Oncology Haematology and Transplantation

The group develops translational and clinical research in the field of blood cancer and hematopoietic transplants, focusing on the prognostic impact of molecular markers in acute myeloid leukemia and lymphoma. The group is intensively focused on the study of innovative genetically modified T cells with antigen-specific chimeric receptors (CARs) and their clinical application in patients with hematological cancer. The group also develops innovative strategies for allogeneic hematopoietic transplantations, including novel strategies for reducing graft-versus-host disease complications.

Main lines of research

• Clinical trials with academic-developed CART cells for Hodgkin and B cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (Briones Meijide, Javier; Caballero Gonzalez, Ana Carolina).
• Development of memory-enriched CART cells under GMP conditions for clinical application (Escriba Garcia, Laura; Briones Meijide, Javier; Caballero Gonzalez, Ana Carolina).
• Preclinical development of fourth-generation CART cells for hematological malignancies. (Poyatos Dorado, Paula; Escriba Garcia, Laura; Caballero Gonzalez, Ana Carolina; Briones Meijide, Javier).
• Study of the prognostic value of clinical and biological parameters in acute myeloid leukemia. (Garrido Diaz, Ana; Sierra Gil, Jordi).
• Study of the molecular prognostic factors in lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia. (Caballero Gonzalez, Ana Carolina; Arguello De Tomas, Miquel; Briones Meijide, Javier).
• Molecular studies of minimal residual disease (liquid biopsy) in lymphoid malignancies and myeloma. (Caballero Gonzalez, Ana Carolina; Arguello De Tomas, Miquel; Lopez Pardo, Jordi; Briones Meijide, Javier).
• Design of new modalities of allogeneic stem-cell transplantation. (Esquirol Sanfeliu, Albert; Garcia Cadenas, Irene; Martino Bofarull, Rodrigo).
• Innovative pharmacokinetic strategies for reducing hematopoietic transplantation complications. (Garcia Cadenas, Irene; Esquirol Sanfeliu, Albert; Martino Bofarull, Rodrigo).

Scientific Challenges

• Development of academic CAR-T cell therapies for Phase I/II clinical trials for hematological malignancies.
• Development of novel CART cells (4th and 5th generation) with enhanced antitumor efficacy.
• Identify new prognostic parameters for risk and therapeutic stratifications in leukemia and lymphoma.
• Molecular characterization of acute myeloid leukemia and lymphoma for designing molecularly targeted precision therapies
• Establish liquid biopsy for monitoring residual disease in acute leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma.
• Reduce toxicity and complications of allogeneic transplants. New conditioning treatments and strategies for monitoring targeted therapies for graft versus-host disease.

Contact

Javier Briones
jbriones@santpau.cat