Laura Soucek

Laura Soucek is a prominent scientist and entrepreneur in the field of cancer research. She is currently a Member at referentsfemenins.cat, a role she has held since April 2023.1 However, this is just one of her many professional positions and accomplishments.

Career Highlights

Laura Soucek serves as the Director of the Preclinical and Translational Research Program at the Vall d'Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO) in Barcelona, Spain.1 She is also the Head of the Models of Cancer Therapies Laboratory at VHIO, a position she has held since March 2011.1

In addition to her roles at VHIO, Soucek is:

• A Research Professor at ICREA (Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats) since October 20141
• The Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Peptomyc, a company she established in December 20141
• An Associate Professor at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona since 20141

Research Focus

Soucek's research primarily focuses on the Myc oncoprotein, which is deregulated in almost all cancers.2 She has designed a dominant negative variant called Omomyc, which allows her to investigate the benefits of inhibiting Myc in cancer.2 Her work aims to develop an efficient and safe drug version of Omomyc for cancer treatment.2

Education and Early Career

Born in 1973 near Rome, Italy, Soucek studied biology at the Sapienza University of Rome, graduating in 1996.2 She then obtained her PhD in genetics and molecular biology in 2001.2 Her career has taken her from Italy to the United States, where she worked at the University of California, San Francisco, before returning to Europe to join VHIO in Barcelona.2

Achievements and Recognition

Soucek has received several accolades for her work, including:

• The European Institute of Innovation and Technology Public Prize in 20192
• Being featured in a FC Barcelona commercial to advertise the 2019/2020 season kit2
• The FIDEM Award in the Science category in 20191

Laura Soucek is a multilingual professional, with proficiency in Catalan, Spanish, Italian, and English.1 Her work continues to contribute significantly to the field of cancer research and treatment development.