Dr Eurydice Angeli, an oncologist, researcher, and lecturer at Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, reflects on her career at the intersection of care and research. A laureate of the Ruban Rose Avenir prize in 2025, she is spearheading the Fab-ulous project, which aims to improve the treatment of HER2+ breast cancer brain metastases and shares her vision for patient-centered research.
While a multitude of new, increasingly precise and efficient targeted therapies are emerging, the challenge of their diffusion into the brain remains unresolved. The brain, a highly protected organ, makes it difficult for drugs to penetrate, leading to therapeutic dead ends, particularly for HER2 breast cancers. Despite advances, 30% of metastatic patients die from brain metastases.
The Fab-ulous project aims to redesign the treatment of HER2 breast cancers, enabling good cerebral diffusion and control of metastases, with the ultimate goal of curing patients with brain metastases. This involves understanding resistance mechanisms, collaborating with various teams (pharmacists, doctors, researchers), and manufacturing a new compound whose efficacy and safety will be demonstrated.
One year after receiving the Ruban Rose Avenir prize in 2025, Dr Angeli notes that the award has enabled her to recruit researchers to advance the project, which also benefits from the support of the University and the hospital. The aim is to bring a real revolution in the management of brain metastases.
This recognition serves as an essential springboard for launching a project of this scale and lends credibility for future funding applications. Pink October is vital for raising awareness about screening and for essential fundraising for research.
The clinical-laboratory duality, reflected in her roles as a PhD at AP-HP, a researcher, and a lecturer at Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, is crucial for identifying challenges, developing projects, and applying them to clinical phases, the ultimate goal of translational research.
To medical students who wish to work on projects like hers, Dr Angeli offers a single piece of advice: « Work hard! »
