Cover of the Annual Report 2022
CNIO Annual Report highlights the record number of high impact publications last year
Nature Index ranks the CNIO second among cancer research centers in Europe, and ninth worldwide. In the SCImago ranking, the CNIO is eighth
Last year, philanthropic donations to the CNIO exceeded one million euros. This program is entirely devoted to the recruitment of new researchers, nine in 2022
In 2022, clinical oncologist Luis Álvarez-Vallina joined the CNIO as director of the new H12O-CNIO - CNIO Cancer Immunotherapy Clinical Research Unit
The publication of the Annual Report is one of those key occasions when the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO) turns its critical eye towards itself. The latest edition, fresh from the caring and meticulous hands of our editor, Sonia Cerdá, brings good news: “2022 has been excellent for our scientific productivity”, says Maria A. Blasco, CNIO’s Scientific Director, in the foreword. This is the year in which CNIO researchers have published the most publications in high-impact scientific journals.
Nature Index, a publication that elaborates rankings according to the most accepted metrics in the international scientific community, ranks the CNIO in second place among cancer research institutions in Europe, and ninth worldwide. In the SCImago ranking, the CNIO occupies the eighth position among cancer centers worldwide. “These indicators are evidence of our international leadership in cancer research,” says Blasco.
Basic and treatment-oriented Research
Among the scientific advances obtained at CNIO in 2022, Óscar Fernández-Capetillo, CNIO’s Vice-Director, highlights the discovery of biomarkers to predict the response to chemotherapy, and in general the findings that will help improve the efficacy of treatments. He also highlights the progress in structural biology, which is key to understanding the functioning of important molecules in cancer and therefore to develop new drugs.
In addition, Fernández-Capetillo recalls that “besides cancer, part of our research is focused on fundamental aspects of cell biology that impact many areas. In this regard, we have also made important advances in other diseases such as lung fibrosis, viral infections, or neurodegeneration.”
New immunotherapy unit
Last year brought a new operating model for the Clinical Research Program, which makes it possible for senior clinical oncologists from the Spanish National Health System to carry out research at CNIO.
The aim is to boost translational research in emerging fields in cancer research, and indeed the H12O-CNIO – CNIO Clinical Research Unit in Cancer Immunotherapy, directed by Luis Álvarez-Vallina, Head of the Cancer Immunotherapy Unit at the 12 de Octubre Hospital, has already been set up.
Milestones in innovation and philanthropic donations
The Annual Report also reflects the CNIO’s innovative work. In 2022, the center deployed extensive activity to protect and bring to market the results of its research, through patents and agreements with industry. Our drug discovery program-the Experimental Therapeutics Program- kept developing drug candidates based on novel targets validated by CNIO researchers, contributing to the generation of new therapeutic agents to combat cancer and aging-related diseases.
Another milestone in 2022 came in the area of our relationship with society at large, through the CNIO Philanthropy Office: last year, philanthropic donations to the CNIO exceeded one million euros. This program is devoted to the recruitment of new researchers, specifically nine in 2022.
In addition, a new facet of the philanthropy program, the “ CNIO Friends Projects ”, began in 2022. This initiative allows particularly large donations to be earmarked for specific research projects.
“We are deeply grateful to all of our donors and CNIO Friends for their ongoing support of our research programme. After all, philanthropy is a tool that enables every member of society to have a direct and positive impact on helping us to stop cancer,” writes Maria Blasco.