The IBB-UAB researcher Aura Muntasell wins the Vanguardia de la Ciència Award
Aura Muntasell, IBB-UAB researcher, associate Professor in the Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology at the UAB and researcher at the Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM), has been awarded the Vanguardia de la Ciencia Award, which recognises the most outstanding research achievements led by Spanish research institutions. Her award-winning project focuses on the development of an innovative cancer immunotherapy strategy with the potential to improve the effectiveness of current treatments. The research received 25% of the public vote.
Muntasell has developed a novel immunotherapy strategy for the treatment of cancer. Her research focuses on enhancing the activity of natural killer (NK) cells, a type of immune cell responsible for eliminating infected and tumour cells. The study identified the SMAD4 gene as a key regulator of NK cell responses to inhibitory molecules produced by tumours, such as transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β). Using genetic engineering techniques, the research team successfully disrupted this gene in NK cells, enabling them to overcome tumour-induced immune suppression and significantly enhance their tumour-killing capacity.
The findings, published in Nature Immunology, show that these genetically modified NK cells are more effective at eliminating tumours in preclinical models of breast and colorectal cancer. The engineered cells can also be used either as a standalone therapy or in combination with existing treatments, such as therapeutic antibodies.
The team is currently preparing a Phase I clinical trial in collaboration with oncologists to evaluate this approach in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. This strategy could make cell-based immunotherapies more widely accessible, as NK cells can be obtained from healthy donors, engineered in advance, and stored for off-the-shelf clinical use.
The Vanguardia de la Ciencia Award is jointly organised by La Vanguardia and the Catalunya La Pedrera Foundation to highlight research excellence and promote recognition of women's contributions to science.
This recognition places Aura Muntasell's research among the year's most highly valued scientific achievements by La Vanguardia readers, underscoring the potential of NK cell-based immunotherapy as a promising new approach to cancer treatment. Beyond its scientific significance, the award also helps raise the visibility of biomedical research and highlights the importance of securing the resources needed to translate today's discoveries into tomorrow's therapies.
Adapted from a UAB news article published on 6 July 2026.