Lara Chavaz from HUG Wins Swiss Childhood Cancer Research Award
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The official award ceremony for the Swiss Childhood Cancer Research Prize took place in Bern on 18 June 2025, recognizing Lara Chavaz of the Geneva University Hospitals (HUG) for her outstanding contribution to pediatric oncology research. The CHF 35,000 prize honors innovative projects in basic research conducted at Swiss research institutes and hospitals.
Lara Chavaz’s research addresses a critical yet often overlooked consequence of childhood cancer treatment: hearing loss. While platinum-based chemotherapies like cisplatin have significantly improved survival rates, especially in liver and bone tumors, they also carry a high risk of permanent damage to the inner ear. Up to one in three children treated with cisplatin may experience hearing impairment or loss.
Her project, co-funded by Swiss Childhood Cancer Foundation and the CANSEARCH Foundation, seeks to understand the cellular mechanisms behind this damage. In particular, Chavaz investigates how cisplatin, often combined with drugs like vincristine, might exacerbate toxicity to sensory cells in the ear — despite being highly effective against cancer cells. Hearing loss can lead to consequences for a child’s development: difficulties in language acquisition, academic difficulties and social difficulties.
The ultimate goal? To develop safer treatment protocols and preventive strategies that maintain the efficacy of cancer therapies while minimizing long-term side effects.
“Thanks to decades of progress, four out of five children survive cancer,” Chavaz explains. “Now, our challenge is ensuring they can thrive — without the burden of irreversible complications like hearing loss.”
Her motivation stems not only from clinical practice, but also from her volunteer work with cancer survivors, who continue to face challenges long after treatment ends. Through fundamental research, Chavaz hopes to help children with cancer grow into healthy adults — with full access to language, learning, and life.
➡️ Source: Swiss Childhood Cancer Research | 📸 Swiss Childhood Cancer Research