- The presentation of this fourth edition of the awards, which recognise scientific excellence and innovation in the field of oncology, took place within the framework of the SEOR 2025 Symposium
- The award-winning works, published in prestigious international journals, explore new applications of FLASH radiotherapy, the immunological effects of low doses of radiation, and the use of blood biomarkers to predict therapeutic response in metastatic lung cancer.
The UB-Atrys Chair in Personalised Radiotherapy, promoted by Atrys Health and the University of Barcelona, has presented awards to the three best scientific publications of the year in the field of radiation oncology, selected for their excellence, innovation and contribution to the advancement of cancer therapies. The presentation of this fourth edition of the awards took place within the framework of the SEOR 2025 Symposium, which brings together leading national and international specialists in Salamanca under the slogan Innovation and new perspectives in radiation oncology.
The session was opened by Dr Antonio J. Conde Moreno, head of Radiation Oncology at La Fe Hospital in Valencia, with a presentation on new strategies in stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) and combination therapies. This was followed by the awards ceremony, moderated by Dr Ferran Guedea, director of the Chair and head of Radiation Oncology at the ICO, together with Dr Marco Panichi, medical director of Oncology at Atrys and co-director of the Chair.
In this fourth edition, the first prize, worth €5,000, was awarded to Immaculada Martínez Rovira, from the Autonomous University of Barcelona, for her work on infrared spectroscopy applied to FLASH radiotherapy. The second prize, worth €3,000, went to Ignacio Melero, from the University Clinic of Navarra, for his research on the effects of low doses of ionising radiation and their relationship with the release of extracellular neutrophil traps. The third prize, worth €1,000, went to Juan Zafra Martín, from the Virgen de la Victoria University Clinical Hospital in Malaga, for his study on blood biomarkers to predict the response to the combination of stereotactic radiotherapy and immunotherapy in metastatic lung cancer.
The event was closed by Dr. Víctor Gonzalez-Rumayor, director of Research & Data Intelligence at Atrys, and Dr. Ferran Guedea, head of Radiation Oncology at the Catalan Institute of Oncology and director of the UB Atrys Chair. During their speeches, both emphasised the need to continue promoting research and strengthening collaboration between academic institutions, public administrations and clinical entities, with the aim of advancing towards more precise, innovative and patient-centred oncology.
According to Dr Guedea: ‘These awards recognise the talent and research that drive the evolution of radiation oncology. At the UB-Atrys Chair, we work to bring innovation to clinical practice, and the award-winning projects are an example of how science can transform cancer treatment.’
Dr. Víctor Gonzalez-Rumayor emphasised Atrys’ commitment to developing innovative solutions in radiotherapy: “At Atrys, we are committed to precision medicine driven by clinical research, technology and talent. Personalised radiotherapy is one of our main strategic lines, and we are proud to contribute to the advancement of research such as that awarded in this edition, which opens up new avenues for treating cancer in a more effective, personalised and sustainable way.”
For her part, Inmaculada Martínez Rovira, winner of the first prize, said, ‘This award is an incentive to continue researching techniques such as FLASH radiotherapy, which opens up new possibilities for more effective and less invasive treatments. Initiatives such as the UB-Atrys Chair are essential for connecting research with real improvements in patient care.’