The CEPID CancerThera stood out during the third scientific session of FAPESP Week France 2025, held in Toulouse from June 10 to 12, with a presentation by Dr. Celso Dario Ramos, professor at the School of Medical Sciences of the University of Campinas (Unicamp), principal investigator and vice-chair of the center’s executive committee, funded by the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) since May 2023.
Amid presentations by research groups from Brazil and France, including the Oncopole and the Cancer Research Center of Toulouse (CRCT), Ramos explained the fundamentals of radiopharmaceutical applications under the Theranostics model (therapy guided by diagnostics) and ongoing studies across CancerThera’s three research axes (basic, preclinical, and clinical), emphasizing the collaborative potential between both countries in the fight against cancer.
During “Scientific Session 3: Oncology and Beyond”, chaired by Dr. Elizabeth Moyal (CRCT) and Dr. Leandro Machado Colli (FAPESP), Ramos began by defining the concept of Theranostics for an audience still largely unfamiliar with the topic. He then detailed how CancerThera operates, highlighting the integration across its research axes. “I presented part of what we have done so far: on the clinical side, over 100 patients studied with PSMA-based radiopharmaceuticals compared with FDG, and some of these patients have already been treated with PSMA-Lutetium 177,” he noted.
An ideal environment for partnership building
“The main value of this event is precisely to foster partnerships and collaborations with international institutions,” Ramos emphasized. He also described Toulouse as a leading hub for both oncology and aeronautics—home to major players like Airbus, ITA, and Embraer—and highlighted the Oncopole as an inspiring research infrastructure example: “They have a dedicated research building attached to the hospital and even a cable car linking it to the university,” he exemplified.
Numerous interaction opportunities arose. One has already led to a confirmed follow-up in Brazil: on July 16, French researcher Dr. Emmanuel Grass (from CNRS and Paul Sabatier University), who works with fluorine-18 radiolabeling, will visit Unicamp’s Institute of Chemistry to present his research to CancerThera colleagues. Ramos also mentioned exchanges with researchers from the Butantan Institute and the University of São Paulo (both São Paulo city and Ribeirão Preto campuses), discussing the potential use of peptides for glioma studies.
For Ramos, the event’s format was key to stimulating networking: “FAPESP Week France achieved its goal, which is to promote informal interactions among researchers. Each person gives a short presentation about their work, and then there’s a strong emphasis on discussions and conversations, even during breaks.” This participation, he believes, will help drive new research projects and broaden CancerThera’s international reach.
Text: Romulo Santana Osthues | Photos: Personal archive
