2025/06/09

CIC bioGUNE joins the first Bilbao March Against Cancer to promote oncological research

CIC bioGUNE, member of BRTA, actively participated in the first edition of "Bilbao en Marcha Contra el Cáncer", a solidarity initiative organized by the Spanish Association Against Cancer (AECC) in Bizkaia. The event brought together more than 1,500 participants this past Sunday for a four-kilometre route through the heart of Bilbao.

Supported by Iberdrola España as the main sponsor and with the collaboration of the BBK Foundation, the Bilbao City Council, and other institutions, the event turned the esplanade around the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, start and finish line, green with solidarity. Institutional representatives from all partner organizations, including CIC bioGUNE, joined AECC Bizkaia president Mila Gullón for the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

This inaugural edition exceeded all expectations in terms of public participation and focused on raising awareness and supporting research into prostate cancer, one of the most common cancers among men and the third leading cause of cancer-related death after lung and colorectal cancer. According to data from the AECC’s Cancer Observatory, 1,776 new prostate cancer cases were diagnosed in the Basque Country in 2024, 930 of them in Bizkaia.

In addition to the walk itself, the event featured a public activity area for all ages, including research-themed workshops for children, exhibitions about the most prevalent cancers in men, and an interactive space where attendees could learn first-hand about the prostate cancer research projects currently underway with the support of AECC Bizkaia.

In this context, AECC Bizkaia emphasized its ongoing commitment, allocating over €1.8 million to support seven prostate cancer research projects, in collaboration with CIC bioGUNE and the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU). These efforts aim to advance more precise diagnostic tools and innovative treatments that improve the quality of life for people affected by the disease.

For CIC bioGUNE, this collaboration not only strengthens the connection between science and society but also underscores the importance of high-impact research as a key tool in the fight against cancer. The center continues to work daily to generate biomedical knowledge capable of transforming scientific progress into real-world solutions.

The event also served as the launch for registrations to the 2nd Bizkaia Bike Against Cancer, a non-competitive virtual race to be held from November 14th to 23rd, continuing the public's commitment to the cause.

CIC bioGUNE celebrates the success of this first edition and reaffirms its commitment to actively participating in initiatives like this one, which promote health, solidarity, and scientific research as pillars of a more just and engaged society.

About CIC bioGUNE
The Centre for Cooperative Research in Biosciences (CIC bioGUNE), member of the Basque Research & Technology Alliance (BRTA), located in the Bizkaia Technology Park, is a biomedical research organization conducting cutting-edge research at the interface between structural, chemical, molecular and cell biology, with a particular focus on generating knowledge on the molecular bases of disease, for use in the development of new diagnostic methods and advanced therapies.

About BRTA
BRTA is an alliance of 4 collaborative research centres (CIC bioGUNE, CIC nanoGUNE, CIC biomaGUNE y CIC energiGUNE) and 13 technology centres (Azterlan, Azti, Ceit, Cidetec, Gaiker, Ideko, Ikerlan, Leartiker, Lortek, Neiker, Tecnalia, Tekniker y Vicomtech) with the main objective of developing advanced technological solutions for the Basque corporate fabric.

With the support of the Basque Government, the SPRI Group and the Provincial Councils of the three territories, the alliance seeks to promote collaboration between the research centres, strengthen the conditions to generate and transfer knowledge to companies, contributing to their competitiveness and outspreading the Basque scientific-technological capacity abroad.

BRTA has a workforce of over 4,000 professionals, executes 22% of the Basque Country's R&D investment, registers an annual turnover of more than 300 million euros and generates 100 European and international patents per year.

Spanish version