Dr. Elena Élez graduated in Medicine from the University of Lleida in 2002 and completed her specialization in Medical Oncology at Bellvitge University Hospital in 2007. In 2010, she obtained a Master’s degree in Molecular Oncology at the CNIO, and in 2015, she earned her PhD in Medicine with Cum Laude distinction from the Autonomous University of Barcelona. Currently, she leads the Colorectal Cancer Group at Vall d’Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO) since 2023 and has been a senior consultant at Vall d'Hebron University Hospital in Barcelona since 2007.

Her research focuses on developing new therapies and biomarkers for colorectal cancer. She has made significant contributions to the molecular subtyping of colorectal cancer and the study of the BRAFV600E mutation, establishing VHIO as a reference in this area. Her work includes an advanced liquid biopsy program aimed at studying the predictive and prognostic value of circulating tumor DNA (cfDNA) in plasma to identify clinically relevant biomarkers.

Currently, she leads studies on colorectal cancer in young patients and investigates the impact of the microbiome on treatment response. Over the past five years, her group has doubled the number of patients enrolled in clinical trials. Presently, they are involved in 20 Phase I trials and 18 Phase II and III trials, where Dr. Élez serves as the principal investigator in most.

Additionally, she leads international projects and secures funding from national and international organizations.

Agenus, Amgen, Bayer, BMS, Boehringer Ingelheim, Cure Teq AG, GlaxoSmithKline, Hoffman La Roche, Janssen, Johnson & Johnson, Lilly, Medscape, Merck Serono, MSD, Novartis, Organon, Pfizer, Pierre Fabre, Repare Therapeutics Inc., RIN Institute Inc., Rottapharm Biotech, Sanofi, Seagen International GmbH, Servier, and Takeda.

Institution received research funding from Abbvie Deutschland Gmbh & Co KG, Agenus, Amgen Inc., Array Biopharma Inc, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP, Bayer Pharma AG, BeiGene, Bioncotech, Therapeutics, S.L., Biontech Rna Pharmacuticals GMBH, Biontech Small Molecules GMBH, Boehringer Ingelheim, Boehringer Ingelheim de España S.A., Bristol-Myers Squibb International Corporation, Celgene International SARL, Daiichi Sankyo, Inc, Debiopharm International SA, Enterome BioScience SA, Exelixis, Genentech Inc, Gercor, GSK, HalioDX SAS, Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Hutchinson Medipharma Limited, Hutchison MediPharma, International, Iovance Biotherapeutics, Inc., Janssen Research & Development, Janssen-Cilag SA, MedImmune, Menarini, Menarini Ricerche SPA, Merck Health KGAA, Merck, Sharp & Dohme de España S.A., Merus NV, Mirati, Nouscom SRL., Novartis Farmacéutica SA, Pfizer, NuCana plc., PharmaMar SA, Pledpharma AB, Redx Pharma PLC, Sanofi Aventis Recherche & Développement, Scandion Oncology, Seattle