Ms. Camila Canaán-Haden | Biomedical research | Best Researcher Award
PhD student, Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (CIGB)
Camila Canaán-Haden Ayala is a Cuban researcher specializing in cancer immunotherapy. She works at the Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (CIGB), focusing on developing therapeutic cancer vaccines and recombinant antigen production. Her expertise includes immune response evaluations using ELISA, FACS, ELISPOT, and cytokine assays in various models. She has contributed to COVID-19 clinical trials and vaccine development, including the Abdala vaccine. Camila has undertaken multiple international research fellowships in Italy, Spain, France, and Mexico. Her work aims to improve immunotherapeutic strategies against cancer by targeting immune checkpoints and optimizing vaccine efficacy.
Profile
🎓 Education
Camila holds a Master’s in Contemporary Biotechnology (2019-2022) from CIGB and a Bachelor’s in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (2012-2017) from the University of Havana. She completed postgraduate training in bioinformatics, immunology, protein engineering, and good laboratory practices. Her academic foundation includes mathematics, chemistry, molecular genetics, virology, and clinical biochemistry. She has pursued advanced studies in biomedical research through multiple international pre-doctoral fellowships.
💼 Experience
Since 2017, Camila has been a researcher at CIGB’s Cancer Immunotherapy Lab. She has led projects on immune checkpoint inhibition strategies and therapeutic cancer vaccine development. Her work includes antigen cloning, protein characterization, and immunogenicity studies in animal models. She has evaluated antitumor and anti-metastatic effects of novel therapies and contributed to clinical trials for COVID-19 treatments. She has also worked with antibody phage display libraries to develop scFv antibodies. Her research extends to immune response assessments for cancer and infectious disease vaccines.
🏆 Awards & Honors
Camila has received prestigious short-term pre-doctoral fellowships in Italy (ICGEB-Trieste, University of Padua), Spain (CIBIR), France (Cancer Research Center of Lyon), and Mexico (CICESE), funded by international programs like IILA, Coimbra Group, and EU Ventana Adelante. Her contributions to COVID-19 vaccine research have been recognized in published scientific papers. She has played a key role in Cuban clinical trials for novel immunotherapies and has received funding for advanced research in biotechnology and immunology.
🔍 Research Focus
Camila’s research centers on cancer immunotherapy, focusing on immune checkpoint inhibition and tumor vaccine development. She specializes in recombinant antigen production, immune response characterization, and antibody-based therapies. Her projects involve antigen cloning, protein engineering, and evaluating vaccine efficacy in preclinical models. She has explored the combination of immunotherapies targeting VEGF and PD-L1 pathways to enhance anti-tumor responses. Her work has also contributed to COVID-19 vaccine research, particularly in evaluating immunogenicity and antibody responses.
Conclusion
Camila Canaán-Haden Ayala’s academic and professional trajectory is exceptional, with significant contributions to cancer immunotherapy and vaccine development. Her technical expertise, international exposure, and scientific output make her a strong contender for the Best Researcher Award. With a continued focus on expanding her clinical research impact, publishing in high-impact journals, and taking on leadership roles, her potential to drive groundbreaking innovations is evident.
M Limonta-Fernández, G Chinea-Santiago, AM Martín-Dunn, …
Title: An engineered SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain produced in Pichia pastoris as a candidate vaccine antigen
Year: 2022
Citation: 63
LA Espinosa, Y Ramos, I Andújar, EO Torres, G Cabrera, A Martín, …
Title: In-solution buffer-free digestion allows full-sequence coverage and complete characterization of post-translational modifications of the receptor-binding domain of SARS-CoV-2
Year: 2021
Citation: 15
YA Fleites, J Aguiar, Z Cinza, M Bequet, E Marrero, M Vizcaíno, I Esquivel, …
Title: HeberNasvac, a therapeutic vaccine for chronic hepatitis B, stimulates local and systemic markers of innate immunity: Potential use in SARS-CoV-2 postexposure prophylaxis
Year: 2021
Citation: 10
LA Espinosa, Y Ramos, I Andújar, EO Torres, G Cabrera, A Martín, …
Title: In-solution buffer-free digestion for the analysis of SARS-CoV-2 RBD proteins allows a full sequence coverage and detection of post-translational modifications in a single ESI
Year: 2021
Citation: 8
Y Morera-Díaz, C Canaán-Haden, J Sánchez-Ramírez, …
Title: Active immunization with a structurally aggregated PD-L1 antigen breaks T and B immune tolerance in non-human primates and exhibits in vivo anti-tumoral effects in
Year: 2023
Citation: 4
D Vázquez-Blomquist, M Bequet-Romero, Y Mendoza-Marí, G Lemos, …
Title: Nasalferon, a new nasal formulation of IFNα2b, modulates cellular and molecular elements associated with an antiviral response in mucosa and blood
Year: 2022
Citation: 4
EM Idelsis, PE Jésus, DR Yaquelin, VB Dania, BR Mónica, BR Lisandra, …
Title: A combination treatment of IFN-α2b and IFN-γ accelerates viral clearance and control inflammatory response in COVID-19: Preliminary results of a randomized controlled trial
Year: 2021
Citation: 4
C Canaán-Haden, J Sánchez-Ramírez, R Martínez-Castillo, …
Title: Immunogenicity and Safety Profile of Two Adjuvanted-PD-L1-Based Vaccine Candidates in Mice, Rats, Rabbits, and Cynomolgus Monkeys
Year: 2025
Citation: N/A
Y Morera, M Bequet-Romero, F Hernández-Bernal, I González-Moya, …
Title: Preclinical and clinical significance of VEGF deprivation in ovarian cancer through a specific active immunotherapy
Year: 2023
Citation: N/A