Attendees to the CNIO Friends Day 2025. / Antonio Tabernero. CNIO.
100% of all donations received through the CNIO Friends programme is used to attract and retain talented young cancer researchers, and in the case of large donations, to purchase scientific equipment.
CNIO has just been certified for the fourth time running as a Severo Ochoa Centre of Research Excellence
An important part of the knowledge generated by the National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), which aims to improve cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment, is the result of generosity. The generosity of people, companies and foundations that make donations to the centre through the ‘CNIO Friends’ programme.
Since it was launched in 2015, all funds raised by this programme have been allocated to recruiting young researchers, a total of 45 so far.
That is why gratitude was the general theme of the ‘CNIO Friends Day’ that we recently celebrated. Every year, this event brings together donors and researchers to share their excitement and knowledge.
After being greeted in the Margarita Salas Auditorium by Jessica Rose, head of the Philanthropy Office, the donors then heard from María Isabel Salido, managing director of CNIO, who thanked them for their support that “allows us to continue promoting excellence, opening up opportunities and fostering transformative science in the field of oncology that has an impact on society as a whole.”
The scientific director, Fernando Peláez, stressed that CNIO’s Friends programme, “apart from its significant financial contribution, allows us to get closer to society and make cancer science more valued.” He also stressed the importance of recruiting young postdoctoral students, “for whom there are fewer opportunities even though they are incredible valuable because they already have a doctorate.”
At this year’s edition of the event, six young researchers recruited through the programme presented their research in two talks.