I achieved my PhD in Sciences at Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM). I performed two postdoctoral stays: IIBM-CSIC, Cancer Research UK and NIMR. I was awarded with a competitive grants MEC-FPI, a postdoctoral Comunidad de Madrid (CM), and a contract as MIMR research Staff. I joined the Biochemistry Department(BQ) (UAM) thanks to a Ramón y Cajal. I was next permanently appointed as Profesor Contratado Doctor (PCD), Prof. Titular and currently Full Professor at the Dept of Biochemisty. I have also been dedicated to academic management, Academic Secretary of the Biochemistry Dept, Coordinator of the PD in Molecular Biosciences and Academic Register of the Faculty of Medicine.

My research focuses on the physiopathology. I identified the JNK/DUSP1 stress signaling pathway as a key modulator of cisplatin-induced apoptosis (DOI: 10.1038/sj.onc.120157; 10.1038/sj.onc.1203887; 10.1091/mbc.E02-01-0022). I identified genes responsible for cisplatin sensitivity (DOI: 10.1182/blood-2007-04-083261), basis of a patent (PCT/ES2006/070152).Another research milestone was identifying a new protein complex causing aneuploidy in S. pombe (DOI: 10.1038/sj.emboj.7600761). Since 2005, I have led the Chromosomal Instability and Therapy Response research group at UAM, securing public grants from ISCIII (4) and MINECO (2).

Our goal is to identify biomarkers for diagnosis and unveil metallo-drug responses in gastric cancer (GC). Key contributions include:

-        CHK1 as a biomarker of resistance (DOI: 10.1038/srep21519).

- Investigating the role of MAD2 in GC tumorigenesis (DOI: 10.4161/15384101.2014.962952; DOI: 10.7150/thno.49270).

-   NER repair pathway as a potential target for improved cisplatin response (DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2019.00377).

-    Studying drug-induced senescence and its relationship with therapy response (DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06052-5; DOI: 10.4161/15384101.2014.962952).

- Developing new potential metallodrugs for cancer treatment (DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.9b02831; DOI: 10.1016/j.jinorgbio.2023.112261).

I am currently an IP at the group Biomarkers and Personalized Approach to Cancer Group (BioPAC) of  IRYCIS leader by Dr. B Sainz (CSIC) and CIBERER Member Cáncer Hereditario y Síndromes

I have acted as a manuscript reviewer for a large number of journals, Q1/D1. As a grant evaluator, I collaborate with ANEP and ACSUCYL, AGAE, CAIXA, and ISCIII. President of the technical committee of  Human Resourcer for ISCIII, 2019-2023.

I have been able to provide valuable tools and training to my PhD students, helping them achieve an excellent level of education, including the International Mention in their doctoral theses. Regarding human resources, I have secured and supported the acquisition of competitive grants such as predoctoral FPU and FPI-UAM, Ayudante de Investigación, Investigo and Técnico de Laboratorio in (CM).

I have supervised more than 10 Final Degree (TFG) and Master (TFM) theses. Furthermore, I have organized events and official PhD training activities according with EURODOC guidelines (www.eurodoc.net) related to transversal skills. Some examples are the academic direction of symposium and communication courses at UAM, the Facilitating Leadership in a Knowledge-Based Society held at Harvard University (IAP-UAM) or the  participation in the CIVIS European Alliance The Challenged of Aging; Blended Intensitive Program Experimental Models in Molecular Biomedicine (EMMB)

Moreover, I have contributed to the dissemination of science to society by participating in two FECYT projects: "Escape Room with Science" during Campus Científicos de Verano 2019, and three European Researchers' Nights in 2016, 2019, and the upcoming 2024. Finally, we have also been part of the Programa 4º ESO EMPRESA in 2023 and 2024.

Collaborations:

We have been collaborating with Prof. C. Peiró (UAM) for several years. Wwe contributed to the study of the angiotensin-(1-7)/Mas receptor axis, which protects against endothelial cell senescence via Klotho and Nrf2 activation (DOI: 10.1111/acel.12913). More recently, I have participated as research coordinator of the Biochemistry/Molecular Biology team in a collaborative project funded by the Community of Madrid with European Funds (REACT-EU), dedicated to understanding the tissue impact of SARS-CoV2 (2020-2022). In relation to this project, we have an accepted manuscript that studies the effects of SARS-CoV2 on senescence (Aging and Disease, ID AD-2024-0405.R2), and another manuscript is in preparation. Lastly, we have recently started evaluating the impact of senescence induced by new antitumor metalloids on the vascular endothelial system as a side effect of the drugs, and we will present the results at the ISH24 conference in September 2024.

We also collaborate with Dr. Varela (CSIC), studying the role of the phosphatase DUSP1 in hearing loss (DOI: 10.7554/eLife.39159) and searching for new therapeutic agents that could mitigate cisplatin-induced hearing loss (DOI: 10.1002/ctm2.363). As part of the SENESTHERAPY NETWORK, we could explore the effects of new platinum drugs, which I am working with, to investigate the ototoxicity side effects in vivo.