{"id":12426,"date":"2025-12-12T08:58:24","date_gmt":"2025-12-12T07:58:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/?p=12426"},"modified":"2025-12-12T09:09:51","modified_gmt":"2025-12-12T08:09:51","slug":"2025-through-a-microscope","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/en\/2025-through-a-microscope\/","title":{"rendered":"2025 through a microscope"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-12441 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/RecapInstantaneas-2025-01-ENG.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1080\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/RecapInstantaneas-2025-01-ENG.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/RecapInstantaneas-2025-01-ENG-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/RecapInstantaneas-2025-01-ENG-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/RecapInstantaneas-2025-01-ENG-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/RecapInstantaneas-2025-01-ENG-768x768.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">One of the most powerful driving forces in human beings is <\/span><strong>curiosity<\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">: the impulse that leads us to explore the unknown, to comprehend the world around us and even understand our own biology. Curiosity can arise from a simple desire to know something but also from a desire to <\/span><strong>transform knowledge into health or social impact.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">The <\/span><strong>Snapshots of 2025<\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\"> are an example of how, through research, curiosity can become advances in health. Here are <\/span><strong>eight images taken by researchers from our network that reflect some of the most notable discoveries of the year<\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\"> but which, thanks to their colours and textures, could also pass for authentic works of art. In several of them, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>artists awarded fellowships by \u201dla Caixa\u201d Foundation<\/strong> have contributed their creative interpretation<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">, inviting us to contemplate science from a completely new perspective.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b><i>New possibilities to tackle cancer\u00a0<\/i><\/b><\/h2>\n<div style=\"width: 400px;\" class=\"wp-video\"><!--[if lt IE 9]><script>document.createElement('video');<\/script><![endif]-->\n<video class=\"wp-video-shortcode\" id=\"video-12426-1\" width=\"400\" height=\"400\" preload=\"metadata\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"video\/mp4\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/ENG-ENERO.mp4?_=1\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/ENG-ENERO.mp4\">https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/ENG-ENERO.mp4<\/a><\/video><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">The <\/span><b>microtubules<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\"> seen in the image, made up of proteins called tubulins, act as a kind of scaffolding that supports the cell and coordinates its movements. They&#8217;re involved, for instance, in the <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">distribution of DNA during cell division<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">, a process which, if altered, can lead to cancer.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">A <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-024-54155-8\"><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">study<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\"> led by<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/caixaresearch.org\/en\/caixaresearch-health-call-2021-project-drug-resistance-cancer\"><b>Helder Maiato<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">,<\/span><b> at i3S in Oporto<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">, has discovered that a chemical modification in the alpha-tubulin, namely detyrosination, ensures the chromosomes are correctly regulated during cell division, a finding that could help to improve the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">Read the full <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/en\/caixaresearch-snapshot-a-tubulin-study-opens-up-new-possibilities-to-tackle-cancer\/\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">summary<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\"> and this<\/span><\/i> <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/CaixaResearch\/status\/1882720011317653563\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">X thread<\/span><\/i><\/a> <i><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">with more details!<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<h2><b><i>Our allies against excess calories<\/i><\/b><\/h2>\n<div style=\"width: 400px;\" class=\"wp-video\"><video class=\"wp-video-shortcode\" id=\"video-12426-2\" width=\"400\" height=\"400\" preload=\"metadata\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"video\/mp4\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/ENG-FEBRERO.mp4?_=2\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/ENG-FEBRERO.mp4\">https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/ENG-FEBRERO.mp4<\/a><\/video><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">When we consume more calories than we need, <\/span><b>cells called adipocytes store the excess as fat<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\"> to prevent it from being deposited in other organs and tissues, where it could be harmful.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">A <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnic.es\/es\/noticias\/nature-communications-descubren-un-mecanismo-clave-celulas-grasas-para-proteger-al\"><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">CNIC<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\"> study, led by <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/caixaresearch.org\/en\/caixaresearch-health-call-2020-project-atherosclerosis\"><b>Miguel \u00c1ngel del Pozo<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">,<\/span><b> has revealed how these cells manage to expand without becoming overwhelmed<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, specifically <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">thanks to caveolae, small folds in the cell membrane that act as sensors and transducers of tension, enabling cells to store large amounts of lipids safely. