Cód. SSPA: IBiS-B-03
Our group studies pathophysiological processes associated with the presence of stem cells derived from the neural crest, that is, those that give rise to the peripheral nervous system. On the one hand, we are interested in the physiology of the adult stem cell niche that our group has described in the carotid body, a specialized chemoreceptor ganglion of the peripheral nervous system. And on the other hand we are interested in the study of neuroblastomas, a type of pediatric tumor whose aggressiveness and metastatic capacity seems to depend on the presence of oncologically transformed neural crest-derived stem cells. Our group also includes other lines of research such as cell reprogramming from astrocytes to neurons in the central nervous system, or the study of the role of SOS proteins in the growth of certain tumor types.
Lines of research:
- Study of the physiology of the adult carotid body germinal niche, analyzing the role played by the different undifferentiated cell types in the process of adaptation of the organ to chronic hypoxia.
- Contact: Ricardo Pardal (rpardal@us.es)
- Study of the basic cellular and molecular mechanisms used by undifferentiated cells to favor growth, aggressiveness, and metastatic capacity of pediatric neuroblastomas.
- Contact: Francisco M. Vega (fmvega@us.es)
- Study of the use of cellular reprogramming of astrocytes into neurons within the central nervous system, to try to reverse the symptoms of aging or neurodegenerative pathologies like Alzheimer.
- Contact: Aida Platero (aplatero@us.es)
- Study of DNA repair mechanisms in tumors of the central nervous system (glioblastoma) and peripheral nervous system (neuroblastoma).
- Contact: Diana Aguilar (daguilar-ibis@us.es)
- Study of the role of SOS proteins, as regulators of Ras, in the biology and behavior of undifferentiated cells in different types of tumors.
- Contact: Fernando Calvo (fcalvo@us.es).
