> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://barna.news/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Dr Luke Lairson to Lead New Therapy Lab at IRB Barcelona - URL: https://barna.news/dr-luke-lairson-to-lead-new-therapy-lab/ - Published: 2026-11-04T14:26:18.000Z - Updated: 2026-11-04T14:26:26.000Z - Description: Dr Luke Lairson joins IRB Barcelona to launch a laboratory focused on developing small-molecule treatments for cancer, autoimmune diseases, and multiple sclerosis. - Author: Barna.News News Desk - Tags: health Dr Luke Lairson will join the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB) Barcelona today, 4th November 2026, to lead a new laboratory dedicated to discovering small-molecule therapies for a range of diseases. His research will focus on controlling cellular behaviour to develop new treatments, with potential applications in cancer, autoimmune disorders, and neurodegenerative conditions such as multiple sclerosis. The laboratory will pursue three main research lines: identifying molecules that selectively destroy treatment-resistant tumour cells, modulating immune responses to fight cancer or suppress autoimmune reactions, and promoting myelin repair in diseases like multiple sclerosis. This work builds on Lairson’s prior research at Scripps Research, where he co-led the discovery of SR-717, a small molecule that activates the STING protein to stimulate antitumour immunity in mice, as reported in *Science* on 20th August 2020. ## Strengthening Chemical Biology Expertise Lairson’s appointment strengthens IRB Barcelona’s capabilities in chemical biology and therapeutic discovery. His lab will integrate into the institute’s existing Aging and Metabolism research programme, complementing ongoing work in cancer, cell signalling, and cell plasticity. Lairson earned his PhD in Chemistry from the University of British Columbia in 2007 and completed postdoctoral training at Scripps Research. His work has been published in leading journals including *Nature* and *Science*, and he has received significant research funding, including a $1,554,126 award from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine for research into remyelination-inducing drug combinations. --- ## Targeting Resistant Cancers and Immune Pathways Earlier in his career, Lairson’s team at Scripps discovered FiVe1, a compound that blocks the growth of aggressive tumour cells that have undergone epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a process linked to metastasis and treatment resistance in carcinomas and sarcomas. The compound works by binding to vimentin, a protein abundant in mesenchymal-type cells, potentially sparing healthy fast-dividing cells from damage, a key limitation of conventional chemotherapy. > We hope that this discovery is going to lead to the development of effective therapies against a broad range of aggressive cancers, said Dr Luke Lairson in a 2017 Scripps Research report on the FiVe1 findings. His ongoing work on immune modulation, including STING activation, opens avenues for systemic cancer treatments that harness the body’s own defences. The SR-717 molecule, developed in collaboration with Calibr, showed strong antitumour effects in melanoma models when delivered systemically. --- *Sources:* [*Diari Catalunya*](https://diaricatalunya.cat/barcelones/barcelona/el-dr-luke-lairson-sincorpora-a-irb-barcelona-per-liderar-la-recerca-en-terapies-contra-malalties?ref=barna.news)*.* --- ### Related on Barna.News - [Liver Cancer Vulnerability Identified by VHIO Study](https://barna.news/liver-cancer-vulnerability-identified/)