In her research, Ana Banito focuses on soft-tissue sarcoma. Those are a group of tumors particular challenging to treat due to their high heterogeneity, limited understanding of molecular tumorigenic mechanisms and scarcity of models for translational studies. With her research group from KiTZ and DKFZ, Banito aims to fill these critical gaps by applying state-of-the-art technologies to understand underlying oncogenic molecular mechanisms, and develop novel in vitro and in vivo sarcoma models. Their studies are based on the genetics and epigenetics of sarcoma with two main foci: Understand key molecular mechanisms mediated by specific oncogenic alterations and model them in vivo to maximize clinical translation. Recently, the group has been able to show how synovial sarcoma, a malignant connective tissue tumor that is one of the most common soft tissue sarcomas in adolescents and young adults, manage to continuously maintain a genetic program so that cancer cells develop instead of normal cells.
Now, Ana Banito was selected as one of 26 researchers who are invited to join the EMBO Young Investigators, starting in January 2024, granting them access to an international network of more than 700 current and former EMBO Young Investigators, Installation Grantees and Global Investigators. EMBO is an international organization of life scientists and directs funding from member states towards research fellowships, courses, workshops, conferences, and science policy initiatives. As part of the Young Investigator Program, Banito will have access to networking opportunities, training in leadership skills and responsible research practices, and access to core facilities at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL). Furthermore, Young Investigators receive an award of 15,000 euros in the second year of their tenure, and can apply for further funding, travel grants and take advantage of mentorship opportunities amongst many other benefits.
More information on Banito’s research group
Latest press release on Banito’s research regarding synovial sarcoma
More information on the EMBO YIP
