Oncology Projects

José’s career started and ended with the unshakeable belief that advances in the field of oncology could, and would, eradicate cancer as a cause of death in his lifetime. Particularly, he saw incredible potential in translational science and precision medicine.

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As a physician-scientist, José spent his early days bouncing between the bench lab and the bedside, and thought scientific research ought to do the same. He believed that the key was to bridge what was happening in the Petri dish with what was happening to the patient, in order to develop novel therapies that could improve the lives of real people.

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In line with his patient-centric outlook, José also believed firmly in precision medicine, the notion that each patient should receive treatments tailored to their genetic makeup and individual characteristics.

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These two pillars were instrumental in helping him develop 14 cancer medicines, many of which have become standard of care for treating patients with breast cancer. His last big triumph, months before he became sick, was his and AstraZeneca’s decision to collaborate with Daiichi Sankyo on Enhertu , a drug that promises to give unprecedented hope for patients with many types of cancers.

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Throughout his career, José learned from and depended greatly on the support of his mentors, and strived to serve in this role himself for the next generation of oncologists. The following awards, grants, and programs – many of which are designed to support early-career scientists – are a way of keeping alive that desire to guide and support peers.