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41467-024-54224-y\"><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">This finding<\/span><\/a> <b>has improved our understanding of metabolic diseases<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\"> and opens the door to new strategies to combat disorders related to excess energy, such as obesity and metabolic syndrome.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">Find out more in the full<\/span><\/i> <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/en\/caixaresearch-snapshot-adipocytes-our-allies-against-excess-calories\/\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">summary<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\"> and <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/CaixaResearch\/status\/1894410577855848488\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">X thread<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">!<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<h2><b><i>A key factor as from the early stages of Alzheimer&#8217;s<\/i><\/b><\/h2>\n<div style=\"width: 400px;\" class=\"wp-video\"><video class=\"wp-video-shortcode\" id=\"video-12426-3\" width=\"400\" height=\"400\" preload=\"metadata\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"video\/mp4\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/ENG-MARZO.mp4?_=3\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/ENG-MARZO.mp4\">https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/ENG-MARZO.mp4<\/a><\/video><\/div>\n<p><b>Alzheimer&#8217;s<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\"> causes a progressive deterioration in the neurones, affecting the patient&#8217;s memory,\u00a0 their capacity for personal relations and even their identity, and there&#8217;s still no cure. Traditionally it was thought that, for this brain damage to occur, there had to be two proteins present associated with the disease: amyloid beta and tau.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">However, a recent <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/alz-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/10.1002\/alz.14415\"><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">study<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\"> by the <\/span><b>Barcelona\u03b2eta Brain Research Center (<\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.barcelonabeta.org\/en\"><b>BBRC<\/b><\/a><b>) has discovered that, by itself, amyloid beta can damage the hippocampus <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(a key region for the memory) in the early stages of Alzheimer&#8217;s and can therefore be an early indicator. This finding, based on samples from the<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.barcelonabeta.org\/en\/research\/research-studies\/alfa-study\"><b>Alfa + cohort<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">, promoted by \u201cla Caixa\u201d Foundation and using high-resolution MRI, <\/span><b>underlines the importance of early detection<\/b> <span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">and the need for clinical trials aimed at people at risk of developing Alzheimer&#8217;s.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">Want to know more? Read the full<\/span><\/i> <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/en\/caixaresearch-snapshot-amyloid-beta-a-key-factor-of-alzheimers\/\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">summary<\/span><\/i><\/a> <i><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">and the<\/span><\/i> <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/CaixaResearch\/status\/1899412178089685376\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">X thread<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<h2><b><i>A major breakthrough to combat liver cancer<\/i><\/b><\/h2>\n<div style=\"width: 400px;\" class=\"wp-video\"><video class=\"wp-video-shortcode\" id=\"video-12426-4\" width=\"400\" height=\"400\" preload=\"metadata\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"video\/mp4\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/ENG-ABRIL.mp4?_=4\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/ENG-ABRIL.mp4\">https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/ENG-ABRIL.mp4<\/a><\/video><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">More than <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/gco.iarc.who.int\/media\/globocan\/factsheets\/cancers\/11-liver-and-intrahepatic-bile-ducts-fact-sheet.pdf\"><b>860,000 cases<\/b><\/a><b> of liver cancer<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\"> are diagnosed each year, with hepatocellular carcinoma being the most common form and one of the most fatal. The disease is complex as there are four subtypes with different genetic alterations and characteristics, making it difficult to predict how each patient will respond to treatment.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">A <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41586-025-08585-z\"><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">study<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\"> led by <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dr.<\/span> <b>Josep M. Llovet from <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.clinicbarcelona.org\/idibaps\"><b>Hospital Cl\u00ednic &#8211; IDIBAPS<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\"> has developed a screening platform with 25 mouse models and organoids (miniature organs) that <\/span><b>reproduce these subtypes and help to assess the efficacy of treatments in each case.