Greek pioneer Maria Themeli’s fight for accessible cancer treatments

·

By Eleni Patsalides.

Dr Maria Themeli is a researcher at the Amsterdam Cancer Centre and is a frontrunner in the development of cancer immunotherapy. She has made vital contributions to the treatment of blood cancer with the patented production of CAR-T cells which feature an anticancer activity.

Born and raised in Patras, Dr Themeli studied at the Medical School of the University of Patras. Graduating at the top of her class in 2006, she completed her doctorate at the same university before moving to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre in New York City in 2014 for her postdoctoral work.

In 2015, Dr Themeli joined the VUmc Cancer Centre and was awarded the Marie Curie Scholarship from the European Union. In two short years, she was named “Woman of the Year” in the Netherlands.

“I believe that very soon we will have improved results for the treatment

Dr Themeli is considered an advocate for democratising access to effective cancer treatments.

In an interview with local media, Dr Themeli expressed how access to cancer treatments is not always easy “because cancer is an extremely variable disease,” but she believes a solution is possible.

“Our group, along with scientists from all over the world, is trying to find solutions to these problems, and I believe that very soon we will have improved results for the treatment with CAR-T and on other types of cancer,” she said.

Dr Themeli has spoken openly about how she believes everyone should have access, regardless of their financial standing, as healthcare should not be reserved for the wealthy.

When speaking about the vast discrepancy in access to treatments, Dr Themeli told The Greek Observer that ”there are difficulties because pharmaceutical companies interested in the production of CAR-T cells have given very high production cost, approximately 350,000 euros, when the production at academic level does not exceed 50,000 euros.”

“Providing an answer to even one question is the driving force”

Dr Themeli told Impactalk that she attributes her success to the support she received from her family during her career and that “it is important for the family to recognise the value of the search for knowledge and to strengthen this process.”

Whilst the journey for answers is long, Dr Themeli has said that “it is important to celebrate our goals.”

“Research consists of 90% failure and frustration and only 10% of moments of success. Providing an answer to even one question is the driving force,” she said.

Source: Ellines, Impactalk

Advertisement

Share:

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH TGH

By subscribing you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Advertisement

Latest News

Konstantinos Argiros meets NSW Premier after sold-out Opera House performances

At NSW Parliament on Friday, Premier Chris Minns and Ministers Courtney Houssos and Sophie Cotsis welcomed Konstantinos Argiros.

‘Love, care and respect’: Chris and Nikolitsa Bakopoulos share the key to 70 years of marriage

From Patras to Bexley, Chris and Nikolitsa Bakopoulos’ 70-year love story is a timeless testament to faith, resilience, and devotion.

Accused Easey St killer Perry Kouroumblis previously gave police an alibi, court hears

Accused Easey Street killer Perry Kouroumblis has told police he was with a friend on the night two women were brutally stabbed in 1977.

How Greece’s new law changes inheritance and property processes for Greeks abroad

Athens lawyer Panagiotis Rozakis says Greece’s new digital reforms will simplify and speed up inheritance and property matters for diaspora.

Snowtown killer James Vlassakis’ parole review to be heard in private

The parole review of Snowtown murderer James Spyridon Vlassakis will be conducted in private. Read more here.

You May Also Like

Alex Lykos, the creator of feature film ‘Alex and Eve,’ is back with a new comedy

Alex Lykos, known for Alex & Eve (2016), is back with a new and controversial dark comedy called Unhinged.

Cladding removal from first of 214 towers in NSW won’t start until end of year

Work will start on removing combustible cladding from the first of 214 high-rise residential buildings in Sydney late this year.

Labor pledges $400,000 to Hellenic Museum in Melbourne for major Greek exhibition

The Hellenic Museum in Melbourne is set to receive $400,000 in federal funding for its upcoming exhibition, Rituals: Gifts for the Gods.