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The future of oncology is fueled by efforts of outstanding researchers and their research teams. Innovative preclinical and clinical research projects will continuously improve our knowledge in oncology and address emerging challenges.
Research is a continuous professional and personal commitment; therefore, Swiss Cancer Institute’s and Astellas’ intent is to motivate and honor young researchers on this important journey.
To further foster preclinical and clinical oncology research in Switzerland, Swiss Cancer Institute and Astellas team up to confer a Swiss GU- GI Research Award. A researcher will be awarded as representative of a research group or project for an outstanding scientific and/or clinical achievement documented by a scientific publication (published paper or accepted manuscript in a peer-reviewed journal).
The focus of the Swiss Cancer Institute / Astellas GU-GI Research Award lies on potential tangible improvements for patient management and outcomes in the treatment of genitourinary and/or gastrointestinal cancers.
The award is endowed with CHF 30’000.- and should encourage the continuation of research activities. Hence the awarded sum is to be used for ongoing and future research within the respective research group or project.
We are proud to announce Prof. Dr. Camilla Jandus, Professor of Tumor Immunology at the University of Geneva, as the recipient of the Swiss Cancer Institute/Astellas GU-GI Research Award 2026.
Prof. Jandus is internationally recognized for her pioneering contributions to cancer immunology, particularly her work on innate lymphoid cells (ILCs), a group of immune cells that play a critical role in shaping the tumor microenvironment. Through innovative translational research, her laboratory has uncovered novel mechanisms by which immune cells interact with tumors and influence disease progression.
The award supports her research on the emerging field of neuro-immune interactions in bladder cancer. Building on a recent breakthrough discovery, Prof. Jandus and her team identified the nerve growth factor (NGF)-TrkA signaling pathway as a key mechanism driving tumor-promoting functions of type 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s). Their findings, which were published in Nature Communications in 2026, revealed how neural signals can shape the immune environment of bladder tumors and contribute to immune suppression and tumor growth. Furthermore, this work demonstrated that blocking the NGF-TrkA pathway can enhance anti-tumor immunity and improve responses to immune checkpoint therapies in preclinical models, highlighting a promising new therapeutic strategy for bladder cancer.
Through the support of the Swiss Cancer Institute/Astellas GU-GI Research Award, Prof. Jandus' team will further investigate how neural and immune pathways interact within the bladder tumor microenvironment using advanced spatial transcriptomic and proteomic technologies. The project aims to identify novel therapeutic targets and accelerate the development of innovative immunotherapy approaches, including the potential repurposing of clinically approved TrkA inhibitors for patients with bladder cancer.
By bridging fundamental immunology and translational cancer research, Prof. Jandus and her team continue to advance our understanding of tumor immunity and contribute to the development of next-generation cancer therapies.
Left Picture: Prof. Dr. med Camilla Jandus, Award Winner
Right Picture (from left to right):
Prof. Dr. med. Viviane Hess, Basel, President Swiss Cancer Institute
Prof. Dr. med Richard Cathomas. Head of Jury
Dr. sc. nat. Maria Böhm, Astellas Pharma AG
Prof. Dr. med Camilla Jandus, Award Winner
The Swiss Cancer Institute is a research institution of national importance dedicated exclusively to independent, multicenter cancer research in Switzerland. As a leading organization in the field of academic oncology, we conduct comprehensive research in all types of cancer and across all disciplines.
MAT-CH-NON-2026-00134 | Date of prepration: August 2026
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