A warm welcome to Alicia L. Bruzos!

The Minerva Fast Track Program, funded by the Max Planck Society, supports outstanding early-career female scientists in becoming independent researchers. For the next three years in Bremen, Bruzos will study how cancer spreads and forms metastases in marine bivalves, focusing on the genetic mechanisms involved. Her work could reveal insights relevant for other species, including parallels to human metastases. Also, cross-species transmission of cancers could represent a potential threat for marine species that needs to be further investigated.

Alicia L. Bruzos earned her PhD in Molecular Medicine in Spain in 2022, then conducted postdoctoral research at the Francis Crick Institute in London and at the Université de Caen Normandie in France, supported by a Marie Skłodowska-Curie fellowship.

“As a molecular biologist, I have always been intrigued by the evolutionary convergence of cancers across different species, how malignant cells evolve to invade or ‘travel to’ distant tissues and, in some cases, even cross species boundaries”, says Bruzos. “Now I am very much looking forward to benefit from the international working environment and the excellent facilities at the Max Planck institute for Marine Microbiology to further deepen my research. Challenging and exciting years lie ahead, with much to learn, but I am deeply grateful for this opportunity.”

We’re excited to see the discoveries her research at our institute will bring!