Cód. SSPA: IBiS-E-02
The scientific activity of our group is related to three main projects:
- Genetic and functional characterization of pancreatic cancer. Clinical studies and experimental models.
The project investigates the involvement of PTEN/PI3K/AKT/mTOR-dependent cell signaling in pancreatic cancer. Different experimental strategies such as cell culture and the xenograft mouse model are used to assess Ras-dependent signaling involved in the induction and progression of pancreatic cancer. The effect of different inhibitors is being investigated as therapy against the neoplasic activity of pancreatic tumor cells.
- Cell death/proliferation in hepatocarcinoma.
Research in this area includes the regulation of cell death and proliferation signaling mediated by TNF-R1, CD95 and Trail-R receptors during the induction and progression of liver cancer. In particular, the role of oxidative and nitrosative stress on the caveolae assembling of these receptors in the plasma membrane of hepatocytes, and its functional repercussion in cell and proliferation processes is being determined, as well as in other relevant aspects of cancer progression such as invasiveness and the metastatic capacity of liver cancer cells.
- Hepatic regeneration mediated by stem cell infusion in the liver. Clinical studies and experimental models.
This research area evaluates the repercussion of hematopoietic stem cell infusion in patients who have undergone liver resection. Different clinical parameters of tissue regeneration, as well as the presence of tissue and cellular markers in liver and peripheral blood related to hepatocellular differentiation are being determined. In this sense, different pluripotent cell populations are being characterized according to the presence of markers related to their pluripotency or the degree of cellular/tissue differentiation.
