28 November 2025
Two projects developed at the Champalimaud Foundation received the Pfizer Research Awards 2025, the oldest scientific distinction in Portugal, in recognition of advances in personalised medicine for cancer and in understanding the mechanisms that regulate the body’s metabolic balance. The awards were announced on November 28 during the annual ceremony.
In the Clinical Research category, the award went to Rita Fior, leader of the Cancer Development and Innate Immune Evasion Group, for the study “The zAvatar test forecasts clinical treatment response in patients with colorectal cancer: a co-clinical study paving the way for personalised medicine.” Bruna Costa, a postdoctoral researcher, is the first author of the recognised work.
The research introduces the zAvatar test, a predictive tool based on zebrafish models to anticipate how each patient will respond to available therapies. Small tumour samples are implanted into larvae, creating “biological avatars” that replicate the cancer’s progression and behaviour in response to the drugs.
In a clinical study with 55 patients, the test demonstrated approximately 90% accuracy, helping to avoid ineffective treatments and providing physicians with a faster decision-support tool tailored to the individual needs of each patient.
“Our work demonstrates that scientific experimentation can be directly translated into a clinical decision-support tool, benefiting each patient in a personalised way,” emphasizes Rita Fior.
This advance strengthens the bridge between translational research and clinical practice, bringing truly personalised solutions closer for the treatment of colorectal cancer.
In the Basic Research category, the award was given to Henrique Veiga-Fernandes, Principal Investigator of the Immunophysiology Lab, for the study “Neuronal-ILC2 interactions regulate pancreatic glucagon and glucose homeostasis,” published in Science. Marko Šestan, currently Assistant Professor at the University of Rijeka, was the first author of this study while working in the Veiga-Fernandes Lab.
The research reveals, for the first time, the existence of a neuro-immune-hormonal circuit that regulates energy production and maintains proper blood glucose levels.
During fasting or physical exercise, ILC2 immune cells migrate from the intestine to the pancreas, stimulating the release of the hormone glucagon, which signals the liver to produce glucose from internal reserves, ensuring a continuous supply of energy to the body’s cells.
“This is the first known example of a neuro-immune-hormonal circuit that ensures one of the body’s most vital functions: producing energy when it is scarce,” explains Henrique Veiga-Fernandes.
The discovery opens new avenues for therapeutic approaches to diabetes, obesity, and other metabolic diseases, as well as potential applications in certain cancers that exploit these hormonal and immune pathways.
This study illustrates how fundamental science can lay the groundwork for future clinical solutions to highly prevalent diseases.
Established in 1956, the Pfizer Research Awards are the oldest scientific distinction in Portugal. They result from a partnership between the Lisbon Society of Medical Sciences and Pfizer Portugal, and each year they recognise two original research projects, one in basic research and one in clinical research, carried out in Portuguese institutions. Their aim is to honour research that contributes to the advancement of medicine and public health, reinforcing the role of Portuguese science on the international stage.
