Portuguese researcher awarded by the American Association for Cancer Research

Researcher Noel Miranda, who has focused his work in the treatment of colorectal cancer, was honored by the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) with a grant of 93 thousand euros. Currently doing research at the Medical Center of the Leiden University (Netherlands), this 32 year old researcher now has the opportunity to pursue studies in this area and establish his own research group in the future.

The main objective of Noel Miranda’s work is the development of strategies that can stimulate the immune system of patients with colorectal cancer so that tumor cells can be identified and eliminated by their own immune system.

The work now awarded, entitled «Development of personalized immunotherapies for patients with colorectal cancer in an advanced stage», is directed to individuals who develop this type of cancer before age 50. Although this disease is mainly diagnosed after this age, there has been an increased incidence in younger people, mainly due to changes in lifestyle (diet, sedentary lifestyle, etc).