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Robinson Fellow awarded Europe's largest cancer research award

Congratulations to Robinson Fellow, Professor Carlos Caldas, on being awarded the prestigious Léopold Griffuel Prize, awarded by the Fondation Arc for Cancer Research, recognising his work in genomics, circulating tumour DNA and molecular tissue imaging.
 

Created in 1970, the Fondation Arc’s Léopold Griffuel Prize is Europe’s largest cancer research award, and Professor Caldas and his research team were recognised as ‘having the creativity and ability to explore new avenues by thinking outside the box, and the strong ambition to translate research outcomes into patient benefits’ (Professor Hugues de Thé, Fondation Arc Léopold Griffuel Prize Jury Chair).

“By conducting studies based on exhaustive DNA sequencing and other molecular-level analyses, Professor Caldas has been able to classify the different disease subtypes. His classification is internationally recognized and now used by doctors to guide patient management and treatment choices. In the same vein, Professor Caldas has also developed a tumour xenograft library that is used for therapeutic screening and to study tumors as cellular ecosystems”.[1]
Professor Caldas Portrait Photo

Commenting on his award, Professor Caldas said:

“I am extremely honoured and humbled to receive this Prize. It is an enormous recognition of the hard work of the current and many past lab members - I want to share this accolade with all of them. The research work has significantly advanced our understanding of breast cancer as a constellation of distinct molecular entities and has wide ranging clinical applications.

Of course, a big thank you is owed to my wife Isabel and our children, Carlos and Madalena! I am also very grateful to the funders: Cancer Research UK, who has very generously funded me for over 20 years, and the European Research Council, who awarded me an Advanced Grant from 2017 to 2022.

Finally, a special word for all the brave sufferers of breast cancer that have been a central part of most research studies conducted in my lab: we are committed to continue to work hard and make discoveries that will eventually result in conquering this disease.”

As well as the Léopold Griffuel Prize, Professor Caldas receives €150,000 for himself and his team at Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute.  Further information on his team’s work can be seen on the University of Cambridge website here.


[1] Fondation Arc Press Release 2023