Periodic Reporting for period 1 - CarrerasLeaders (Carreras Postdoc Program Empowering Future Leaders to Fight Blood Cancers)
Okres sprawozdawczy: 2023-01-01 do 2024-12-31
The CarrerasLeaders program is an international postdoctoral initiative led by the Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute (IJC), a non-profit biomedical research center specializing in leukemia and other blood cancers. This program addresses a critical need for advanced research training in hematological malignancies by funding a total of 16 outstanding postdoctoral researchers over a three-year period. In its initial phase, 10 researchers were selected through a rigorous evaluation process, with additional rounds planned to reach the full target. The objective is to equip these researchers with the expertise, networks, and innovative skills required to translate cutting-edge discoveries into effective clinical applications.
Despite significant advances in understanding blood cancers, major gaps persist in converting fundamental discoveries into effective treatments. CarrerasLeaders bridges these gaps by fostering interdisciplinary research, promoting early scientific advances, and strengthening career development.
The program covers the full research and innovation cycle - from deciphering disease biology to developing novel treatments, diagnostic tools, and clinical applications- with a global translational approach that ensures leukemia and lymphoma research has a direct real-world impact.
Key broader objectives include:
- Enhancing the quality and focus of postdoctoral research training in blood cancers to address pressing societal needs.
- Promoting cross-sector and interdisciplinary knowledge transfer.
- Empowering emerging researchers to advance their careers within a world-class institution.
- Increasing the competitiveness and global reputation of the IJC blood cancers community.
Despite significant advances in understanding blood cancers, major gaps persist in converting fundamental discoveries into effective treatments. CarrerasLeaders bridges these gaps by fostering interdisciplinary research, promoting early scientific advances, and strengthening career development.
The program covers the full research and innovation cycle - from deciphering disease biology to developing novel treatments, diagnostic tools, and clinical applications- with a global translational approach that ensures leukemia and lymphoma research has a direct real-world impact.
Key broader objectives include:
- Enhancing the quality and focus of postdoctoral research training in blood cancers to address pressing societal needs.
- Promoting cross-sector and interdisciplinary knowledge transfer.
- Empowering emerging researchers to advance their careers within a world-class institution.
- Increasing the competitiveness and global reputation of the IJC blood cancers community.
As of January 2025, the program has successfully recruited 10 exceptional postdoctoral researchers through a selection process upheld by high scientific and ethical standards, with oversight provided by the Program Management Office (PMO), IJC’s Human Resources team, and external evaluation experts from the Catalan University and Research Grants Management Agency (AGAUR).
Key milestones achieved include:
- Successful recruitment and program visibility: The selection process attracted a diverse international pool of applicants (32.1% from Europe, 29.8% from Asia, 18.3% from North America, and 3.7% from Africa), underscoring the program’s global appeal and reach.
- Strengthening stakeholder networks: Partnerships with leading organizations such as the European Hematology Association (EHA) and the International Society of Experimental Hematology (ISEH) have been enhanced, thereby expanding collaboration opportunities with academia and industry.
- Elevating IJC’s global standing: Early successes have enhanced IJC’s international reputation, attracting top research talent and paving the way for further strategic collaborations.
- Early scientific outcomes: Initial research efforts have yielded preliminary observations regarding disease mechanisms, offering a foundation for further investigation into potential diagnostic applications.
The impact of these achievements is felt on multiple levels:
• Regional & National: Reinforcing Catalonia’s leadership in biomedical research and healthcare innovation.
• European & International: Facilitating global researcher mobility and fostering international collaboration.
Key milestones achieved include:
- Successful recruitment and program visibility: The selection process attracted a diverse international pool of applicants (32.1% from Europe, 29.8% from Asia, 18.3% from North America, and 3.7% from Africa), underscoring the program’s global appeal and reach.
- Strengthening stakeholder networks: Partnerships with leading organizations such as the European Hematology Association (EHA) and the International Society of Experimental Hematology (ISEH) have been enhanced, thereby expanding collaboration opportunities with academia and industry.
- Elevating IJC’s global standing: Early successes have enhanced IJC’s international reputation, attracting top research talent and paving the way for further strategic collaborations.
- Early scientific outcomes: Initial research efforts have yielded preliminary observations regarding disease mechanisms, offering a foundation for further investigation into potential diagnostic applications.
The impact of these achievements is felt on multiple levels:
• Regional & National: Reinforcing Catalonia’s leadership in biomedical research and healthcare innovation.
• European & International: Facilitating global researcher mobility and fostering international collaboration.
The CarrerasLeaders program serves as a blueprint for the future of postdoctoral training in blood cancer research. IJC aspires to become a global leader in nurturing highly skilled postdoctoral talent, with this initiative laying the groundwork for a permanent international training platform.
To ensure long-term sustainability, the program is actively:
- Expanding collaborations with donors, industry partners, and foundations by leveraging the Josep Carreras Foundation’s fundraising expertise.
- Strengthening ties with biotech and pharmaceutical companies to accelerate the translation of research findings into therapeutic solutions.
- Developing a structured career development pathway that includes specialized training modules in both advanced research techniques and entrepreneurship, empowering postdocs with the skills to transform scientific insights into commercial and clinical innovations.
To ensure long-term sustainability, the program is actively:
- Expanding collaborations with donors, industry partners, and foundations by leveraging the Josep Carreras Foundation’s fundraising expertise.
- Strengthening ties with biotech and pharmaceutical companies to accelerate the translation of research findings into therapeutic solutions.
- Developing a structured career development pathway that includes specialized training modules in both advanced research techniques and entrepreneurship, empowering postdocs with the skills to transform scientific insights into commercial and clinical innovations.