Until now, PALEMA’s project grants for cancer researchers have been awarded in the field of pancreatic cancer. This year, for the first time, they are also being awarded in the areas of esophageal and gastric cancer. The 2025 project grants are awarded to Elina Azizi, PhD candidate at CLINTEC, Karolinska Institutet, and Cecilia Ringborg, postdoctoral researcher at Karolinska Institutet.
Each recipient receives SEK 25,000 and a diploma on September 26 during the full-day conference The Way Forward on Esophageal and Gastric Cancer, organized by PALEMA together with Karolinska Institutet and the National Register for Esophageal and Gastric Cancer (NREV).
The diplomas and awards was presented by PALEMA’s Vice Chair, Mats Frisk.
“For us and our members, research is vital – it is the only path to increased survival for these severe cancer diagnoses.”
Elina Azizi, PhD candidate at CLINTEC and Cecilia Ringborg, postdoctoral researcher at Karolinska Institutet.
“That’s why it feels fantastic to support young researchers thanks to generous donations from our members. Most hopeful of all is the growing interest in working and conducting research within our five cancer diagnoses – it gives us strength and faith in the future,” says Mats Frisk, Vice Chair of PALEMA.
Research projects:
Elina Azizi’s project addresses some of the most urgent challenges in the field. Despite progress with new systemic treatments, the prognosis for patients with metastatic gastric cancer remains very poor. Her projects aim to fill critical knowledge gaps and develop more precise treatment strategies. They carry both high clinical relevance and strong scientific potential. The research seeks to improve selection for oncological treatments to maximize clinical effect and minimize side effects, while also laying the foundation for the development of new innovative strategies.
“At the beginning of my research career, every step matters, and this grant gives me extra energy and motivation to move forward. This support from the patient association PALEMA feels especially valuable, since it is ultimately the patients I want and hope to make a difference for,” says Elina Azizi.
Elina Azizi, PhD candidate at CLINTEC, Karolinska Institutet
Cecilia Ringborg’s research focuses on the burden carried by family caregivers of patients with esophageal cancer. Studies have shown that relatives’ quality of life declines in terms of physical functioning and pain; they feel abandoned and fully responsible for the patient’s care after discharge from the hospital. Her project, The Burden for Family Caregivers of Patients with Esophageal Cancer – a Long-Term Study, aims to investigate the caregiving burden between one and five years after the patient’s curative treatment. The goal is to determine whether there are significant changes over time, and if so, when these occur.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to highlight a group that is expected to carry a large share of the patient’s care without any prior training or knowledge. A group that is often overlooked,” says Cecilia Ringborg.
Cecilia Ringborg, postdoctoral researcher at Karolinska Institutet
PALEMA’s project grants were first awarded in 2024, with a total of SEK 75,000 distributed. This year, the total amount has doubled to SEK 150,000. Grants for researchers in liver and biliary tract cancer will also be awarded later this year.
For more information, please contact PALEMA’s head of office Anders Alhbin at anders.alhbin@palema.org or +46 70 325 3310.