<\/b> <span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">Preliminary results point to cladribine as a promising treatment in combination with standard-of-care treatment, paving the way <\/span><b>towards more precise and personalised therapies.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">Find out more in the full <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/en\/caixaresearch-snapshot-a-caixaresearch-study-has-made-a-major-breakthrough-in-achieving-personalised-medicine-for-liver-cancer\/\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">summary<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\"> and the <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/CaixaResearch\/status\/1916774513959743732\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">X thread<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">!<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<h2><b><i>The cellular journey that shapes our face<\/i><\/b><\/h2>\n<div style=\"width: 400px;\" class=\"wp-video\"><video class=\"wp-video-shortcode\" id=\"video-12426-5\" width=\"400\" height=\"400\" preload=\"metadata\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"video\/mp4\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/ENG-MAYO.mp4?_=5\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/ENG-MAYO.mp4\">https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/ENG-MAYO.mp4<\/a><\/video><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">In this Snapshot we can see <\/span><b>neural crest cells<\/b> <span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">during embryonic development, migrating <\/span><b>to form structures, such as the face.<\/b> <a href=\"https:\/\/caixaresearch.org\/en\/caixaresearch-health-call-2021-project-regenerative-medicine\"><b>Elo\u00edsa Herrera<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8216;s group,<\/span><b> from the <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/in.umh-csic.es\/en\/\"><b>Institute for Neurosciences CSIC-UMH<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">, has discovered that two proteins, ARID1A and ZIC2, are crucial to these cells starting their journey and, when they fail, this can lead to craniofacial malformations. This discovery has therefore <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">opened to the door to<\/span> <b>future therapies<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">For the \u201dla Caixa\u201d fellow and artist <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/becarios.fundacionlacaixa.org\/en\/web\/guest\/fellows\/marta-velasco-velasco-B004048\"><b>Marta Velasco<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">, the same image suggests <\/span><b>the passage of time, from the miniscule to enormous, millennia-old surfaces<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">, reminding her of the work by artists such as <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.frankenthalerfoundation.org\/artworks\/paintings\"><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">Helen Frankenthaler<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\"> and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.whitecube.com\/artists\/tracey-emin\"><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">Tracey Emin<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">. As we can see, a scientific image can be both a clue to understanding the development of our bodies and also a source of visual inspiration.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">For more details, see the full <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/en\/caixaresearch-snapshot-from-the-minuscule\/\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">interview<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\"> and this <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/CaixaResearch\/status\/1927644586282762437\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">X thread<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<h2><b><i>A new clue to combat heart attacks<\/i><\/b><\/h2>\n<div style=\"width: 400px;\" class=\"wp-video\"><video class=\"wp-video-shortcode\" id=\"video-12426-6\" width=\"400\" height=\"400\" preload=\"metadata\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"video\/mp4\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/ENG-JULIO.mp4?_=6\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/ENG-JULIO.mp4\">https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/ENG-JULIO.mp4<\/a><\/video><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">For the \u201dla Caixa\u201d Foundation fellow <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/becarios.fundacionlacaixa.org\/es\/web\/guest\/becarios\/guillermo-mora-perez-B002435?nav=true\"><b>Guillermo Mora<\/b><\/a><b>, a laboratory and an artist&#8217;s studio have a lot in common: in both there&#8217;s searching, trial and error<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">. When he looks at this Snapshot he sees displacement, a map of movement and separation that reminds him of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nationalgalleries.org\/art-and-artists\/features\/karla-black\"><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">Karla Black<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">&#8216;s work. But what are we actually seeing?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">The image shows an <\/span><b>artery with the fatty plaques<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\"> accumulating on its walls that can cause atherosclerosis. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/caixaresearch.org\/en\/caixaresearch-health-call-2023-project-microbiota-atherosclerosis\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">David Sancho<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">&#8216;s<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> team at CNIC<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\"> has discovered that certain immune system cells, namely cDC1, are involved in the formation of these plaques. When they&#8217;re eliminated in animal models, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the plaques are reduced, making it possible to develop more precise and effective therapies<\/span><b>.