LIH Cancer Researcher Awarded Prestigious Marie Curie Fellowship

• Cancer Metabolism Group
• Department of Cancer Research
• Cancer

Laura Martinez Ruiz, a postdoctoral researcher in the Cancer Metabolism Group at the Dept. of Cancer Research (DoCR), has been recently awarded a highly competitive Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship from the European Union. Not only that, she also achieved a perfect 100% score on her application, a rare feat.

Her project, Target C-1, focuses on targeting mitochondrial one-carbon (1C) metabolism and formate overflow to reduce tumor cell invasiveness. Understanding the metabolic dependencies of metastasis is crucial, as it remains the leading cause of cancer mortality. Recent research has shown that 1C metabolism promotes tumor spread through formate overflow, but effective therapies are lacking.

Target C-1 aims to prevent formate accumulation via gene-therapy approaches as well as explore melatonin as a therapeutic agent to inhibit formate production. The fellowship will also provide Laura with advanced training in metabolomics, cytometry, and leadership, strengthening her path towards becoming an independent researcher. Expressing excitement about the fellowship, Laura stated,

Receiving this award is a great honor and an incredible opportunity to further explore the role of mitochondrial metabolism in cancer progression. I am eager to develop new therapeutic strategies that could make a real difference in the fight against metastasis.“

With this prestigious fellowship, Laura is poised to make significant contributions to cancer research, potentially paving the way for groundbreaking treatments that target metastasis at its metabolic core.