Else Beekman
A Spanish scientist has taken inspiration from Star Wars to develop a groundbreaking cancer research method. Therefore, she is earming one of the most prestigious international awards in biological sciences. Pilar Baldominos, a researcher from Valencia, has received the Harold M. Weintraub Graduate Student Award for her pioneering work in immunotherapy.
Baldominos, who completed her doctorate at the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV), developed an innovative technology called PADMEseq—a nod to Star Wars character Padmé Amidala. Working at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, she combined this technique with genetically engineered JEDI mice (Just eGFP Death Inducer), designed by her mentor, Dr. Judith Agudo.
Her research focuses on identifying cancer cells that evade immune system attacks, helping to develop more effective treatments. As she explains, “In our lab, cancer was the dark side, and science was the Force.”
A new hope for immunotherapy
Immunotherapy is one of the most promising cancer treatments, using the body’s own immune system to fight tumours. However, not all patients respond well. Baldominos’ research aims to change that.
“Our immune system is a ‘living drug’ with exquisite specificity and an invaluable capacity for memory. This means it will remember the enemy and attack as soon as it returns. In this way, anti-cancer immune cells will persist and patrol the body, protecting it against future tumour aggressions. During my doctoral studies, I discovered a population of quiescent cancer cells (QCC) in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) that restricts immune infiltration within the tumour in both mice and patients. QCCs create an immunosuppressive environment, with a striking reduction of T cells, forming a reservoir of resistance during immunotherapy,” explains Pilar Baldominos.”
Thus, by using PADMEseq and JEDI mice, she identified specific tumour cells that suppress immune responses—creating a “safe zone” for cancer to persist. Understanding these mechanisms could improve immunotherapy success rates and lead to more targeted treatments.
A rising star in cancer research
Born in Alcalá de Henares in 1993, Baldominos has dedicated her career to cancer research. After graduating from UPV, she pursued advanced immunology studies at the Universitat de Barcelona (UB), later working at top European research centres, including the Institute of Science and Technology (IST) in Austria.
Her doctoral studies at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute placed her among elite researchers tackling cancer’s most complex challenges. Now a postdoctoral researcher at Harvard Medical School, she continues to investigate how tumours interact with the immune system.
Recognition among the scientific elite
The Harold M. Weintraub Award is a major recognition in the field of biological sciences. Baldominos now joins an exclusive group of young researchers from institutions such as MIT, Harvard, and Johns Hopkins University. Her work could play a crucial role in future cancer treatments, bringing us one step closer to a world where the immune system truly becomes a patient’s greatest weapon.
Spanish scientists thriving abroad
Baldominos is not the only Spanish scientist making waves internationally. Juan Ignacio Cirac, a quantum physicist at the Max Planck Institute in Germany, is a leader in quantum computing. In the field of cardiology, Valentí Fuster heads Mount Sinai Heart in New York, while microbiologist Francisco Mojica played a key role in the discovery of CRISPR gene-editing technology. Additionally, Pedro Alonso, former director of the WHO’s Global Malaria Programme, contributed to the first malaria vaccine. These scientists exemplify Spain’s outstanding contributions to global research and innovation.
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