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">Find out more in the full <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/en\/caixaresearch-snapshot-displacement\/\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">interview<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\"> and this <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/CaixaResearch\/status\/1948649242328756510\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">X thread<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<h2><b><i>An unusual connection between brain and gut<\/i><\/b><\/h2>\n<div style=\"width: 400px;\" class=\"wp-video\"><video class=\"wp-video-shortcode\" id=\"video-12426-7\" width=\"400\" height=\"400\" preload=\"metadata\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"video\/mp4\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/ENG-OCTUBRE.mp4?_=7\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/ENG-OCTUBRE.mp4\">https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/ENG-OCTUBRE.mp4<\/a><\/video><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">At first sight, this image might look like a contemporary work of art with an artificial, almost random texture. For<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/becarios.fundacionlacaixa.org\/es\/gema-alava-crisostomo-B000019\"><b>Gema \u00c1lava<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">, artist and \u201dla Caixa\u201d Foundation fellow, it evokes a star-filled sky or a cluster of cities seen from the air, and she&#8217;d entitled it \u201cUniverses of the maximum and of the minimum\u201d. Because of its dynamism and the sensation of suspended movement, it reminds her of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/historia-arte.com\/artistas\/jackson-pollock\"><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">Jackson Pollock<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">&#8216;s work.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">In actual fact, the Snapshot shows <\/span><b>POMC neurons in the hypothalamus<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">, an area of the brain that regulates hunger and the metabolism. The team of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/caixaresearch.org\/en\/caixaresearch-health-call-2019-project-intestinal-bacteria\"><b>Marc Claret<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><b>an IDIBAPS researcher<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">, has discovered that these neurons can alter the composition of intestinal microbiota in just a few hours,<\/span> <b>confirming that the brain and gut communicate in both directions<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">. This <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s42255-025-01280-3\"><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">finding<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\"> could lead to new ways to treat diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes and certain digestive disorders.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">Read more in the full <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/en\/caixaresearch-snapshot-universes-of-the-maximum-and-minimum\/\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">interview<\/span><\/i><\/a> <i><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">and the thread on <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/CaixaResearch\/status\/1978834263609946401\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">X<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\"> and <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/bsky.app\/profile\/caixaresearch.bsky.social\/post\/3m3cydtgzan2t\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">Bluesky<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<h2><b><i>The cellular shield that protects cancer<\/i><\/b><\/h2>\n<div style=\"width: 400px;\" class=\"wp-video\"><video class=\"wp-video-shortcode\" id=\"video-12426-8\" width=\"400\" height=\"400\" preload=\"metadata\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"video\/mp4\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/ENG-NOVIEMBRE.mp4?_=8\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/ENG-NOVIEMBRE.mp4\">https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/ENG-NOVIEMBRE.mp4<\/a><\/video><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">Both in art and in cancer research,<\/span> <b>looking beyond the evident can transform how we see a work of art or understand a disease.<\/b> <span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">For <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/becarios.fundacionlacaixa.org\/ca\/max-enric-azemar-i-carnicero-B006289\"><b>Max Azemar<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">, artist and \u201dla Caixa\u201d Foundation fellow, the textures and overlayering of different planes in this image are reminiscent of the instant of an explosion of light, the energy from the northern lights, and even the representation of absinthe in 19th-century impressionist paintings.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">At a scientific level, the image shows a discovery made by the team of<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/caixaresearch.org\/en\/caixaresearch-health-call-projects-2024-colon-tumour\"><b>Xavier Trepat<\/b><\/a> <b>and Alice Perucca<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\"> from IBEC: fibroblasts, cells in the tumour&#8217;s environment, form a barrier that prevents the body&#8217;s immune cells from eliminating breast cancer cells. They discovered this thanks to <\/span><b>MIRO<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">, a \u201cchip\u201d developed by the group that recreates a tumour and its environment, allowing them to observe <\/span><b>how such barriers hinder immunotherapy and allowing them to explore new strategies <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">towards more effective and personalised treatments.