The Spanish Association Against Cancer has awarded a predoctoral grant to researcher Júlia Fernández to conduct the NETSEC project. This scholarship, endowed with 132,000 euros, will be dedicated to studying the relationship between NETosis and tumor progression, as well as treatment resistance in endometrial cancer.
Fernández will carry out her research at the Laboratory of Biomarkers in Reproduction, Obstetrics and Gynecology (LIBROG), part of the Valencia General Hospital Research Foundation. The project, directed by Juan Gilabert, principal investigator of the LIBROG group, began on September 1, 2026, and will have an initial duration of three years, with the possibility of extension.
The study will focus on analyzing the interaction between neutrophils, a type of immune cell, and tumor cells. The aim is to better understand how NETosis, a process by which neutrophils release net-like structures (NETs), could be involved in proliferation, tumor invasion, and therapeutic resistance.
Endometrial cancer is the most frequent gynecological tumor in developed countries, with a growing incidence. Although many cases are diagnosed in early stages, 20% of patients present with advanced disease, with higher recurrence rates and a less favorable prognosis.
The LIBROG group brings prior experience in NETosis research in ovarian cancer, and preliminary results in endometrial cancer suggest a dysregulation of markers related to this process. Fernández's research will seek to delve into the bidirectional communication between neutrophils and tumor cells to identify new mechanisms and personalized therapeutic strategies.
