Sara García, a reserve astronaut and molecular biologist of the European Space Agency, will be the featured speaker at the upcoming Club Ultima Hora – Valores event where she will discuss lung cancer treatments. The event, co-organized with the Spanish Association Against Cancer in the Balearic Islands and the Cercle d’Economia of Mallorca, will take place on November 10 at 7:00 p.m. in the Aljub Room in Es Baluard.
In an interview, García addressed the significance of being the first Spanish woman to go into space, stating that while it is not often asked about, she believes there will come a time when women’s achievements won’t be news anymore. When asked about her hopes for a space project, García expressed a personal interest in biomedical and oncological research due to her background in the field. She highlighted the potential effects of microgravity on drug formulation and the crystallization of proteins.
Regarding project assignments, García revealed that the European Space Agency has career astronauts who work for them and have multiple missions. As a reserve astronaut, García continues to maintain her job and would join a project as a sponsor if the flight opportunity arises and Spain is interested. She discussed her pride in working alongside Mariano Barbacid at the National Cancer Research Center (CNIO) and leading a research project.
Turning to the topic of lung cancer, García mentioned the recently approved specific drug for treating the KRAS oncogene, which accounts for 25% of lung cancer cases. She will provide information about the range of treatment options available in her informative conference. García also highlighted progress in treating pancreatic cancer, where multiple genes need to be eliminated and the epidemic growth factor receptor inhibited.
When asked about the possibility of curing 70% of tumors by 2030, García remained cautious and stated that while research increases survival rates, each cancer and patient are unique, so generalizations cannot be made. Regarding the current use of chemotherapy, García acknowledged that personalized medicine is still not widely adopted, but she believes it will become the general trend in the future. She emphasized that chemotherapy has saved many lives and should not be underestimated.
Finally, García addressed the issue of motherhood in the research field, expressing that motherhood should not hinder access to positions of responsibility. She highlighted the progress in conciliation and equality policies within organizations and pointed out that the only European astronaut to date has been a mother twice. García believes that organizations are becoming more aware of the importance of supporting researchers who are also mothers.