The ISREC Foundation supports 5 students within the scope of the “Summer Research Program for Undergraduate Students” – EPFL School of Life Sciences, and 1 student 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.

Although significant scientific progress has been made and remission rates are steadily increasing, many cancer types remain incurable. Novel treatments, such as immunotherapy, could at least in part change this situation.

The ISREC Foundation and Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV) have announced that funding is now secured for the translation to the clinic of a leading-edge radiotherapy technology to treat the most resistant types of cancers. This innovative development in radiotherapy selectively kills tumour cells while sparing healthy tissues. Its successful entry into the clinic would be a first world-wide and could be used to treat a broad range of cancer patients with FLASH therapy. The 25 million Swiss Francs donation extends initial efforts pioneered by radiation oncology at CHUV and will enable its specialists to collaborate with CERN’s experts in accelerator technologies, to design and construct a dedicated FLASH radiotherapy platform.

This project is funded thanks to a private donation from the BILTEMA Foundation to the ISREC Foundation.

Learn more about the results of the work of Prof. Mikaël Pittet, holder of the ISREC Foundation’s Immuno-Oncology Chair at the UNIGE. These clarify the differences between the harmful side effects of immunotherapies and the desired immune responses designed to eliminate cancer cells. These findings provide a foundation for the development of more specific, more effective and less toxic therapeutic approaches.

Discover the work of Prof. Denis Migliorini, holder of the ISREC Foundation’s Brain Tumor Immunology Chair.

The ISREC Foundation has been promoting cancer research for more than fifty years. The work accomplished by the supported scientists over the past decades has led to a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying cancer and to the identification of novel therapeutic targets. Thanks to the newly built AGORA – Pôle de recherche sur le cancer, interdisciplinary exchanges are intensifying and will ultimately lead to more targeted advances and swifter breakthroughs in the improvement of cancer therapies.

See our Annual Report 2020 !

Choosing the right contraceptive can prevent breast cancer. A study conducted by the research teams of Prof. Cathrin Brisken, MD PhD at the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, shows that contraceptive-related breast cancer can be prevented by more informed choices regarding the composition of contraceptives. The ISREC Foundation has contributed financially to Prof. Brisken’s work.

Congratulations to Prof. Elisa Oricchio (EPFL)! She has been awarded the Leenaards Foundation Science Prize for her work on the immune system, together with Prof. Caroline Arber (CHUV-UNIL) and Prof. Bruno Correia (EPFL). The ISREC Foundation is proud to have supported Prof. Oricchio’s research.

The ISREC Foundation wishes to thank Prof. Johanna Joyce of the University of Lausanne for chairing the AGORA Scientific Committee since May 2019. Her commitment has enabled the coordinated and efficient setup, development and organization of the scientific activities despite the many challenges imposed by the pandemic, and these achievements will undoubtedly lead to numerous fruitful collaborations. The ISREC Foundation is very grateful to Prof. Joyce and thanks her for her huge effort in this crucial phase.
Prof. Joyce is now handing over her position to Prof. Michele De Palma of the EPFL, whom we wish all the best in his new function.
We very much look forward to continuing our collaboration with these outstanding scientists.