9th FERO Fellowship – Dr. Manuel Valiente

Small cell lung cancer has a very high tendency to metastasize to the brain. Available treatments for cases of brain metastasis caused by lung cancer are limited and offer only modest benefit for patients. This research studied the biology of colonization of this organ with the aim of developing new treatments for brain metastasis.

The project involved developing a new small cell lung cancer model to study the process of metastasis generation from the induction of the primary tumor. The resulting model is pioneering and is currently a fundamental tool in the laboratory, being used in many other projects, including: the characterization of new inhibitors against metastasis; the identification of molecular mechanisms required to adapt and grow in the brain; and the design and characterization of new biomarkers compatible with non-invasive biopsies to assess both the incidence of brain metastasis and its response to therapy.