The newspaper El Correo has highlighted the work of Lourdes Basabe and the Microfluidics Cluster UPV/EHU in a major feature devoted to cancer research in Álava.

On Sunday, 27 September, El Correo dedicated its front page and a two-page feature entitled “La vanguardia alavesa contra el cáncer” to research groups in Álava working on new approaches to understand, diagnose and treat different types of cancer.

Among the researchers featured is Lourdes Basabe, Ikerbasque Research Professor and Director of the Microfluidics Cluster UPV/EHU, whose work focuses on the development and application of microfluidic technologies to study biological processes at the cellular scale.

In the article, Basabe explains how microfluidic devices —typically fabricated using materials such as glass or polymers and designed to manipulate very small volumes of liquid— make it possible to reproduce and analyse biological processes under highly controlled conditions. These technologies, which are already present in applications ranging from diagnostic tests to glucose monitoring systems, offer important opportunities for biomedical research.

One of the research lines highlighted by El Correo is the work carried out together with researcher Edurne Alonso, based on the integration of sensors around cells in order to precisely determine which proteins they secrete when exposed to different stimuli. This approach is being applied to the study of different types of testicular germ cell tumours, with the aim of identifying their molecular characteristics, distinguishing between tumour subtypes and helping to understand why some variants show more aggressive behaviour than others.

Microfluidics therefore provides a powerful tool to study cellular behaviour in highly controlled and reproducible environments, while progressively enabling the development of models that can mimic key functions of tissues and organs. In this context, Basabe also refers to the recent award of a European project focused on the development of a “digital twin”, where these technologies may contribute to reproducing biological functions and studying cellular responses in greater detail, with potential applications in therapy optimisation and disease modelling.

The feature places this research within the wider biomedical research ecosystem of Álava, alongside work on early diagnosis, immunotherapy, genetics, microbiome research, artificial tissue models, ultrasound-based approaches and new therapeutic strategies.

Basabe-Desmonts also stresses the high scientific quality of the research currently being carried out in the region, while pointing to the need for sustained institutional and financial support to maximise its impact and ensure the long-term development of local research talent.

The presence of the Microfluidics Cluster UPV/EHU in this special feature by El Correo highlights the growing role of microfluidics and Lab-on-a-Chip technologies in biomedical research, both for advancing fundamental understanding of disease and for developing new diagnostic tools and therapeutic strategies.

Source: El Correo, Álava edition, Sunday 27 September 2026, feature article “La vanguardia alavesa contra el cáncer”.