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the day I received the first scholarship, I almost couldn't believe it. I felt great happiness and my parents jumped for joy when they found out. When you see all the applications, you feel like it's a lottery and you think you'll never win, but it's worth trying," she recommends. And indeed, had she not trusted herself a little, she would never have been able to share the MIT hallways with some Nobel laureates. "There I learned a lot as a scientist and as a person," she tells us.
But, above all, had she not tried, she might never have contributed to the great scientific discovery she has been part of during her postdoctoral research: her research team discovered that by canceling the action of the p38 protein, a kind of lifeline responsible for protecting tumor cells in breast cancer, therapies are much more effective. In the study, combining classic chemotherapy with drugs capable of blocking this protein, human tumors implanted in mice have been considerably reduced.
For Begoña, all these years of study have been worth it because, with them, she has gained the freedom to choose her own path, something difficult nowadays for scientific researchers. "There are people who choose the card they are given. But the many years of study, effort, and a bit of luck allow you to hold the entire deck in your hand," she states. And her satisfaction is not only personal. "We know we are not going to find the cure for cancer today," she says, "but understanding that your small contribution might end up helping millions of people in 20 years is incredible!"
"The scholarships have allowed me to do things I never imagined I could do and work on what I love most, surrounded by a team of great professionals." Her achievements are ours and her future, too. Because it is young researchers like Begoña who, with their daily effort, are fighting to make the world a better place. Therefore, giving them the opportunity to continue studying is, if not more, giving ourselves the opportunity to advance as a society.
Text: Patri Di Filippo Photography: Clara de Ramón
You can read more stories like these in ALMA, the social social network, a digital space dedicated to the social sphere that offers a new perspective on the present and future of society, from an optimistic and diverse voice, and all the initiatives promoted by the "la Caixa" Social Project.
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