In June 2024, Roke Oruezabal, the then-director of Innovation at the National Center for Cancer Research (CNIO), alongside scientific director Maria Blasco, approached Juan Cruz Cigudosa, the Secretary of State for Science, with grave concerns regarding the management of the CNIO. They believed that the leadership, led by the now-investigated Juan Arroyo, was attempting to transfer two patents, to which the CNIO had heavily invested resources, to Mariano Barbacid without proper oversight or compensation. Oruezabal and Blasco argued that such actions would violate regulatory protocols, as the patents were still an asset of the CNIO and could not simply be handed over without undergoing stringent checks.

Fast forward to June 2024, EL MUNDO learned that Oruezabal was dismissed from his position following his whistleblowing. This incident raises critical questions about governance and accountability within major research institutions like the CNIO, particularly around the safeguarding of intellectual property that is vital for ongoing cancer research. The dismissal of a whistleblower often signals organizational issues, potentially hindering future efforts to report misconduct and protecting academic integrity.

The situation brings to light the challenges faced by individuals within such institutions who attempt to report irregularities, especially when it involves high-profile figures like Barbacid, who is well-known in the cancer research field. It underscores the importance of transparent practices in the management of innovative research and the necessity of protecting whistleblowers to maintain trust in scientific research and its funding mechanisms.