José Pedro Friedmann Angeli, a researcher at the University of Würzburg, was awarded in Germany for his discoveries on ferroptosis and its application in fighting cancer.
José Pedro Friedmann Angeli received one of Germany's main cancer research awards in the experimental research category. He was recognized for his work on the fundamental process of ferroptosis regulation.
Angeli explained that ferroptosis involves the oxidation of fatty acids in cells, similar to what happens with foods like cheese or butter when exposed to air. His group clarified the role of an enzyme and developed compounds with therapeutic potential.
"It is still a very preliminary phase. If all goes well, until reaching a real clinical study, we are probably talking about 10 to 15 years," the researcher said. Many tumors resistant to existing treatments showed sensitivity to ferroptosis in the laboratory.
