EACR member Munitta Muthana provides some insight into her team’s experience at EACR 2025 in Lisbon, and how it catalysed the momentum and vision for their spin-out company, NANOncolytics.
“I remember leaving EACR 2025 feeling quite inspired for the steps ahead. At the time, we were going through the commercialisation journey with our spin-out idea. We had a device and the scientific knowledge to make it work, but we didn’t have the know-how to establish our idea as a business. Sure, there were lots of examples on campus of companies that had spun out successfully into the engineering space, but none were from the health faculty, and at the time we didn’t have many personal connections in that space to get guidance from.”
What brought you and your team to attend EACR 2025 in Lisbon?
I mostly attend conferences for science, and that was our main focus when attending EACR 2025 in Lisbon. However, as I browsed the exhibition hall, we were particularly impressed by the companies we saw that were developing cell lines and assays for researchers, as well as those with a cell/macrophage focus, as that’s an area I’ve worked in for many years. This was the first time I’d come face-to-face with companies that had branched out successfully into the field we were looking to move into; it established in my mind that creating our company would be feasible and showed me what was possible within the health research space.
What kind of conversations did you have that contributed to the launch of your company?
Across the three days of the Congress exhibition, I was able to chat to reps from various companies and get inspiration from their success stories. It helped me see that our dream was within reach. This is a journey that has been three years in the making, and thanks to advice and guidance received at EACR 2025, today NANOncolytics is a reality—a synthesis and scaling platform that encapsulates viruses within specialised nanoparticles, allowing for straightforward delivery through the bloodstream.
One key thing I also noticed about EACR 2025 was the focus on sustainability, which is very important to us at NANOncolytics. Lisbon was the first large cancer conference we’d attended that focused on sustainability – in fact, there were so many talks on the subject that I ended up running backwards and forwards like a mad woman to make sure I could see them all!
Tell us more about your spin-out company.
One of our pipeline projects is all about using materials that are better for both the environment and the body. We’re experimenting with spider silk, as well as orange peel from juice companies, with which we make pectin particles. This is more sustainable to produce than current nanoparticle formulations based on lipids, importantly they are carbon friendly and better for the body. Seeing a similar focus on alternative sources for materials at EACR 2025 was very inspiring, and although we aren’t able to attend the Congress in 2026, we can’t wait to attend the 2027 edition in Bilbao to see more research in this field.
Inspired by Munitta’s story?
The EACR annual congress offers a warm and inviting atmosphere of learning and collaboration, with top-tier speakers presenting the latest data across the spectrum of cancer research. Whether you’re looking for scientific insight or your next career step, the conversations at the EACR 2026 Congress may form the connection you have been looking for. Click here to find out more about the EACR 2026 Congress.
