IPN and the University of Oxford Join Forces Against Colorectal Cancer

A biobank of Mexican samples will be established at the Center for Research in Applied Science and Advanced Technology, Morelos Unit.

By Nestor Pinacho

A strategic partnership between the Instituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN) and the University of Oxford aims to accelerate research on colorectal cancer, focusing on prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, announced IPN Director General Arturo Reyes Sandoval during the agreement signing ceremony.

“This project reflects the Polytechnic's commitment to science, technology, and public health in our country. By concentrating on the detection of mutations in Mexican patients with colon cancer, it offers a unique opportunity to advance knowledge of this disease and develop strategies that directly impact the well-being of our population,” he said.

The IPN director emphasized that the centerpiece of this initiative will be the creation of a biobank of Mexican colorectal cancer samples, to be located at the Center for Research in Applied Science and Advanced Technology (CICATA), Morelos Unit.

Leading the project, University of Oxford researcher Isabela Pedroza-Pacheco gave a presentation on the global and Mexican situation of colorectal cancer, highlighting a concerning increase in cases among younger individuals in the country.

The expert explained that the project aims to identify new vaccine candidates for populations at high risk of developing cancer, create low-cost diagnostics accessible to the Mexican population, and improve inclusive treatments. “With these efforts, we hope to reduce the number of cases of inflammatory disease and colon cancer by 2030.”

The joint initiative also seeks to transfer Oxford’s working methodologies through a satellite laboratory, initially storing the collected samples. Furthermore, the samples will be analyzed, and procedures will be implemented to establish correlations between cellular and molecular characteristics and the disease.