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">For more details, see the full <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/en\/snapshot-the-very-instant-of-a-cosmic-blast\/\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">interview<\/span><\/i><\/a> <i><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">and the thread on<\/span><\/i> <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/CaixaResearch\/status\/1988533716222681131?s=20\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">X<\/span><\/i><\/a> <i><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">and<\/span><\/i> <a href=\"https:\/\/bsky.app\/profile\/caixaresearch.bsky.social\/post\/3m5gc6xz4sj2o\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">Bluesky<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 300;\">.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-12441 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/RecapInstantaneas-2025-01-ENG.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1080\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/RecapInstantaneas-2025-01-ENG.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/RecapInstantaneas-2025-01-ENG-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/RecapInstantaneas-2025-01-ENG-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/RecapInstantaneas-2025-01-ENG-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/RecapInstantaneas-2025-01-ENG-768x768.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>One of the most powerful driving forces in human beings is curiosity: the impulse that leads us to explore the unknown, to comprehend the world around us and even understand our own biology. Curiosity can arise from a simple desire to know something but also from a desire to transform knowledge into health or social impact.<\/p>\n<p>The Snapshots of 2025 are an example of how, through research, curiosity can become advances in health. Here are eight images taken by researchers from our network that reflect some of the most notable discoveries of the year but which, thanks to their colours and textures, could also pass for authentic works of art. In several of them,<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12426","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sin-categorizar"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v24.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>2025 through a microscope - Blog CaixaCi\u00e8ncia<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/en\/2025-through-a-microscope\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"2025 through a microscope - Blog CaixaCi\u00e8ncia\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"One of the most powerful driving forces in human beings is curiosity: the impulse that leads us to explore the unknown, to comprehend the world around us and even understand our own biology. Curiosity can arise from a simple desire to know something but also from a desire to transform knowledge into health or social impact. The Snapshots of 2025 are an example of how, through research, curiosity can become advances in health. Here are eight images taken by researchers from our network that reflect some of the most notable discoveries of the year but which, thanks to their colours and textures, could also pass for authentic works of art. In several of them,\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/en\/2025-through-a-microscope\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Blog CaixaCi\u00e8ncia\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-12-12T07:58:24+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-12-12T08:09:51+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/RecapInstantaneas-2025-01-ENG.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1080\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1080\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Ubikmedia\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Ubikmedia\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/en\/2025-through-a-microscope\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/en\/2025-through-a-microscope\/\",\"name\":\"2025 through a microscope - Blog CaixaCi\u00e8ncia\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/en\/2025-through-a-microscope\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/en\/2025-through-a-microscope\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/RecapInstantaneas-2025-01-ENG.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-12-12T07:58:24+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-12-12T08:09:51+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/#\/schema\/person\/2b9d5310c27055b4862191402c387fca\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/en\/2025-through-a-microscope\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/en\/2025-through-a-microscope\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/RecapInstantaneas-2025-01-ENG.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/RecapInstantaneas-2025-01-ENG.jpg\"},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/\",\"name\":\"Blog CaixaCi\u00e8ncia\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/#\/schema\/person\/2b9d5310c27055b4862191402c387fca\",\"name\":\"Ubikmedia\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ccc66bc497f8ba496f9d06e5a58a91de?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ccc66bc497f8ba496f9d06e5a58a91de?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Ubikmedia\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/en\/author\/ubikmedia\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"2025 through a microscope - Blog CaixaCi\u00e8ncia","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/blog.caixaresearch.org\/en\/2025-through-a-microscope\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"2025 through a microscope - Blog CaixaCi\u00e8ncia","og_description":"One of the most powerful driving forces in human beings is curiosity: the impulse that leads us to explore the unknown, to comprehend the world around us and even understand our own biology. 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