Congratulations to Prof. Fabrice André who has received the prestigious Giants of Cancer Care award 2024 from the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).

This distinction honors the contributions of internationally renowned experts in the fight against cancer and the advancement of cancer research.

We are exceptionally proud to be able to count on Prof. André’s expertise; he has been a member of our Scientific Board since 2016.

The ISREC Foundation supports 4 students within the scope of the “Summer Research Program for Undergraduate Students” – EPFL School of Life Sciences, and 3 students in the “Summer Undergraduate Research Program” – Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne.

During these eight weeks of hands-on training, the selected young biologists or physicians are given the chance to discover the world of research for the very first time; a rewarding experience and the opportunity to establish new contacts on an international level.

More information

Summer Research Program ‒ SV ‐ EPFL and About the SUR Programme UNIL

Congratulations to Prof. Andrea Alimonti, winner of the prestigious Cloëtta Prize 2024 in recognition of his scientific commitment. The “Prof. Dr. Max Cloëtta” Foundation honors this outstanding scientist for his exceptional scientific achievements.  

Following Prof. Michael Hall (2003) and Prof. Anne Müller (2021), Prof. Alimonti is the third member of our Scientific Board to have been awarded this esteemed distinction. We are proud to be able to draw on the expertise of these world-renowned scientists. 

For more information: Andrea Alimonti receives esteemed 2024 Cloëtta Prize (usi.ch)

Find out more about our activities and the projects we support.

Link to the annual report 2023

Merci à tous les scientifiques qui, avec passion et persévérance, œuvrent sans relâche pour faire avancer la recherche sur le cancer.

Merci à tous nos donateurs pour leur engagement fidèle. 

Merci à tous ceux qui ont fait de ces 60 années une formidable aventure commune.

This year, seven research groups from Lausanne, Geneva, Bern and Basel have been awarded TANDEM funding.

Each team, consisting of a clinician and a basic research scientist, will address a question of direct clinical relevance from two angles: that of understanding the molecular mechanisms involved and that of directly improving cancer patient care.

Prof. Andreas Holbro & Prof. Lukas Jeker (USB & UNIBAS) 
Toward a CD33-directed Shielded Cell/Immunotherapy Pair First-in-Human clinical trial for Acute Myeloid Leukemia

This project pursues preliminary research for a first-in-human clinical trial for the use of CD33-directed CAR-T in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The goal is to render this CAR-T therapy safer and more effective by eliminating the off-tumor impact of the therapy by protecting hematopoietic stem cells through the expression of an epitope-edited cell surface marker, CD33.

Dr. Thibaud Koessler & Prof. Tatiana Petrova (HUG & UNIL) 
Harnessing normal organ chemo-injury response to prevent colorectal cancer metastasis

The theme here is metabolites and cancer. The applicants present preliminary evidence that chemotherapy can induce a “memory” effect in colorectal cancer (CRC). They will examine how the release of a host microbiome-derived metabolites reprograms immune cells in the metastasis niche to inhibit metastatic growth of a cancer.

Prof. Mohamed Bentires Alj & Prof. Walter Weber (USB & UNIBAS)
Immune mapping of tumor draining lymph nodes to predict therapy response and optimize immunotherapy-based combinations in hormone receptor positive breast cancer

This project will characterize immunological parameters in tumor-draining lymph nodes, to see if they can be used as predictive biomarkers for immune-therapy response in HR+/Her2- breast cancer patients.

Dr. Antonia Digklia & Dr. Melita Irving (CHUV & UNIL)
Combination TKI and next-generation CAR T cells for personalized sarcoma therapy

This project will address the limitations of current sarcoma treatments with a multidisciplinary approach (clinical, biological, protein engineering) that aims to develop and optimize CAR T cells for sarcoma in combination with tyrosine kinase inhibitors or other drugs.

Prof. Ren-Wang Peng, Prof. Adrian Ochsenbein & Dr. Sabine Schmid (UNIBE & INSEL)
Rational development of predictive biomarkers and combination regimens for precision immunotherapy in malignant pleural mesothelioma

This project will discover targets and mechanisms of resistance to immune checkpoint blockade therapies in patients with mesothelioma, a dreadful cancer of unmet therapeutic need.

Dr. Laurent Derré & Dr. Ilaria Lucca (UNIL & CHUV) 
Unravelling the transcriptomic landscape of Vδ2 T cells in bladder cancer patients

This team will do a single cell transcriptomics study of the roles of Vδ2 T cells both in bladder cancer cells and in the peripheral blood, to find useful molecular signatures that can be correlated with therapy outcome.

Prof. Michal Bassani-Sternberg & Prof. Jean Perentes (UNIL & CHUV)
Evaluation of the neoantigen specific T cell response in pleural carcinosis managed by Pressurized IntraThoracic Hyperthermic Aerosol cisplatin Chemotherapy (PITHAC)

This project aims to analyze neoantigens and the antigenic landscape in general of patients diagnosed with pleural carcinosis (lung cavity) tumors undergoing treatment with PITHAC (or pressurized intrathoracic chemotherapy distribution with moderate hyperthermia). The outcome of this study may facilitate the integration of PITHAC with immune checkpoint blockade treatments.

Congratulations to the research teams led by Prof. Elisa Oricchio (ISREC Foundation professorship from 2016 to 2020) and Prof. Bruno Correia at EPFL, who have developed a novel method for the improvement of cancer treatments.

The scientists have created a modular drug platform that conjugates specific inhibitors with antibodies. These combinations, called APICs, make it possible to deliver the inhibitors specifically to the cancer cells, thereby reducing side effects and increasing therapeutic efficacy.

For more information: Antibody-peptide inhibitor conjugates: a new path for cancer therapy – EPFL

10th edition of this fund-raising event organized by volunteers in memory of their friend Agostino who died of cancer.

Each year, approximately fifty volunteers contribute to the success of various tournaments and activities, enabling the organizers to make a significant donation to our foundation’s projects.

For more information Trophée Ago – Venez passer une journée de détente et de bonne action! (tropheeago.org)

Many thanks to the Clinique AMiiA which, on the occasion of its 1st anniversary, chose to support cancer research, and in particular a research project on breast cancer!

In the fight against cancer, every contribution counts, and we are profoundly grateful to Marie de Riedmatten and Dr. Debora Schivo, co-founders and co-directors of the Clinique AMiiA, who have organized this initiative for our cause. This commendable support testifies to their compassion and solidarity with those affected by cancer.

Thanks to this generous gesture, we are one step closer to understanding this disease and improving much-needed treatments.

Many thanks once again to the Clinique AMiiA for their invaluable support!

Congratulations to Prof. Franco Cavalli: the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) has presented him with the “Distinguished Public Service Award for Lifetime Achievement in Cancer Research” 2024.

This award honors Prof. Cavalli for his remarkable scientific accomplishments and his impactful contributions to the development of cancer therapeutics.

For almost 20 years, this internationally acclaimed lymphoma and breast cancer expert has selflessly shared his boundless energy and insight with the Foundation Council of the ISREC Foundation. From 2008 to 2021, he was the president of its Scientific Board.

For more information: AACR Announces 2024 Distinguished Public Service Award Recipients | AACR | News Releases