2025/03/21

June Ereño-Orbea awarded 'la Caixa' Foundation grant for her cancer immunotherapy research

Last week in Barcelona, the 'la Caixa' Foundation grants were awarded, highlighting its support for scientific research of excellence.

Dr. June Ereño-Orbea, principal investigator of the Cancer Glycoimmunology group, received a grant to advance her study on how the immune system combats tumor cells.

With this funding, Dr. Ereño-Orbea will continue developing new immunological therapies that could improve cancer treatments.

Dr. June Ereño-Orbea, Ikerbasque research associate and principal investigator of the Cancer Glycoimmunology laboratory at CIC bioGUNE, member of BRTA, has been awarded a prestigious grant from the 'la Caixa' Foundation for the development of her immunology research, a key field for the creation of new therapeutic strategies against cancer.

With a degree and PhD in Molecular Biology and Biomedicine from the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Dr. Ereño-Orbea carried out her postdoctoral research at SickKids Hospital (Toronto, Canada), where she studied the CD22 receptor, a key element in immunotherapy. In 2019, she joined CIC bioGUNE, where she currently leads her own research group focused on the glycoimmune checkpoint receptors Siglec and their application in the development of innovative cancer therapies.

Thanks to this grant, Dr. Ereño-Orbea will be able to advance her study titled "Exploring the Siglec-sialic acid axis: from dynamics to therapeutics," which seeks to understand how the immune system recognizes and attacks tumor cells. Her team uses advanced molecular biology, chemistry, and physics techniques to analyze these interactions at the atomic level, enabling the design of new therapeutic strategies aimed at enhancing the immune response against cancer.

"Receiving this recognition is a great boost to consolidate my career as a researcher and continue exploring new opportunities in immunotherapy," says Dr. Ereño-Orbea. "We are at a crucial moment for immunology, and the creation of the Caixa Research Institute will further strengthen collaborations in this field."

CIC bioGUNE, as a leading center in biomedical research, provides the ideal environment for the development of this project. "We have cutting-edge infrastructures and a multidisciplinary team that allows us to advance in the preclinical phase of the study, as well as in the design and patenting of new molecules with therapeutic potential," highlights the researcher.

With this initiative, the 'la Caixa' Foundation reaffirms its commitment to excellence in scientific research, driving projects with a real impact on the treatment of diseases such as cancer. Dr. Ereño-Orbea's work is an example of the value of supporting science and its ability to transform the health and well-being of society.

About CIC bioGUNE
The Centre for Cooperative Research in Biosciences (CIC bioGUNE), member of the Basque Research & Technology Alliance (BRTA), located in the Bizkaia Technology Park, is a biomedical research organisation conducting cutting-edge research at the interface between structural, molecular and cell biology, with a particular focus on generating knowledge on the molecular bases of disease, for use in the development of new diagnostic methods and advanced therapies.

About Ikerbasque
Ikerbasque - Basque Foundation for Science - is the result of an initiative of the Department of Education of the Basque Government that aims to reinforce the commitment to scientific research by attracting, recovering and consolidating excellent researchers from all over the world. Currently, it is a consolidated organization that has 290 researchers/s, who develop their work in all fields of knowledge.

About BRTA
BRTA is an alliance of 4 collaborative research centres (CIC bioGUNE, CIC nanoGUNE, CIC biomaGUNE y CIC energiGUNE) and 13 technology centres (Azterlan, Azti, Ceit, Cidetec, Gaiker, Ideko, Ikerlan, Leartiker, Lortek, Neiker, Tecnalia, Tekniker y Vicomtech) with the main objective of developing advanced technological solutions for the Basque corporate fabric.

With the support of the Basque Government, the SPRI Group and the Provincial Councils of the three territories, the alliance seeks to promote collaboration between the research centres, strengthen the conditions to generate and transfer knowledge to companies, contributing to their competitiveness and outspreading the Basque scientific-technological capacity abroad.

BRTA has a workforce of 3,500 professionals, executes 22% of the Basque Country's R&D investment, registers an annual turnover of more than 300 million euros and generates 100 European and international patents per year.

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