive cancers that are resistant to treatment.

In the field of more basic research, the Protein Kinases and Cancer group has participated in an international study that reveals the mechanism through which metabolites guide cellular decisions. Through its research, the team works to identify new therapeutic targets to improve the efficacy of treatments for aggressive cancers.

Towards increasingly personalised care

One of the most distinctive areas of VHIR research is childhood cancer. In this regard, the Childhood Cancer and Haematological Diseases group has launched the European PHOENIX project to test a new, more effective and less toxic drug for childhood cancer. In addition, through the international BEACON clinical trial, they have demonstrated the benefit of combining chemotherapy and immunotherapy to treat neuroblastoma, one of the most aggressive types of childhood tumour. The commitment to personalised medicine is also reflected in the team’s work within a European network that facilitates access to innovative treatments and clinical trials for children and adolescents with relapsed leukaemia or lymphoma.

This research is also applied to a wide range of tumours in adults, including melanoma, prostate, ovarian, endometrial, and head and neck cancers, as well as other rare tumours. Tools such as molecular analysis make it possible to distinguish the aggressiveness of each tumour and move towards increasingly precise and personalised oncology.

In this field, the Head and Neck Cancer: Tumour Stem Cells group recently participated in an animal-model study that developed a new experimental strategy based on the use of light to eliminate resistant tumour cells in breast cancer.

In the case of the Biomedical Research in Urology group, research focuses on prostate, kidney and bladder cancers, integrating molecular biology, biomarker identification through high-throughput proteomics and advanced imaging techniques to identify therapeutic targets and develop preclinical models relevant to clinical practice.

In gynaecological cancer research, the projects of the Biomedical Research in Gynaecology group stand out for studying the benefits of therapeutic combinations in models derived from patients with endometrial cancer, as well as for their work to understand why some patients with endometrial cancer do not respond to immunotherapy, even when their tumours have a profile that should respond.

In the Biomedical Research in Melanoma group, researchers explore the mechanisms that allow melanoma to grow and evade the immune system in order to identify new therapies.

Incorporating new technologies

VHIR cancer research also incorporates new tools and technologies aimed at improving clinical outcomes and patients’ quality of life. In this field, the New Technologies and Craniofacial Microsurgery group incorporates minimally invasive surgery, digital planning, 3D printing and personalised reconstruction.

At the same time, the Clinical and Translational Bioinformatics group works to integrate bioinformatics and artificial intelligence into the interpretation of large volumes of genetic information, improve our understanding of hereditary cancer and move towards more personalised diagnoses.

*Institutional Declaration on the Use of Research Animals